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

Should you visit Sofia or Newcastle upon Tyne?

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 Newcastle upon Tyne. 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 Newcastle upon Tyne?

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.

Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne is a port city located in northeast England with a population of about 250,000. It's popular with tourists in large part because it has what is considered to be the best nightlife in England. It's a diverse city with a lot of art, music, and sports. It also makes for a good starting point to tour the Northumberland coast and Hadrian's Wall. There's a distinct and rich culture in the area, much of which is centered around the Geordie culture with lots of folk music and traditional dance.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United Kingdom, and The Best Historical Tours in United Kingdom.


Which place is cheaper, Newcastle upon Tyne or Sofia?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $64, while the average daily cost in Newcastle upon Tyne is $162. 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 Newcastle upon Tyne in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Sofia $40
    Newcastle upon Tyne $63
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Sofia $80
    Newcastle upon Tyne $126
Compare Hotels in Sofia and Newcastle upon Tyne

Looking for a hotel in Sofia or Newcastle upon Tyne? 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 Newcastle upon Tyne


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 Newcastle upon Tyne Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Sofia $8.38
    Newcastle upon Tyne $15

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 Newcastle upon Tyne

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Newcastle upon Tyne:


  • Parking
    $2.12

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Newcastle upon Tyne

Also for Newcastle upon Tyne, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Newcastle Airport to Newcastle Hotels Arrival Private Transfer: $104
  • Newcastle Airport to Lake District Ski Club - Round-Trip Transfer: $65
  • Private Newcastle Arrival Transfer - Airport to Hotel / Accommodation: $55
  • Newcastle Airport to Lake District Ski Resort Arrival Transfer: $33

Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or Newcastle upon Tyne?

Prices for flights to both Newcastle upon Tyne 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
    Newcastle upon Tyne $85

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 Newcastle upon Tyne

For Newcastle upon Tyne, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Coffee (2)
    $5.98

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Newcastle upon Tyne

For Newcastle upon Tyne, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • The Ultimate Cheese & Wine Food Tour: $83
  • Newcastle Street Food Tour: $88
  • A Taste Of Newcastle Food Tour: $89
  • Northumbrian Coastline Food Tour: $191

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Sofia $5.92
    Newcastle upon Tyne $21

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

Tours and Activities in Newcastle upon Tyne

For Newcastle upon Tyne, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 1-Hour and a Half Walking Guided Tour in Medieval Newcastle: $25
  • 1.5 Hour Explore Newcastle Walking Tour: $23
  • 2 Hour Guided Tour of Hadrian's Wall: $38
  • 3 Hour Walking Tour through Newcastle upon Tyne: $38
  • Annual Admission Newcastle Castle Ticket: $16
  • Guided City Walking Tour of Newcastle: $38
  • Guided Walks and Tours, Seahouses, Beadnell & Bamburgh: $29
  • Hadrian's Wall: A Self-Guided Audio Tour along the Ruins: $5.20
  • Hadrians Wall tour full day: $121
  • Half Day Hadrian’s Wall Guided Tour : $70
  • Half Day Tour of Newcastle: $183
  • Halloween Special: Newcastle's Dark Side Walking Tour: $32

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Sofia $8.39
    Newcastle upon Tyne $12

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 Newcastle upon Tyne

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Newcastle upon Tyne:

  • Private Newcastle Pub Tour: $191
  • Newcastle Private Historic Pub Tour: $203


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and Newcastle upon Tyne, we can see that Newcastle upon Tyne 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 Newcastle upon Tyne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Newcastle upon Tyne 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 Newcastle upon Tyne Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Sofia or Newcastle upon Tyne?

Sofia has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Newcastle upon Tyne. When comparing the sizes of Sofia and Newcastle upon Tyne, 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.