Which place is cheaper, London or Sofia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sofia or London?
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 London. 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 London?
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.
London
The capital of the United Kingdom is a thriving multicultural metropolis. Steeped in iconic landmarks, world-class museums and royal parks, London is energetic, majestic, ambitious and one of the world's greatest cities. London is a cultural and fashion capital, a great place to go out, an amazing place to eat and one of those cities that is constantly changing with new and exciting things sprouting up almost every day. History and tradition greet you at every turn in the UK's capital. London is also a city with an edgy underbelly, delighting in neon pink dive bars, cheeky graffiti and mind-blowing street food. When you need a break from the action, pop into a pub or relax in one of the city's many parks. Blow through the city on a double-decker bus, and take a pinch-me-I'm-in-London walk through the West End. As one of the most visited cities in the world, London is busy, vibrant and very tourist friendly. The only problem with London is that it's very expensive; it can eat away at your budget if you aren't careful. Luckily, there are also tons of free or cheap things to do in London that can fill your time.
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 in United Kingdom, and The Best 3-Day Tours in United Kingdom.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySofia $64London $236
The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $64, while the average daily cost in London is $236. 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 London in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSofia $40London $153
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSofia $80London $306
Compare Hotels in Sofia and London
Looking for a hotel in Sofia or London? 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 London Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sofia $8.38London $32
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sofia
Also for Sofia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sofia to Bucharest - Private Transfer: $687
- From Private Transfer to Bucharest: $448
- Private Transfer from Sofia to Burgas (BOJ) Airport: $292
- Private Transfer from Sofia (SOF) Airport to Sozopol: $292
- Private Transfer from Sofia to Varna (VAR) Airport: $273
- Private Transfer from Sofia (SOF) Airport to Kavala: $237
- Private Transfer Bucharest to/from Sofia: $224
- Transfer from Sofia Airport to Bansko: $195
- Transfer from Sofia to Stara Zagora: $194
- Transfer from Sofia to Pamporovo: $191
- VIP Transfer from Sofia to Bansko: $186
- Bansko Transfer from/to Sofia Airport: $175
Typical Local Transportation Prices in London
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in London:
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Taxi Ride$18
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Heathrow Express$22
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Luggage Storage$9.97
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London Map$1.61
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Oyster Card$45
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Train to Gatwick Airport (2)$27
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Oyster Card$34
Hired Cars and Shuttles in London
Also for London, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Southampton Cruise Terminals: Private Transfer to London: $1,300
- London Luton Airport (LTN): Transfer to Southampton Port: $830
- Southampton Port Transfer with Stonehenge stop-over included: $755
- London Heathrow Airport (LHR): Transfer to Bristol city: $680
- London Gatwick Airport (LGW): Transfer to Southampton Port: $650
- Private Transfer London Heathrow Airport to Southampton Port: $575
- Private Transfer Heathrow to Southampton Cruise Terminal: $562
- Private Transfer From Southampton Cruise Terminal to London: $562
- Harry Potter Family Package Tickets with Transfer: $500
- Harry Potter Family Package with Transfers from London: $500
- London Stansted Airport (STN): Transfer to Southampton Port: $486
- Private Transfer London Heathrow Airport to Harwich Port: $439
Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or London?
Prices for flights to both London 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 $18London $43
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 London
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to London:
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Lunch at Starbucks$16
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Tea$7.47
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Afternoon Tea at Fortnum & Mason$49
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Morning Tea$7.91
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Pastry$6.23
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Sushi Dinner for One$23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in London
For London, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Borough Market Food Tour - Self Guided: $6.47
- Dinner and Live DJ at A Fancy Restaurant: $16
- Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $34
- Picadilly Circus: Hard Rock Cafe Set Menu Lunch or Dinner: $36
- Tea and Doughnuts: Borough Market Walking Food Tour: $44
- Pizza Making Cookery Class: $52
- Borough Bites, The London Food Tour: $66
- Borough Market Flavors of London Food Tour: $66
- No Diet Club - Best food Tour in East London: $67
- African & Caribbean Food Tour in Multi-Cultural Brixton: $74
- Plant Power - Vegan Food Tour: $87
- Ultimate London Food Tour: Borough Market & Southwark: $89
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sofia $5.92London $41
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 London
For London, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Two Tickets to a Concert$103
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London Symphony Orchestra$43
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London Pass$59
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Comedy Show$9.97
Tours and Activities in London
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for London.
- Boogie Shoes Christmas Silent Disco Walking Tours London : $32
- Boogie Shoes Silent Disco Walking Tour Camden: $63
- Little Venice and Camden Walking Tour: $95
- Self-Guided Audio Tour Medieval Legends, ghosts and fire: $10
- Silent Disco Walking Tours West End Boogie Shoes: $44
- The London Dungeon Admission Ticket: $37
- 'Downton Abbey' TV Locations and Blenheim Palace Tour from London: $220
- "Luxury Tour: From London to Leeds Castle & Canterbury": $625
- 1 Hour Unlimited Games and Rides Ticket in Babylon Park: $38
- 2 Hour Belgravia Walking Tour and High Tea: $125
- 2 Hours Rock and Roll Historical Walking Tour in London : $62
- 2 Hours Unlimited Games and Rides Ticket in Babylon Park: $51
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySofia $8.39London $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
Sample the Local Flavors in London
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in London:
- Historic Pub Walking Tour of London: $13
- 2-Hour Haunted Pub Walking Tour: $20
- Shoreditch Bar Crawl of Five Venues with Drink Deals: $22
- Central London Pub Crawl: $23
- 1 Big Night Out Weekday Pub Crawl: $23
- Camden Pub Crawl in London: $25
- Craft Brewery Tour with Tasting of 4 Beers: $25
- Shoreditch Pub Crawl in London: $25
- Pub Crawl of Central London: $29
- Burlesque Cabaret Show in Covent Garden: $31
- Camden Pub Crawl & Bar Tour London: $31
- Pub Crawl and Nightlife Tour: $31
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and London, we can see that London 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 London would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in London 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 London Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sofia or London?
London has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Sofia. When comparing the sizes of Sofia and London, 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.