Which place is cheaper, Amsterdam or Sofia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sofia or Amsterdam?
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 Amsterdam. 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 Amsterdam?
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.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the capital, and most popular tourist destination in the Netherlands. There are over one million residents in the metro area. Amsterdam is most famous for its canals that criss cross across the city, but it also has a rich history, interesting culture, and liberal vibe that appeal to all types of travelers. The architecture, bridges, and cycling culture help this metropolitan area maintain its small town vibe, despite being the largest city in the country as well as the financial center.
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 from Amsterdam, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Amsterdam.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySofia $64Amsterdam $187
The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $64, while the average daily cost in Amsterdam is $187. 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 Amsterdam in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSofia $40Amsterdam $109
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSofia $80Amsterdam $218
Compare Hotels in Sofia and Amsterdam
Looking for a hotel in Sofia or Amsterdam? 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 Amsterdam Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sofia $8.38Amsterdam $21
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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Amsterdam
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Amsterdam:
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Ride on Tram$3.43
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Renting a Bike$16
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One Hour Canal Cruise$11
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Single Day Transit Pass$2.79
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Transit Pass to Amsterdam Airport$3.64
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Amsterdam
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Amsterdam:
- Private Transfer to/from Bruges: $823
- Kinderdijk & Delft Private Day Trip w/ Transfers: $802
- Private Transfer to/from Brussels: $738
- Private Transfer to/from Antwerp: $588
- Private Transfer to Bruges: $385
- Amsterdam Cruise Port: Private Transfer to The Hague hotels: $333
- Rotterdam: Private transfer to/from Schiphol Airport: $310
- Amsterdam and Rotterdam: 1-Way Private Transfer: $310
- Schiphol Airport Private Transfer to Brussels: $291
- Luxury transfer From Amsterdam Schiphol airport to Rotterdam Cruise terminal : $284
- Private Direct Transfer from Amsterdam to Bruges: $274
- Private Minivan transfer to Rotterdam: $273
Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or Amsterdam?
Prices for flights to both Amsterdam 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 $18Amsterdam $47
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
Typical Food Prices in Amsterdam
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Amsterdam:
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Afternoon Tea$6.43
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Amsterdam
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Amsterdam.
- Food Tour Amsterdam (Tip Based): $5.45
- Amsterdam Self-Guided Food Tour in De Pijp Neighbourhood : $8.18
- Self-Guided Food Tour in De Pijp Neighbourhood: $13
- Self-Guided Food Tour in De Jordaan Neighbourhood: $13
- Self-Guided Food Tour of Amsterdam's De Jordaan District: $14
- Exclusive Burger Dinner Cruise: $32
- Pizza Cruise with Drinks: $40
- Evening Canal Cruise with Pizza and Drinks: $42
- Amsterdam Nightlife Ticket with A GOLD MENU Hard Rock Dinner: $43
- Burger Dinner Cruise through the Amsterdam Canals: $43
- Food Tour Jordaan District: $51
- Food Tour Amsterdam's Jordaan District Self-Guided: $52
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sofia $5.92Amsterdam $40
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Amsterdam
Here are a few typical costs in Amsterdam for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Two tickets to the Houseboat Museum$6.43
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Entry for two to the Anne Frank House$18
Tours and Activities in Amsterdam
Here are a few actual costs in Amsterdam for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Amstagram Tour & Moco Experience: $53
- Anne Frank Story & Neighborhood Walk Tour in Amsterdam: $46
- 1 Hour Private Amsterdam Rickshaw Tour : $109
- 1, 2 or 3-7 Days Nightclubs & Best Nightlife in Amsterdam Ticket: $14
- 1-Hour Canal Cruise in the Evening : $22
- 2 Hour Exclusive Canal Boat Cruise w/ Dutch snacks & Onboard Bar: $42
- 2 Hour Exclusive Canal Cruise: Including drinks & Dutch snacks: $63
- 2 Hours Canal Cruise to Amsterdam’s Hidden Gems: $84
- 2 Hours Private Amsterdam Rickshaw Tour: $213
- 2 hours Amsterdam City Tour in Pedicab: $218
- 3 Hour Self-guided Cocktail Walking Tour in Amsterdam by WOGO: $44
- 3 hour Amsterdam Private Guide Walking Tour with an Amsterdam born raised Guide: $186
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySofia $8.39Amsterdam $25
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 Amsterdam
Also in Amsterdam, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Amsterdam Private Self-Guided Pub Crawl Pub Quiz: $21
- Amsterdam Private Self Guided Pub Crawl: $22
- Bar Crawl with Shots and Beer Maid Guide: $25
- Central Pub Crawl and Nightlife Experience: $27
- Red Light District Pub Crawl: $27
- Distillery Tour & Tasting at Spirited Union: $27
- Original Pub Crawl Party with VIP Entrance: $29
- Chateau Urban Wine Tasting and optional bites: $32
- Self-guided Red Light District Pub Crawl Mystery: $37
- Leidseplein and Red Light Pub Crawl: 2 Night Pass: $37
- Red Light District and Local Pub Tour: $39
- Dutch Cheese and Wine Tasting: $42
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and Amsterdam, we can see that Amsterdam 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 Amsterdam would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Amsterdam 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 Amsterdam Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sofia or Amsterdam?
Sofia has a larger population, and is about 55% larger than the population of Amsterdam. When comparing the sizes of Sofia and Amsterdam, 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.