A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Plovdiv vs. Novi Sad for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Plovdiv or Novi Sad?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Plovdiv and Novi Sad can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Plovdiv or Novi Sad?

Plovdiv

Located in a large, hilly plain between the Rhodope Mountains in the south of Bulgaria and the Balkan Range in the central part of the country, Plovdiv sits uniquely spread across six hills. It is one of the oldest continuously-inhabited cities in the world, dating back roughly 8,000 years. Some of its best features are its ancient ruins and historic architecture.

Novi Sad

Novi Sad is the capital city of Vojvodina, the northern Autonomous Province of Serbia. Novi Sad has a population of about 400,000 people and is located on the Danube River near Budapest and Belgrade.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Bulgaria, The Best Adventure Tours to Bulgaria, The Best Budget Tours to Serbia, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Belgrade.


Which place is cheaper, Novi Sad or Plovdiv?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Plovdiv is $80, while the average daily cost in Novi Sad is $20. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Plovdiv and Novi Sad in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Plovdiv $44
    Novi Sad $11
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Plovdiv $88
    Novi Sad $22
Compare Hotels in Plovdiv and Novi Sad

Looking for a hotel in Plovdiv or Novi Sad? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Plovdiv


Hotels in Novi Sad


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Plovdiv Hotel Prices and Novi Sad Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Plovdiv $22
    Novi Sad -

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Plovdiv

Also for Plovdiv, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private One-way Transfer Plovdiv Airport to Hotel or vice versa: $42
  • Transfer from Plovdiv to Stara Zagora: $87
  • Transfer Plovdiv to Sofia airport/city with a car 3+1: $98
  • Transfer from Pamporovo to Sofia: $98
  • Transfer from Plovdiv to Sofia: $103
  • Transfer from Plovdiv to Bansko: $134
  • Sofia: Private Transfer from Sofia to Plovdiv OR vice versa: $147
  • Private Transfer from Plovdiv to Sofia / vice versa: $147
  • Private Transfer from Pamporovo to Sofia (SOF) Airport: $160
  • Transfer from Plovdiv to Burgas city/airport with sedan/minivan/minibus: $190
  • Private Transfer from Plovdiv to Burgas: $262
  • Private Transfer from Plovdiv to Varna: $354

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Novi Sad

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Novi Sad:

  • Belgrade to Sarajevo via Novi Sad Private Transfer Tour: $286
  • Belgrade airport transfers: $30
  • Airport transfer from/to Novi Sad: $107

Is it cheaper to fly into Plovdiv or Novi Sad?

Prices for flights to both Novi Sad and Plovdiv change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Plovdiv $21
    Novi Sad $8.20

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Plovdiv $15
    Novi Sad -

Tours and Activities in Plovdiv

For Plovdiv, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Old Town Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
  • Plovdiv Old Town Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
  • Pokémon GO Private Tour of Plovdiv: $17
  • Plovdiv Communist Walking Tour Soviet Landmarks: $20
  • Plovdiv Communist Walking Tour Soviet Landmarks: $20
  • Plovdiv Private City Walking Tour Old Town & Ancient Stadium: $21
  • Guided Walking Tour: $21
  • Plovdiv guided walking tour: $22
  • Local Adventures in the Rhodope Mountains: $32
  • Food Walk: Bulgarian Food and Culture Tour in Plovdiv: $38
  • Plovdiv - Private walking tour: $41
  • Walking tour of Plovdiv's top attractions: $54

Tours and Activities in Novi Sad

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Novi Sad are as follows:

  • From Belgrade: Novi Sad and Fruska Gora National Park Tour: $320
  • Fruska Gora and Novi Sad Heritage & Gastro Private Tour: $170
  • Novi Sad & Sremski Karlovci shared tour: $64
  • Novi Sad Private Walking Tour: $253
  • Novi Sad city center and Petrovaradin fortress tour: $80
  • 2-Hour Christmas Walking Tour: $767
  • City Highlights Walking Tour with Local Guide: $510
  • Private Customized Tour with a car: $208
  • Private Romantic Tour: $511
  • The city center and fortress Private Walking Tour: $29

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Plovdiv $9.57
    Novi Sad -

Sample the Local Flavors in Plovdiv

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Plovdiv:

  • Chateau Copsa Wine Tasting Tours & Activities: $21
  • Old Town Exploring Guide Roman Ruins & Wine Tasting: $80
  • Thracian Valley wine tasting - private day tour from Plovdiv: $91
  • Private Day Trip From Plovdiv To Wine Cellars And Wine Tasting: $108
  • From Sofia: Plovdiv and Perushtitsa Tour With Wine Tasting: $133

Sample the Local Flavors in Novi Sad

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Novi Sad:

  • From Belgrade: Sremski Karlovci & Novi Sad with Wine Tasting: $80
  • From Belgrade or Private Wine Tour in Fruska Gora: $184


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Plovdiv and Novi Sad, we can see that Plovdiv is more expensive. And not only is Novi Sad much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Novi Sad would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Novi Sad and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Plovdiv would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Plovdiv than you might in Novi Sad.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Plovdiv Expensive? and Is Novi Sad Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Plovdiv or Novi Sad?

Plovdiv has a larger population, and is about 58% larger than the population of Novi Sad. When comparing the sizes of Plovdiv and Novi Sad, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.