A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Sofia vs. Miami for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Sofia or Miami?

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 Miami. 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 Miami?

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.

Miami

Miami is a popular tourist destination and a modern city in South Florida. It has beautiful white beaches, crystal blue waters, cosmopolitan neighborhoods, impressive shopping, and excellent dining opportunities. It is also a gateway to the Florida Keys, which is another popular destination in South Florida.

Miami is the second most populated city in Florida and the metropolitan area is the most populated in the state with more than 5.4 million people. It's also the 7th largest metro area in the country. The city sits between the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Everglades to the west. It covers 110 miles north to south but is a narrow 20 miles east to west.

Miami sits at a low latitude, giving it a subtropical savannah climate. There are two seasons; the warm and dry season between November and April and the hot and wet season between May and October. The coldest months are between December and March when highs are in the upper 70 or low 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The summer months have highs in the upper 80s or 90s and lows in the mid 70s with high humidity.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria, The Best Luxury Tours to United States of America, and The Best Tours for Seniors to United States of America.


Which place is cheaper, Miami or Sofia?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $65, while the average daily cost in Miami is $206. 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 Miami in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Sofia $41
    Miami $132
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Sofia $82
    Miami $264
Compare Hotels in Sofia and Miami

Looking for a hotel in Sofia or Miami? 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.

Hotels in Sofia


Hotels in Miami


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 Miami Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Sofia $8.47
    Miami $38

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sofia

Also for Sofia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Airport Transfers in Bulgaria: $66
  • Bansko Transfer From/to Sofia Airport and Hotels: $263
  • Be Eco: Sofia Airport Transfer with an Electric Vehicle: $54
  • Departure Transfer: Sofia to Sofia Airport SOF in Luxury Car: $87
  • Departure Transfer: Sofia to Sofia Airport SOF in Luxury Van: $76
  • From Bansko Transfer with Rila Monastery Visit: $129
  • From Koprivshtitsa & Historic Homes Tour w/ Transfer: $54
  • From Plovdiv Day Tour with Transfer: $72
  • From Private Transfer to Bucharest: $451
  • From Private Transfer to Plovdiv: $97
  • From Private Transfer to Spa in Sapareva Banya: $91
  • From Rila Monastery & Melnik Day Trip with Transfers: $94

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Miami

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Miami are as follows:


  • Car Rental for a Day
    $18

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Miami

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Miami:

  • Transfer to West Palm Beach: $420
  • From Miami Beach: Roundtrip Bimini Ferry and Hotel Transfers: $289
  • From Miami Airport - Private Transfer to Hotels and Homes: $265
  • From Miami - Private Transfer from Miami Hotels to Airport: $265
  • Private Transfer from Miami Airport to Hotel and Vice Versa: $255
  • Private Airport Transfer From Miami Airport to Hotels and Home: $255
  • Round Trip Motorcoach Transfer to Key West from Miami: $245
  • Transfer from Miami Hotel or Miami Port to Fort Lauderdale Airport or Hotel: $210
  • Private Miami Airport Transfer to/from Miami Port and South Beach: $189
  • Guided Tour with Transfer from Cruise Port to Airport: $184
  • Shared Tour in Miami with Transfer: $170
  • Private transfer from Miami hotel to Port of Miami: $160

Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or Miami?

Prices for flights to both Miami 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Sofia $18
    Miami $41

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
  • Half-Day Sofia Evening Walking Tour with Vegetarian Dinner: $49
  • Sofia by Night Panoramic Tour with Dinner and Folklore Show: $98
  • Sofia by Night: Panoramic City Tour and Folklore Dinner: $107
  • Private Sofia Night Tour with Bulgarian Folklore & Dinner: $109
  • Guided Night Tour & Folklore Performance with Dinner: $118
  • 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: $132

Typical Food Prices in Miami

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Miami:


  • Lunch with Drinks (for 2)
    $45
  • David's Cafe Lunch (for 1)
    $16

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Miami

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Miami.

  • Little Havana Ultimate Food Tour : $64
  • The Ultimate Little Havana Food Tour: $64
  • South Beach Donut & Gelato Walking Food Tour: $65
  • Wynwood Street Art, Culture, Donuts & Walking Food Tour: $65
  • Little Havana Street Food Tour with Enthusiastic Guide: $69
  • South Beach Food Tour: $70
  • A Taste of South Beach Food Tour: $70
  • Taste of Little Havana Food Tour in Miami with Cuban Street Food: $75
  • Little Havana Walking Food Tour: $75
  • Food Tour of Miami's South Beach: $79
  • South Beach Miami Food & Fun Art Deco Food Tour : $79
  • Wynwood Walls Art District Food Tour: $80

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Sofia $5.98
    Miami $31

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: $3.84
  • Rila Monastery: Monastery & Museums Self-Guided Audio Tour 7 lang: $5.48
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour on Your Phone (ENG): $7.61
  • Self-guided tour of Boyana Church: $7.68
  • Sofia Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.73
  • Sofia Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self Guided Tour: $7.84
  • Self-guided Tour in the Museum of Socialist Art: $7.90
  • 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
  • Admission Ticket to the Museum of Illusions in Sofia: $15

Tours and Activities in Miami

Here are a few actual costs in Miami for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Cultural Brunch Experience in Miami: $125
  • Miami Beach Art Deco Tour with Cocktails: $75
  • Miami's Most Authentic Walking Tour of Little Havana: $39
  • South Beach Walking Tour- A Journey through Food and History: $67
  • 1 Day Key West Tour from Miami Florida: $175
  • 1 Hour Jet Ski Experience in Miami Beach Florida: $95
  • 1 Hour Star Island Segway Tour: $74
  • 1 Hour Wynwood Street Art Tour: $45
  • 1 or 2 hours Miami exclusive Private Boat Tour with champagne: $60
  • 1-Hour Private Miami Photoshoot Experience: $65
  • 1HR Boat Tour Around Miami Celebrities Mansion: $65
  • 2 HR Miami Lights & Skyline Private Night Tour for up to 6 people: $299

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Sofia $8.48
    Miami $22

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: $76
  • 1-Hour Private Cheese and Wine Tasting in Sofia : $87
  • Private Sofia Tour with Wine Tasting: $108
  • Hisarya, Starosel, and Wine Tasting Tour from Sofia: $115
  • Private Cheese and Wine Tasting Experience in Sofia: $120
  • Koprivshtitsa and Starosel Day Trip with Wine Tasting: $140

Typical Alcohol Prices in Miami

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Miami are as follows:


  • Evening at a Bar
    $32

Sample the Local Flavors in Miami

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Miami:

  • Miami Bar Crawl: $25
  • Miami Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
  • Ghosts, Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
  • Small-Group Brewery Golf Cart Tour of Wynwood with a Local Guide: $59
  • Wynwood Graffiti Brewery Golf Cart Tour: $63
  • Wynwood Party Bike Bar Crawl: $64
  • Wynwood Party Bike Bar Crawl: $64
  • Wynwood Bar Crawl: $100


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and Miami, we can see that Miami is more expensive. And not only is Sofia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Sofia is in Europe and Miami is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 Miami would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Miami 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 Miami Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Sofia or Miami?

Sofia has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Miami. When comparing the sizes of Sofia and Miami, 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.