Which place is cheaper, Reykjavik or Sofia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sofia or Reykjavik?
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 Reykjavik. 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 Reykjavik?
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.
Reykjavik
Reykjavik is the capital and largest city in the country of Iceland. The city is where the vast majority of the country's population resides and the urban area has about 200,000 residents. The city is sprawling, with a large area covered in suburbs. The the city center is quite compact, with many interesting and colorful houses. There are a lot of things that attract tourists to this city, including an interesting culture and history as well as plenty of shopping and dining opportunities.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria, The Best Budget Tours to Iceland, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Iceland.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySofia $64Reykjavik $243
The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $64, while the average daily cost in Reykjavik is $243. 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 Reykjavik in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSofia $40Reykjavik $138
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSofia $80Reykjavik $276
Compare Hotels in Sofia and Reykjavik
Looking for a hotel in Sofia or Reykjavik? 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 Reykjavik Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sofia $8.38Reykjavik $45
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Reykjavik
Also for Reykjavik, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Reykjavík: South Coast Guided Day Trip by Jeep with Transfer: $1,765
- From Reykjavik Port: Private Blue Lagoon Transfer: $1,050
- Blue Lagoon with Private Roundtrip Transfer: $473
- Door to Door Private Blue Lagoon Transfer: $306
- From ATV Ride and Blue Lagoon Tour with Transfer: $287
- Lava Tunnel Caving & Snorkeling in Silfra with Transfer | Free Photos: $283
- Lava Tunnel Caving with Transfer | Small Group: $283
- Private Luxury Airport Transfer Service: $278
- Private transfer: Reykjavik to Keflavik International Airport (KEF): $277
- Private Transfer from Reykjavik to Keflavik Airport : $273
- Private Airport Transfer: $271
- Private Airport Transfer from Reykjavik: $270
Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or Reykjavik?
Prices for flights to both Reykjavik 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 $18Reykjavik $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
Typical Food Prices in Reykjavik
For Reykjavik, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner (Fish Market)$176
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Reykjavik
For Reykjavik, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Icelandic Food Tour: $123
- Weekend Reykjavik Food Tour with a stop at the Reykjavik Flea Market: $125
- The Reykjavik Christmas Food Tour: $127
- 3 Hour Shared Christmas Food Tour with Guide in Reykjavik: $129
- Reykjavik Market & Lunch Food Tour - BitesizedIceland.com: $142
- Reykjavik Old Harbor Food Tour - BitesizedIceland.com: $144
- Reykjavik Old Harbor Food Tour: $145
- Icelandic Cooking Class in Downtown Reykjavik with Musical Hosts: $296
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sofia $5.92Reykjavik $71
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 Reykjavik
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Reykjavik's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Art Museum$11
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Wine and Spa$29
Tours and Activities in Reykjavik
For Reykjavik, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- WWII History Tour with a 1940's British Officer in Reykjavik: $148
- #1 Northern Lights Tour In Iceland from Reykjavik with PRO photos: $145
- 1 hour Reykjavík E-Scooter Adventure: $58
- 1-Hour ATV Quad Tour from Reykjavik: $131
- 1-Hour Helicopter Tour in Iceland: The Geothermal Tour: $435
- 1hr ATV & Golden Circle Adventure from Reykjavik: $276
- 1hr Buggy Adventure from Reykjavik: $172
- 2hr Buggy 'Lava Field Adventure' from Reykjavik: $219
- 3-Hour Private Discover Reykjavik Photography Tour: $172
- 3hr Volcanic Springs ATV Adventure from Reykjavik: $299
- ATV - QUAD Adventure: $174
- Adventure in Landmannalaugar and Hot Springs - Reykjavík & Hella: $174
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySofia $8.39Reykjavik $28
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 Reykjavik
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Reykjavik are as follows:
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Beer$8.67
Sample the Local Flavors in Reykjavik
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Reykjavik:
- Gin Distillery tour and tasting: $25
- Eimverk Distillery Tour with Tasting: $32
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and Reykjavik, we can see that Reykjavik 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 Reykjavik would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Reykjavik 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 Reykjavik Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sofia or Reykjavik?
Sofia has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Reykjavik. When comparing the sizes of Sofia and Reykjavik, 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.