Which place is cheaper, Edinburgh or Sofia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sofia or Edinburgh?
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 Edinburgh. 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 Edinburgh?
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.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the moderately sized capital of Scotland. It is a medieval city that has managed to perfect the combination of Georgian architecture and medieval relics with a cosmopolitan population and avant-garde atmosphere. The city's population is quite young, in large part because of the University of Edinburgh. This youthful vibe gives this city a lot of vitality. There's a thriving nightlife, many restaurants, theatres, galleries and museums.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Edinburgh, and The Best 10-Day Tours from London.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySofia $64Edinburgh $177
The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $64, while the average daily cost in Edinburgh is $177. 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 Edinburgh in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSofia $40Edinburgh $92
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSofia $80Edinburgh $184
Compare Hotels in Sofia and Edinburgh
Looking for a hotel in Sofia or Edinburgh? 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 Edinburgh Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sofia $8.38Edinburgh $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sofia
Also for Sofia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- VIP Transfer from Sofia to Bansko: $186
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Sofia HTL-APT (SOF): $48
- Transfer from the Sofia Airport to your hotel in Sofia by VIP Mercedes V class: $66
- Transfer from Sofia to Stara Zagora: $194
- Transfer from Sofia to Pamporovo: $191
- Transfer from Sofia to Borovets: $83
- Transfer from Sofia airport to hotel in Sofia OR vice versa: $19
- Transfer from Sofia Airport to Bansko: $195
- Transfer from Sofia Airport T1 to Bansko: $102
- Private Airport Transfer to Sofia City Center: $31
- Sofia to Bucharest - Private Transfer: $687
- Sofia Airport SOF Private Transfer to Sofia City in Business Car: $54
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Edinburgh
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Edinburgh:
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Local Bus$4.48
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Edinburgh
Also for Edinburgh, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Edinburgh to Inverness Direct transfer: $781
- From Loch Ness Private Day Tour with Transfers: $750
- Private Tour with transfer from Newhaven Cruise Port to Glasgow.: $298
- Private Transfer from Edinburgh to Gleneagles Hotel : $279
- Executive transfer from Edinburgh to St Andrews. : $266
- Private Luxury Transfer Edinburgh (One Way - 7 Passengers): $256
- Central Edinburgh Hotels to Edinburgh Airport Transfers 1-3: $255
- Edinburgh to Stirling | Executive Transfer: $253
- Edinburgh Train Station to Edinburgh Hotel Transfers 1-3 Pax: $250
- Edinburgh to Glasgow Luxury Car Transfer: $241
- Edinburgh to Gleneagles Luxury Taxi Transfer: $241
- Glasgow to Edinburgh Luxury Car Transfer: $231
Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or Edinburgh?
Prices for flights to both Edinburgh 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 $18Edinburgh $49
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 Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Breakfast$11
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Dinner at Filling Station$12
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Lunch for Two$19
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Sandwich$2.30
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Cheese & bread$9.01
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Thai Restaurant Dinner (for 2)$31
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2 Coffees and Scones$7.23
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Turkish Delight$1.74
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Soup at the Pub$7.35
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $31
- Scottish Dinner and Folk Music Experience: $87
- Edinburgh Holiday Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $90
- 'Scotland meets Sardinia' - 8-course Dinner in Leith, Edinburgh: $110
- 3-Hour Guided Secret Food Tour: $116
- Edinburgh Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $120
- Edinburgh Food Tour with a Local Foodie Custom & Private: $167
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sofia $5.92Edinburgh $25
Tours and Activities in Sofia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sofia.
- Belogradchik Rocks & Venetsa cave/Small group bigger experience: $98
- Mount Verila Cultural Tour in Bulgaria: $93
- Private Tour from Sofia to the Rila monatsery: $109
- 3 Caves tour - Saeva dupka , Eyes of God cave & Devetashka Cave: $86
- 3-Hour Private Bulgarian Food Tasting Tour of Sofia: $82
- 7 Rila Lakes and Rila Monastery Small Group Day tour from Sofia: $93
- 7 Rila lakes and Rila monastery day tour from Sofia: $98
- Admission Ticket to the Museum of Illusions in Sofia: $15
- Adventure Tour to Plovdiv and Rhodope Mountain: $108
- Adventure bike tours in Sofia: $59
- Afternoon Delights in Sofia Tour: $75
- Art Gallery Sightseeing Tour in Sofia: $59
Typical Entertainment Prices in Edinburgh
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Edinburgh's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Show Tickets$40
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Movie Tickets for Two$15
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Donation for Storytellers$7.47
Tours and Activities in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Edinburgh's Landscapes Tours with a Local Guide: Private & Personalized: $152
- Walking Tour to Edinburgh Castle and Holyood palace: $25
- 1.5 hour Firth of Forth Sightseeing cruise: $23
- 2 Hour Holyrood Palace Private Walking Tour: $76
- 2-Day Highlands and Loch Ness Tour from Edinburgh: $260
- 2-Day Inverness and the Highlands Very Small Group Tour from Edinburgh: $227
- 2-Day Loch Lomond, West Highlands, Glencoe & Oban Tour: $182
- 3-Day Isle of Skye Inverness Highlands and Glenfinnan Viaduct Tour from Edinburgh: $233
- 3-Hour Private Edinburgh Castle Tour: $274
- Alnwick Castle and Scottish Borders Tour from Edinburgh: $71
- Alnwick Castle, Northumberland & Scottish Borders 1-Day Tour: $74
- Alnwick Castle, Northumberland and Borders Tour with Admission: $103
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySofia $8.39Edinburgh $19
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
Typical Alcohol Prices in Edinburgh
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Edinburgh from other travelers:
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Beer & Wine$18
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Half Pint at Tollbooth Tavern$2.06
Sample the Local Flavors in Edinburgh
Also in Edinburgh, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Pub Crawl with Free Shots & Discounts: $11
- Edinburgh Bar Crawl: 5+ Venues, Free Shots, Free Club Entry: $19
- Pub Crawl in Edinburgh: $19
- Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour with "Real-Actors": $25
- East Lothian: Glenkinchie Whisky Distillery Tour & Tasting: $26
- Guided Gin Tasting at 56 North Distillery: $28
- Pickering's Gin Jolly Distillery Tasting Tour: $31
- Lind & Lime Gin Distillery Tour & Tasting: $31
- Whisky Tasting and Tales at Summerhall Distillery: $31
- Pub Crawl 7 Bars with 6 Shots: $31
- The Original Edinburgh Pub Crawl: $32
- Visit a Working South Loch Gin Distillery: $32
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and Edinburgh, we can see that Edinburgh 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 Edinburgh would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Edinburgh 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 Edinburgh Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sofia or Edinburgh?
Sofia has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Edinburgh. When comparing the sizes of Sofia and Edinburgh, 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.