Which place is cheaper, Olympos or Sofia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sofia or Olympos?
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 Olympos. 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 Olympos?
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.
Olympos
Olympos was an ancient city in Lycia, situated in a river valley near the coast. Its ruins are located south of the modern town Cirali in the Kumluca district of Antalya Province, Turkey. An important Lycian city in the 2nd century BC, Olympos is more famous these days for being the beach resort of choice for backpackers. Staying in an Olympos 'tree house' at one of the dozen-or-so camps that line the path to the ruins and beach has long been the stuff of travel legend. The former hippy-trail hot-spot has been considerably renovated in past years and during summer can be pretty overcrowded. Olympos offers good value and an up-for-it party atmosphere in a lovely setting.
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 Turkey, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Turkey.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySofia $64Olympos $95
The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $64, while the average daily cost in Olympos is $95. 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 Olympos in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSofia $40Olympos $43
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSofia $80Olympos $86
Compare Hotels in Sofia and Olympos
Looking for a hotel in Sofia or Olympos? 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 Olympos Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sofia $8.38Olympos $30
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Olympos
Also for Olympos, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfers Between Antalya Airport - Çıralı & Olympos & Adrasan Resorts: $299
- Private Transfers Between Antalya Airport - Beldibi & Göynük & Kemer Resorts: $240
- Two Days Tour to Cappadocia with HB Hotel & Transfer from Kemer: $192
- Antalya Airport AYT Transfers to Camyuva Hotels: $98
- Private Transfer From Beldibi / Göynük / Kemer / Kiriş To Antalya Airport: $91
- Antalya Airport AYT Transfers to Kiris Hotels: $82
- Antalya Camyuva Hotels to Antalya Airport AYT Transfers: $82
- Antalya Kiris Hotels to Antalya Airport AYT Transfers: $82
- Antalya Beldibi Hotels to Antalya Airport AYT Transfers: $65
- Kemer Horse Safari Experience With Free Hotel Transfer: $50
- Kemer Pirate Boat Tour with BBQ Lunch & Roundtrip Transfer: $47
- Kemer Jeep Safari With Free Hotel Transfer & Lunch: $40
Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or Olympos?
Prices for flights to both Olympos 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 $18Olympos $30
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 Olympos
For Olympos, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Olympos, Cirali, Chimera Night Tour with Dinner at Ulupinar : $33
- Kemer Olympos & Yanartas Sunset Jeep Tour with Dinner: $35
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sofia $5.92Olympos $29
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 Olympos
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Olympos.
- 2 Hour Olympos Cable Car Tour to Tahtali Mountains from Kemer: $66
- 2-in-1 Canyoning and White Water Rafting Adventure with Lunch From Kemer: $25
- 9 Hours Rafting, Buggy Safari and Zipline Adventure from Kemer: $38
- Antalya Full-Day City Tour From Kemer With Cable Car : $30
- Buggy Safari and Rafting Adventure from Kemer: $38
- Demre Myra Tour with Kekova Sunken City Boat Trip From Kemer: $36
- Full-day Boat Tour from Kemer with Lunch and Foam Party: $33
- Goynuk Canyon Tour with Entrance Ticket: $25
- Green Canyon Boat Tour with Lunch and Drinks from Kemer: $63
- Kemer 3 in 1 Tour Rafting Quad Safari and Zipline Experience: $40
- Kemer ATV Mountain Biking Tour: $54
- Kemer Bay Blue Cruise from Kemer: $53
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySofia $8.39Olympos $18
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and Olympos, we can see that Olympos 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 Olympos would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Olympos 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 Olympos Expensive?.
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.