Which place is cheaper, Sofia or Riga?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Riga or Sofia?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Riga or Sofia? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Riga or Sofia?
Riga
Riga is the vibrant capital city of Latvia. It continues to gain popularity as a tourist destination in part because it is the base for the airline Air Baltic. This affordable airline offers discount flights around Europe and most of these flights pass through Riga with a forced overnight layover. This encourages travelers to visit this fascinating city for at least a night or two.
Sofia
Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria and also its largest city. Some people have tried to compare it to Budapest, but the cities are actually quite different. In Sofia you will find wonderful European style architecture intertwined with Communist style buildings. It's fascinating to see the two dramatically different building styles immediately next to each other. There are also many Orthodox Churches around town, with their beautiful domes and intricate details.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria.
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Riga Prices
Latvia PricesSofia Prices
Bulgaria Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRiga €122Sofia €73
The average daily cost (per person) in Riga is €122, while the average daily cost in Sofia is €73. 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 Riga and Sofia in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRiga €52Sofia €38
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRiga €104Sofia €76
Compare Hotels in Riga and Sofia
Looking for a hotel in Riga or Sofia? 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.
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: Riga Hotel Prices and Sofia Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Riga €9.63Sofia €7.89
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Riga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Riga:
- From Private Transfer to Tallinn with Sightseeing: $485
- From Private Transfer to Vilnius with Sightseeing: $451
- From Cesis and Sigulda Day Trip with Hotel Transfers: $158
- Riga Gun Experience: Roundtrip Transfer and 4 Firearms: $157
- Riga Limo Airport Transfer: $136
- Departure Private Transfer Riga City to Riga Airport RIX by Minibus: $115
- Private transfer Riga - Hill of Crosses - Riga: $109
- Private Transfer From Riga Airport To Riga City Center: $86
- Riga City to Riga Airport (RIX) - Private Transfer.: $72
- Riga Airport (RIX) to Riga City - Private Transfer.: $72
- Departure Transfer from Riga to Riga Airport RIX by Car or Van: $65
- Private Transfer from Riga Airport (RIX) to Riga Cruise Port: $57
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sofia
Also for Sofia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Sofia airport to hotel in Sofia OR vice versa: $20
- Private One Way Transfer in Sofia: $34
- Private Airport Transfer to Sofia City Center: $40
- Private Transfer from Sofia (SOF) Airport to Sofia City: $44
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Sofia HTL-APT (SOF): $48
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Sofia APT-HTL (SOF): $48
- Airport Transfer from Sofia Airport: $51
- Sofia Airport Transfers: $52
- Private Transfer from Sofia to Sofia Airport SOF in Business Car: $53
- Sofia City Private Transfer to Sofia Airport SOF in Business Car: $53
- From Koprivshtitsa & Historic Homes Tour w/ Transfer: $57
- Private Transfer from Sofia (SOF) Airport to Borovets: $65
Is it cheaper to fly into Riga or Sofia?
Prices for flights to both Sofia and Riga 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
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Food Meals for one dayRiga €57Sofia €30
Typical Food Prices in Riga
Some typical examples of dining costs in Riga are as follows:
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Fast Food Lunch€5.77
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Riga
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Riga.
- Central Market Traditional Food Tour: $48
- Central Market Latvian Food Tour: $55
- Khinkali and Pelmeni Cooking Master Class: $68
- Riga Medieval Dinner: $125
- Latvian Art Museum, Dinner, and Black Balsam Tasting: $202
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sofia
For Sofia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Private Traditional Bulgarian Cooking in Central Sofia: $98
- Bulgarian Food tasting, cullinary-historical tour, Cooking class: $111
- Sofia by Night: Panoramic City Tour and Folklore Dinner: $112
- Private Sofia Night Tour with Bulgarian Folklore & Dinner: $113
- Sofia Evening Tour with Folklore Program and Traditional Dinner: $160
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Riga €14Sofia €5.57
Tours and Activities in Riga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Riga are as follows:
- Kid-Friendly Riga Private Guided Tour for Families : $254
- The best of Bauska walking tour: $79
- 2 Hours Walking Tour in Legends and Secret of Riga's Old Town : $92
- 2.5-Hour Riga Cruiser Bike Tour: $85
- 5,5 Hour Shared Tour to Hill of Crosses from Riga: $86
- Admission Ticket to Live Silver Museum: $12
- Aeroplane Flight Experience: $77
- An audio tour of Old from St Peter's Church to the Monument of Freedom: $5.00
- Audio Tour of Riga Old Town: $10
- Best of Riga Walking Tour: $191
- Bushwalking/Hiking adventure from Riga : $57
- Discover Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
Tours and Activities in Sofia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sofia.
- Self-guided Tour in the Museum of Socialist Art: $8.24
- Self Guided Tour Experience in Rila Monastery: $10
- City Monuments Guided Walking Tour with Audio Guide: $11
- Guided Walking Tour of Sofia: $11
- City Highlights Sightseeing Walking Tour: $12
- Sofia Highlights 2 Hour Sightseeing Walking Tour: $12
- Sofia Audio guide Tour offers available in 7 languages: $15
- Bulgarian Rose Aromatic Experience : $16
- E-guide for Any Sight, Tour, Trip or Experience in Bulgaria: $17
- Pokémon GO Private Tour of Sofia: $19
- Communist Walking Tour: $20
- Sofia Small Group City Tour: $21
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRiga €20Sofia €7.90
Sample the Local Flavors in Riga
Also in Riga, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Old town pub & bar crawl, hidden gems, and local party: $20
- Pub Crawl- Your best night out in Riga with our local guide! : $32
- Riga Pub Crawl: $40
- Riga Evening Adventure: Pub Crawl & Games Night: $49
- Game Night & Pub Crawl: $50
- Latvian Brewery Visit & 5 Beer tasting: $51
- Prosecco Bike & Pub Crawl: $55
- Riga Happy Hour Pub Crawl: $56
- Riga Brewery Tour: $56
- Riga's Old Town Beer Bike Tour & Guided Pub Crawl: $67
- Riga Brewery Tour: $73
- Gin Distillery Tour with Tasting and Cocktails: $101
Sample the Local Flavors in Sofia
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Sofia:
- Sofia Party Pub Crawl - Party Tour of Sofia's Best Bars & Clubs: $17
- Sofia's Hidden Bars: 4-Hour Pub Crawl: $23
- Sofia Pub Crawl Tour of The Hidden Unique Bars: $23
- Wine and Tapas - Bulgarian's Wine Tasting Experience: $28
- Wine Tasting in Heart of Sofia: $35
- 10 Best Gems Including Tram Ride to Top City Brewery: $57
- Special Selection Bulgarian Wine Tasting: $67
- Special Selection Bulgarian Wine Tasting: $68
- Sofia Exquisite Wine Tasting: $79
- 1-Hour Private Cheese and Wine Tasting in Sofia : $90
- Private Cheese and Wine Tasting Experience in Sofia: $125
- Melnik Wine Tour: $157
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Riga and Sofia, we can see that Riga is more expensive. And not only is Sofia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sofia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sofia 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 Riga would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Riga than you might in Sofia.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Riga Expensive? and Is Sofia Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Riga or Sofia?
Sofia has a larger population, and is about 55% larger than the population of Riga. When comparing the sizes of Riga and Sofia, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.