Which place is cheaper, Paris or Sofia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sofia or Paris?
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 Paris. 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 Paris?
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.
Paris
Paris is a dream destination for many people. It's location on the river Seine contributes to its stunning beauty and you can spend many days wandering through its wonderfully diverse neighborhoods. It's known as a city of culture, fashion, food and fun. There is never a shortage of entertainment and activities around town and a highlight of many people's trips to Paris is to explore the city at night, when it truly comes to life. It is not hard to see why this city has received the nickname as the "City of Lights."
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria, The Best Historical Tours in France, and The Best 10-Day Tours in France.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySofia $64Paris $249
The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $64, while the average daily cost in Paris is $249. 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 Paris in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSofia $40Paris $162
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSofia $80Paris $324
Compare Hotels in Sofia and Paris
Looking for a hotel in Sofia or Paris? 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 Paris Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sofia $8.38Paris $23
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 Paris
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Paris are as follows:
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Metro$6.86
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Train from Airport$9.64
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Metro tickets$7.29
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Train$21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Paris
Also for Paris, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Versailles: Skip-the-Line Day Tour & Transfer from Paris: $2,567
- Private Transfer to or from Toulouse: $1,390
- From Le Havre/Honfleur: Private Transfer to Versailles: $1,389
- Private Transfer to or from Lyon: $962
- Private Transfer to or from Strasbourg: $962
- Private Transfer from Paris City to Le Havre: $273
- Private Airport Transfer Paris - Round Trip: $272
- Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport Round Trip Transfer to/from Paris: $272
- Private transfer from Beauvais airport to Paris or back: $268
- Private Transfer to or from Beauvais Airport: $267
- Private Transfer between Charles de Gaulle Airport and Paris by Van: $262
- Private Direct Transfer From Paris to Reims: $262
Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or Paris?
Prices for flights to both Paris 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 $18Paris $44
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 Paris
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Paris:
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Ice Cream$8.57
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Breakfast$7.50
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Breakfast for 2$32
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Dinner on River Cruise$92
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Dinner$61
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Cheese$14
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Paris
For Paris, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 1h30 Cooking Activity in English: $22
- Hard Rock Cafe Paris with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner : $33
- Paris Capitaine Fracasse 3 Course Seine River Dinner Cruise: $44
- No Diet Club - A selection of the best pizzas in Paris !: $45
- Authentic Indian Dinner in Paris : $49
- Paris : Seine River Bistronomic Dinner Cruise: $52
- Seine River Panoramic Views Dinner Cruise: $56
- Paris en Scene 3 Course Seine River Dinner Cruise: $58
- No Diet Club - Paris : Night food tour - Montmartre: $67
- 1-Hour Sightseeing Cruise with Bistro Dinner: $68
- Paris : No Diet Club Food Tour - Best Spots in Le Marais: $68
- Dinner with Customized Wine Selection: $75
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sofia $5.92Paris $83
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 Paris
For Paris, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Louvre Entry for Two$19
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Admission to Pantheon$5.36
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Catacombs (2)$25
Tours and Activities in Paris
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Paris.
- Île de la Cité: Guided Tour + Sainte-Chapelle Fast Track Entry: $55
- Musée d'Orsay Skip-the-Line Fully Guided Tour: $56
- Napoleon Walking Tour From Empire to Exile : $38
- Paris Boat River Seine Cruise Sightseeing TICKETS: $22
- Paris City Center Self-Guided Walking Tour : $11
- Paris Entrance Ticket to the Aura Invalides Immersive Show: $24
- Paris Sightseeing Tour with Seine River Cruise from Disneyland®: $93
- Private Tour in Medieval Paris with Latin Quarter and Panthéon: $250
- Small Group Tour of An Artistic Odyssey at the Louvre : $148
- Versailles Palace Skip the Line Small Group Guided Tour: $75
- Virtual reality experience in Paris: $33
- Île de la Cité - Sainte-Chapelle & Conciergerie Tour Private Tour: $175
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySofia $8.39Paris $26
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
Typical Alcohol Prices in Paris
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Paris are as follows:
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Wine$15
Sample the Local Flavors in Paris
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Paris:
- Daily Paris Pub Crawl : Meet, Drink & Party: $11
- Original Paris Pub Crawl : $16
- Daily Paris Pub Crawl : Meet, Drink & Party: $20
- Latin Quarter Guided Pub Crawl to Bars and Clubs: $22
- Paris Bar Crawl: $24
- Paris Latin Quarter Pub Crawl Bars and Clubs: $24
- Paris Pub Crawl: $25
- Audio guided tour and wine tasting at Caves du Louvre: $32
- Paris Craft gin distillery guided Tour & Tasting in English: $32
- Paris Gin Craft Distillery Tour and Tasting: $33
- Wine Museum Guided Tour with Wine Tasting: $39
- Vineyard tour and wine tasting in Davron: $43
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and Paris, we can see that Paris 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 Paris would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Paris 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 Paris Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sofia or Paris?
Paris has a larger population, and is about 86% larger than the population of Sofia. When comparing the sizes of Sofia and Paris, 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.