Which place is cheaper, Montpellier or Sofia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sofia or Montpellier?
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 Montpellier. 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 Montpellier?
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.
Montpellier
Montpellier is the 8th largest city of France, and also has been the fastest growing city in the country over the past 25 years. Graceful and easy-going, Montpellier is a stylish metropolis with elegant buildings, grand hotels, private mansions, stately boulevards and shady backstreets, and gorgeous white-sand beaches on its doorstep. Unlike many southern towns, Montpellier has no Roman heritage. Instead it was founded in the 10th century by the counts of Toulouse and later became a prosperous trading port as well as a scholarly center - Europe's first medical school was established here in the 12th century. The population swelled in the 1960s when many French settlers left independent Algeria and relocated here, and it's now France's fastest-growing city and one of its most multicultural areas. Students make up over a third of the population, giving it a spirited vibe.
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 France, and The Best 2-Week Tours in France.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySofia $64Montpellier $126
The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $64, while the average daily cost in Montpellier is $126. 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 Montpellier in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSofia $40Montpellier $74
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSofia $80Montpellier $148
Compare Hotels in Sofia and Montpellier
Looking for a hotel in Sofia or Montpellier? 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 Montpellier Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sofia $8.38Montpellier $28
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 Montpellier
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montpellier:
- Private Transfer from Sète Cruise Port to Marseille city hotels: $131
- Transfer from Sète Port to Marseille Provence Airport MRS: $131
- Montpellier Private Transfer from Montpellier city centre to Montpellier Airport: $74
- Montpellier–Méditerranée Airport Transfer: $64
- Transfer Montpellier Airport and Beziers Airport: $49
Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or Montpellier?
Prices for flights to both Montpellier 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 $18Montpellier $33
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 Montpellier
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Montpellier.
- Guided Food Tour With Local Snacks and Wine: $91
- Montpellier Food Tour: $93
- From Pic Saint-Loup Wine and Food Tour: $102
- Cooking workshop: $106
- Private cooking class with specialized chefs Montpellier: $108
- Fusion Food Cooking Class: $428
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sofia $5.92Montpellier $13
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 Montpellier
Here are a few actual costs in Montpellier for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- CityTour and Photo Portraits Souvenirs in Montpellier: $38
- From Half-Day Vineyard & Pic Saint-Loup Tour: $80
- From Wine and Olive Tour: $75
- Highlights of Sète : history, food and wine experience: $174
- Legendary Montpellier, flexible legends and storytelling tour: $16
- Montpellier - Private Historic Walking tour: $428
- Montpellier Private Guided Walking Tour: $307
- Montpellier Private Walking Tour With A Professional Guide: $270
- Montpellier Wine and Oyster Tour: $86
- Half-Day Hiking Tour of Pic Saint Loup & Picnic: $64
- Personalized Day-Tour of the South of France: $1,059
- Photoshoot Experience: $159
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySofia $8.39Montpellier $16
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 Montpellier
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Montpellier:
- The Châteaux of Grès de Montpellier & Wine Tasting: $80
- Small-Group Half-Day Châteaux of Montpellier Wine Tour: $84
- Small-Group Half-Day Languedoc Pic Saint-Loup Wine Tour from Montpellier: $84
- Wine tour in Pic Saint-Loup area: $142
- Half-Day Wine Tour with Lunch: $155
- Montpellier : half day wine tour in Camargue: $159
- Private Half-Day Languedoc Wine Tour from Sète: $240
- Sète: Private Half–Day Wine Tour: $353
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and Montpellier, we can see that Montpellier 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 Montpellier would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Montpellier 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 Montpellier Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sofia or Montpellier?
Sofia has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Montpellier. When comparing the sizes of Sofia and Montpellier, 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.