Which place is cheaper, Albufeira or Sofia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sofia or Albufeira?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Sofia and Albufeira. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Sofia or Albufeira?
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.
Albufeira
Located in the Algarve region in the south of Portugal, Albufeira was once a small fishing village which has since evolved into a popular destination for tourists attracted by the area's beaches, pleasant climate, and fresh seafood.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria, The Best 10-Day Tours in Portugal, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Portugal.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySofia $64Albufeira $158
The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $64, while the average daily cost in Albufeira is $158. 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 Sofia and Albufeira in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSofia $40Albufeira $79
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSofia $80Albufeira $158
Compare Hotels in Sofia and Albufeira
Looking for a hotel in Sofia or Albufeira? 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: Sofia Hotel Prices and Albufeira Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sofia $8.38Albufeira $37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sofia
Also for Sofia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer from Sofia Airport: $49
- Airport Transfers in Bulgaria: $66
- Arrival Transfer: Sofia Airport SOF to Sofia in Luxury Van: $75
- Bansko Transfer from/to Sofia Airport: $175
- Be Eco: Sofia Airport Transfer with an Electric Vehicle: $54
- Borovets Transfers from/to Sofia Airport: $104
- Departure Transfer: Sofia to Sofia Airport SOF in Luxury Van: $75
- From Bansko Transfer with Rila Monastery Visit: $128
- From Koprivshtitsa & Historic Homes Tour w/ Transfer: $53
- From Plovdiv Day Tour with Transfer: $71
- From Private Transfer to Bucharest: $448
- From Private Transfer to Plovdiv: $96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Albufeira
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Albufeira:
- Private Transfer From Algarve to Sevilha By 8 Seats Minibus: $513
- Private transfer from Albufeira to Lisbon with 2 hours sightseeing: $283
- Transfer Vila Real de Santo Antonio - Alto Golf Pestana (Alvor): $164
- Transfer Vila Nova de Cacela - Alto Golf Pestana (Alvor): $151
- Transfer Vila Nova de Cacela - Balaia Golf (Albufeira): $140
- Private Transfer from Vila Real de Santo António to Faro (FAO) Airport: $132
- Private Airport Transfer To Albufeira Area: $109
- Transfer Alcantarilha - Benamor Golf (Conceição): $99
- Private Airport Transfer To Albufeira Area: $98
- Transfer Galé - Benamor Golf (Conceição): $89
- Transfer Albufeira - Benamor Golf (Conceição): $89
- Private Transfer from Pera to Faro (FAO) Airport: $82
Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or Albufeira?
Prices for flights to both Albufeira and Sofia 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 daySofia $18Albufeira $51
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sofia
For Sofia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Market Food Tour: $47
- Guided Night Tour & Folklore Performance with Dinner: $48
- Half-Day Sofia Evening Walking Tour with Vegetarian Dinner: $49
- Sofia by Night Panoramic Tour with Dinner and Folklore Show: $97
- Sofia by Night: Panoramic City Tour and Folklore Dinner: $106
- Private Sofia Night Tour with Bulgarian Folklore & Dinner: $108
- Sofia by Night: Private Tour with Dinner: $118
- Evening City Tour with Folklore Dinner: $118
- Sofia by Night Panoramic Private Tour with Dinner, Folklore Show: $131
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Albufeira
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Albufeira.
- A Portuguese Dinner and Cocktail Experience with pick up: $49
- Portuguese Dinner and Cocktail Experience with Pick up: $52
- Dinner at the Vineyards in Lagoa: $60
- Algarve Bike and Food Tour with Sea Food and Wine Tasting: $61
- Sunset Safari with Traditional Dinner : $65
- 6-Hour Sunset Dinner Catamaran Cruise from Albufeira: $74
- Half-Day-Orange Picking &Jam Cooking/Lunch with the Orange Farmer: $109
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sofia $5.92Albufeira $41
Tours and Activities in Sofia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sofia.
- Audio Guided Museum Paleontology and Historical Geology Ticket: $3.82
- Rila Monastery: Monastery & Museums Self-Guided Audio Tour 7 lang: $5.46
- Self-Guided Audio Tour on Your Phone (ENG): $7.61
- Sofia Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
- Sofia Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self Guided Tour: $7.84
- Self-guided Tour in the Museum of Socialist Art: $7.87
- Guided Walking Tour of Sofia: $11
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Audio Guide for All Sofia Sights, Attractions or Experiences: $12
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Sofia Audio guide Tour offers available in 7 languages: $14
- Admission Ticket to the Museum of Illusions in Sofia: $15
Tours and Activities in Albufeira
Here are a few actual costs in Albufeira for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Algarve Coast & Chapel of Bones ( Private Van Tour ): $52
- Safari Experience with Traditional Tapas: $76
- 3 Hour Cruise Experience from Vilamoura: $33
- 70 Minutes Guided Secrets of Albufeira Walking Tour: $22
- Albufeira 1 hour Off-Road Tour Quad Adventure Tour: $19
- Albufeira 1.5-Hour Off-road Quad Tour: $44
- Albufeira 2 hour Off-Road Tour Buggy Adventure Tour: $49
- Albufeira 2 hour Off-Road Tour Quad Adventure Tour: $35
- Albufeira 3.5 hour Off-Road Tour Buggy Adventure Tour: $65
- Albufeira 6-Hour Off-Road Quad Tour: $202
- Albufeira Algarve 4Hours Benagil Tasting Experience: $96
- Albufeira Beach BBQ with Caves and Coastline Cruise : $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySofia $8.39Albufeira $28
Sample the Local Flavors in Sofia
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Sofia:
- Sofia Pub Crawl - Party Tour of Sofia's Best Bars & Clubs: $16
- Sofia's Hidden Bars: 4-Hour Pub Crawl: $19
- Sofia Pub Crawl Tour of The Hidden Unique Bars: $20
- Wine Tasting in Heart of Sofia: $33
- Sofia Bar Crawl: $54
- Special Selection Bulgarian Wine Tasting: $59
- Sofia Exquisite Wine Tasting: $75
- From Rozhen monastery and Melnik with wine tasting: $98
- Private Sofia Tour with Wine Tasting: $107
- Private Sofia City Tour with Wine Tasting: $109
- Hisarya, Starosel, and Wine Tasting Tour from Sofia: $115
- Koprivshtitsa and Starosel Day Trip with Wine Tasting: $139
Sample the Local Flavors in Albufeira
Also in Albufeira, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Exclusive Wine Tasting Experience in Porches (Algarve): $49
- Sunset Wine Tasting With BBQ in Porches: $49
- Wine Tasting Tour in Algarve Winery : $58
- Half Day Safari Tour with Wine Tasting: $58
- Winery Tour with Wine Tasting and Tapas: $63
- Small-Group Wine Tour & Silves Exploration (from Albufeira): $68
- Wine Tour and Tasting - Semi-Private from Albufeira: $71
- Albufeira Coast Tour w/ Wine tasting & Chicken lunch: $74
- From Private Lagos Tour Whith Wine Tasting: $92
- Lagos and Ponta Da Piedade Private Tour & Algarvian Wine Tasting: $107
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and Albufeira, we can see that Albufeira 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 Albufeira would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Albufeira 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 Sofia Expensive? and Is Albufeira Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sofia or Albufeira?
Sofia has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of Albufeira. When comparing the sizes of Sofia and Albufeira, 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.