Should you visit Sochi or Split?
Should I visit Sochi or Split? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Sochi
Located on the coast of the Black Sea, Sochi is one of the southernmost major cities in Russia. It is especially busy in the summer when native Russians and international visitors alike come to enjoy the mountainous coastline and sunny beaches. Sochi is also known as the host of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, and many of the Olympic venues can still be visited today.
Split
Spit is a historic city in Central Dalmatia with many opportunities to glimpse its fascinating past in its historic city center. Centuries ago the city grew up around a Diocletian palace that was used as refuge by the locals.
Today, as you wander around the historic center, you can see the remains of the Roman walls, temples, and squares. Despite it's appeal to tourists, Split is much more than just a tourist destination. It is larger than you might initially realize and it spreads well beyond the historic center. There is a population of about 300,000 in the larger area and it is an economic center for the region.
Split is also a must-visit on a trip through the country. It can easily fit in to a one-week itinerary of Croatia, or many other routes, as it's centrally located and very accessible.
Split has a beautiful climate with mild winters, countless sunny days, and a generally pleasant temperature. As such, there are many opportunities to enjoy yourself outdoors, whether by participating in sports or walking around the city's quaint streets. Winters in Split are also quite mild, but there may be one snowy day, on average, every year. This rare snowfall can cause a significant disruption in the flow of traffic.
Which city is cheaper, Split or Sochi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Sochi is $72, while the average daily cost in Split is $92. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Sochi and Split in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $17. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Sochi the cost is $34 on average.
For a normal double-occupancy room in Split, $124 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Split, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $62, such as in a hostel.
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Split than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $12 on transportation in Split on average per day.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sochi
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sochi:
-
Sochi, Russia Private & Secure Airport Transfers to/from AER Airport & Sochi:
$132
-
Sochi International Airport Private Transfer:
$123
-
Private Sochi International Airport AER - Sochi City Round-Trip Transfer:
$55
-
Private Arrival Transfer from Sochi International Airport AER to Sochi City Center:
$28
-
Private Airport Transfer: from Sochi to Sochi International Airport (AER):
$23
-
Departure Private Transfer from Sochi City to Sochi Airport AER by Minivan:
$52
-
Departure Private Transfer from Sochi City to Sochi Airport AER by Business Car:
$52
-
Airport transfer:
$66
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Split
Also for Split, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Airport Split speedboat transfer to Hvar town (Water taxi transfer):
$569
-
Airport Private Transfer from Split:
$49
-
Airport and Hotel Transfers in Split area:
$100
-
Arrival Private Transfer Split Airport SPU to Dubrovnik City by Minivan:
$295
-
Boat Transfer - Split to Hvar:
$498
-
Dubrovnik Private Day Trip from Split (round trip transfer):
$467
-
From Split or Trogir to Zagreb: Private Transfer with Plitvice Lakes:
$467
-
From Split or Trogir: Zagreb Transfer & Plitvice Lakes Tour:
$158
-
From Split to Zagreb with Plitvice Lakes private one way transfer:
$796
-
Krka Waterfalls National Park Shared Transfer from Split:
$34
-
Luxury Private Transfer from Split to Ljubljana:
$1,045
-
Luxury private transfer Split - Dubrovnik with lunch in Ston:
$236
Is it cheaper to fly into Sochi or Split?
Prices for flights to both Split and Sochi 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
The average traveler spends about $21 per day in Sochi for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
Food in Split costs travelers about $20 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Sochi $21
Split $20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Split
For Split, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Krka Waterfalls with Dinner in Split included:Pizza or Burger with Fries & Drink:
$62
-
Private Dining: Traditional Dalmatian family dinner near Marjan Hills:
$102
-
Cooking Class in a Dalmatian Ethno Village Tour from Split:
$116
-
The Real Split Food Tour:
$118
-
Exclusive tour: NP Krka Bike Tour with traditional dinner:
$174
-
Hvar Wine Tour + Dalmatian Dinner:
$255
Entertainment
Sochi's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $135 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Sightseeing expenses in Split, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $3.14 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Sochi
Here are a few actual costs in Sochi for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
Agura Canyon and Waterfalls Private Trekking Tour from Sochi:
$225
-
Discover Olympic Sochi and Enjoy Scenic Mountainous Views on Private Tour:
$406
-
Discover the Highlights of Sochi and its Best Bird's-eye View on Private Tour:
$193
-
Discover the secrets of Sochi on the shore Excursion Private Tour:
$330
-
Highlights of Sochi Private Tour: Dacha of J.Stalin and Mount Akhun Views:
$330
-
Magic Christmas Tour in Sochi:
$764
-
Nightlife in Sochi - Private tour. Meet a Sunset at the Akhun Mountain:
$330
-
Olympic Sochi and Krasnaya Polyana Private Tour:
$177
-
Private Tour: Discover Sochi on a Private Stroll:
$93
-
Romantic tour in Kizhi Island:
$496
-
Romantic tour in Sochi:
$496
-
Sightseeing tour in Sochi:
$509
Tours and Activities in Split
For Split, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
Emanuel Vidović Gallery Entrance Ticket:
$2.35
-
City Museum Entrance Ticket:
$3.13
-
Split Sightseeing: Explore the city's glorious Roman ruins on this audio tour:
$5.99
-
Museum of Illusions Split Admission Ticket:
$10
-
Museum of Illusions Entrance Ticket:
$11
-
Virtual Reality Movie Experience in Split:
$12
-
Best of Split Walking Tour:
$12
-
360 Virtual Tour of Ancient Split:
$14
-
Semisubmarine tour:
$16
-
Walking Tour Split:
$17
-
Grand Split Walking Tour with Diocletian's Palace:
$17
-
Split guided city tour for small groups:
$17
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Split spend on average $6.74 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Split
Also in Split, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Tower Pub Crawl in Split:
$37
-
Krka Waterfalls Tour & Wine Tasting from Split:
$37
-
Krka Waterfalls and Sibenik Day Trip Including Wine Tasting from Split:
$49
-
Wine Tasting With walking Small group Tour in Split:
$53
-
Blue Lagoon & Wine tasting - 3 islands tour:
$87
-
Split Wine Tasting Walking Tour:
$101
-
Hvar 3-Hour Wine Tasting Tour:
$113
-
Zinfandel Wine Tour:
$124
-
Full-Day Split Food and wine tour to Peljesac:
$133
-
Beer Tasting Split - visit to the local brewery:
$137
-
Diocletian's Palace Private Food and Wine Tour:
$147
-
Solta Island Wine Tasting Tour Including Lunch:
$152
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sochi and Split, we can see that Split is more expensive. And not only is Sochi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sochi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sochi 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 Split would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Split than you might in Sochi.
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