Which place is cheaper, Bucharest or Sibiu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sibiu or Bucharest?
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 Sibiu and Bucharest can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Sibiu or Bucharest?
Sibiu
Located in the Transylvania region of Romania, Sibiu is a historic city with Germanic origins which are evident in its architecture at its old town center. There are many charming squares which showcase landmarks like Gothic churches, a Baroque palace, medieval watchtowers, and more.
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital and largest city in the country of Romania. With about 2 million residents living in the city and about 2.4 million in the surrounding urban area, it is also one of the largest cities in Southeastern Europe. As such, it is the economic, industrial and commercial center for the country. As a visitor, you will likely enter Romania by arriving in Bucharest. The city continues to grow and change, and there are ongoing infrastructure projects that continue to modernize the city. It is not uncommon to find historic churches on the same block as modern office buildings and Communist style apartment buildings. There are also many sights around town and the city continues to grow as a trendy and fascinating city.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Romania, The Best Tours for Seniors to Romania, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bucharest, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Romania.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySibiu $71Bucharest $137
The average daily cost (per person) in Sibiu is $71, while the average daily cost in Bucharest is $137. 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 Sibiu and Bucharest in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSibiu $33Bucharest $63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSibiu $66Bucharest $126
Compare Hotels in Sibiu and Bucharest
Looking for a hotel in Sibiu or Bucharest? 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: Sibiu Hotel Prices and Bucharest Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sibiu $27Bucharest $26
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sibiu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sibiu:
- Bucharest to Sibiu - Private Transfer: $471
- Sibiu to Balea: Bus Transfer: $69
- Sibiu to Bucharest - Private Transfer: $471
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bucharest
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bucharest:
- Therme Bucharest Express Shuttle Transfer: $7.60
- Bucharest Airport Transfer: $11
- Bucuresti: Transfer Therme Bucuresti different hours: $12
- Bucharest Transfer Service: $17
- Bucharest Airport: Bus Transfer to/from Tecuci: $21
- Airport Transfer: $21
- Private Bucharest Otopeni Airport (OTP) Transfer: $22
- Bucharest Private Airport Transfer from or to City Center Hotel: $22
- Bucharest Airport: Bus Transfer to/from Barlad: $23
- Bucharest Airport: Bus Transfer to/from Vaslui OMV: $26
- Bucharest Otopeni Airport OTP to Bucharest City Center Hotel - private transfer: $27
- Transfer from Otopeni Airport to Bucharest: $29
Is it cheaper to fly into Sibiu or Bucharest?
Prices for flights to both Bucharest and Sibiu 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 daySibiu $23Bucharest $58
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bucharest
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bucharest.
- Bohemian Bucharest Markets and Mahallas Traditional Food Tour: $60
- Cooking Class traditional food: $65
- Street Food Tour with a Local Guide: $74
- Unhealthy Food Tour of Bucharest – 4 hours: $75
- Bucharest Evening Tour and Traditional Dinner: $84
- Bucharest Evening Tour and Traditional Dinner - 3 hours: $86
- Private Walking Food Tour - Culture, History & Traditions: $98
- 4-Hour Walking Food Tour in the Old Town: $201
- Bucharest City Tour & Traditional Home-made Cooking Experience: $227
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sibiu $6.27Bucharest $15
Tours and Activities in Sibiu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Sibiu are as follows:
- Luggage storage & Tourist centre in Sibiu: $3.25
- Daily Sightseeing Guided Tour: $9.64
- Daily Sightseeing Tour Sibiu: $9.78
- Private Walking Tour of Sibiu: $22
- City Sightseeing Tour: $27
- City Tour Sibiu in English: $27
- Alba Iulia candlelight tour - Outdoor experience: $40
- Sibiu Walking Tour: $43
- Half Day Tour In the Surroundings of Sibiu: $71
- Exclusive Tour: Bran Castle, Brasov and Rasnov fortress from Sibiu: $79
- Exclusive Tour: Corvin Castle, Alba Iulia and traditional villages from Sibiu: $81
- Exclusive tour: Sighisoara, Medias and Biertan tour from Sibiu: $81
Tours and Activities in Bucharest
Here are a few actual costs in Bucharest for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Buchaest: Peles Castle, Bran Castle, & Brasov Old Town Tour: $5.31
- Tour Kings and Palaces of Bucharest: $11
- A Tale of Bucharest Old Town Walking Tour: $11
- Reptiland Bucharest Entry Ticket: $13
- Communism Walking Tour from Lenin to Ceausescu in Bucharest: $13
- City Highlights Guided Walking Tour: $17
- Bucharest Highlights Walking Tour: $17
- Calea Victoriei and Old Town Highlights Tour: $19
- Parliament Palace Skip-the-line Ticket: $20
- Guided Tour at museum Casa Storck: $21
- 2-Hour Private Walking Tour in Bucharest: $22
- Roma Culture and History Guided Walking Tour: $22
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySibiu $7.80Bucharest $9.17
Sample the Local Flavors in Sibiu
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Sibiu:
- Private Walking Tour of Alba Iulia Citadel with Wine Tasting: $49
Sample the Local Flavors in Bucharest
Also in Bucharest, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Weekend Pub Crawl: $23
- Bucharest Pub Crawl in the Old Town: $25
- Bachelors Party in Custom Bar Crawl: $37
- Private Bar Crawling in Bucharest Old City: $42
- Private Wine Tasting in Bucharest: $43
- From Romanian Wine Tasting Tour: $45
- Pub Crawl in the Old CIty and Rooftop Hopping in Bucharest: $47
- Romanian Wine Tasting: $48
- Private Romanian Wine Tasting in Urlați: $51
- Bucharest VIP Bar Crawl in Lipscani 'Old Town': $59
- Bucharest City Tour and Wine Tasting: $84
- Wine Tasting Tour at First Wine Bar: $85
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sibiu and Bucharest, we can see that Bucharest is more expensive. And not only is Sibiu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sibiu would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sibiu 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 Bucharest would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bucharest than you might in Sibiu.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Sibiu Expensive? and Is Bucharest Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sibiu or Bucharest?
Bucharest has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Sibiu. When comparing the sizes of Sibiu and Bucharest, 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.