Which place is cheaper, San Juan or Sofia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sofia or San Juan?
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 San Juan. 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 San Juan?
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.
San Juan
If you've ever set foot on a Caribbean cruise, you've probably spent a bit of time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, maybe you should consider spending more than just a port day in this beautiful and historically rich city.
As the capital and largest city in all of Puerto Rico, San Juan is home to approximately 400,000 people. Established in 1521, it is also the second oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas.
As this city fuses a historic paradise with modern day energy, it has absolutely everything to offer. Intellectual wanderers, beach bums, rainforest adventurers and radical surfers will all find plenty to do in San Juan.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySofia $65San Juan $192
The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $65, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $192. 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 San Juan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSofia $41San Juan $124
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSofia $82San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Sofia and San Juan
Looking for a hotel in Sofia or San Juan? 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 San Juan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sofia $8.47San Juan $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sofia
Also for Sofia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sofia to Bucharest - Private Transfer: $692
- From Private Transfer to Bucharest: $451
- Private Transfer from Sofia to Burgas (BOJ) Airport: $293
- Private Transfer from Sofia (SOF) Airport to Sunny Beach: $293
- Private Transfer from Sofia (SOF) Airport to Sveti Vlas: $293
- Private Transfer from Sofia (SOF) Airport to Burgas: $283
- Transfer from Sofia to Burgas: $269
- Bansko Transfer From/to Sofia Airport and Hotels: $263
- Private Transfer from Sofia (SOF) Airport to Thessaloniki: $256
- Private Transfer from Sofia (SOF) Airport to Kavala: $238
- Private Transfer Bucharest to/from Sofia: $226
- Transfer from Sofia Airport to Bansko: $196
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- San Juan Airport (SJU): Private Transfer to San Juan Port: $272
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port: Transfer to San Juan hotel: $272
- Carabali Rain Forest Round Trip Private Taxi Transfer: $210
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, 16Pax Mercedes Van, Select Zone: $130
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, 14Pax Lux Sprinter Van: $124
- Private Transfer from SJU Airport to San Juan / Rio Grande: $105
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, 11Pax Lux Sprinter Van: $103
- Old San Juan Sunset Cruise with Drinks & Transfer: $99
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Mercedes ECO Van, Select Zone: $87
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Ford Premium SUV, Select Zone: $87
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Lexus Luxury Sedan, Select Zone: $81
- Oneway Transfer San Juan to Ceiba: Ferry, Vieques/Culebra Airport: $80
Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or San Juan?
Prices for flights to both San Juan 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 $18San Juan $36
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
- Half-Day Sofia Evening Walking Tour with Vegetarian Dinner: $49
- Sofia by Night Panoramic Tour with Dinner and Folklore Show: $98
- Sofia by Night: Panoramic City Tour and Folklore Dinner: $107
- Private Sofia Night Tour with Bulgarian Folklore & Dinner: $109
- Guided Night Tour & Folklore Performance with Dinner: $118
- 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: $132
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Old San Juan Sunset Food Tour with Drinks: $156
- Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walk and Food Tour: $159
- City Lights Sky High Dinner Experience: $165
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sofia $5.98San Juan $49
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: $120
- Mount Verila Cultural Tour in Bulgaria: $93
- Private Tour from Sofia to the Rila monatsery: $110
- 3 Caves tour - Saeva dupka , Eyes of God cave & Devetashka Cave: $87
- 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: $99
- Admission Ticket to the Museum of Illusions in Sofia: $15
- Adventure Tour to Plovdiv and Rhodope Mountain: $109
- Adventure bike tours in Sofia: $59
- Art Gallery Sightseeing Tour in Sofia: $60
- Art Gallery Sightseeing Tour in Sofia: $59
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Horseback Riding Tour$40
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Full Day Snorkeling Trip$100
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1 Hr Windsurfing Lesson$75
Tours and Activities in San Juan
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.
- Full-Day Tour: El Yunque, Luquillo Beach, Bio Bay Night Kayaking: $155
- Rum Craft Cocktail Tour in San Juan: $65
- 1 or 2 Hour Puerto Rico Horseback Ride Experience!: $210
- Arenales Caves, Waterfall & River Swimming Adventure: $140
- Arte Boriken-Urban Art & Beach Sip & Paint Tour: $145
- Bioluminescent Bay Kayak Adventure from San Juan: $110
- Black Sand Beach- See The Southeast of Puerto Rico Private Tour: $150
- Carolina: ATV Adventure at Campo Rico Ranch with Guide: $136
- Craft Beer Private Tour in San Juan: $168
- Cruise Ship Travelers: Hike to a Hidden Puerto Rican Waterfall: $85
- Culebra Beach Day Tour with Snorkeling from San Juan by Ferry: $200
- Culebra Snorkeling Tour by Catamaran from Fajardo: $175
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySofia $8.48San Juan $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: $76
- 1-Hour Private Cheese and Wine Tasting in Sofia : $87
- Private Sofia Tour with Wine Tasting: $108
- Hisarya, Starosel, and Wine Tasting Tour from Sofia: $115
- Private Cheese and Wine Tasting Experience in Sofia: $120
- Koprivshtitsa and Starosel Day Trip with Wine Tasting: $140
Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
- Pinones Pub crawl in Puerto Rico: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and San Juan, we can see that San Juan is more expensive. And not only is Sofia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Sofia is in Europe and San Juan is in Caribbean Islands, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 San Juan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan 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 San Juan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sofia or San Juan?
Sofia has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of San Juan. When comparing the sizes of Sofia and San Juan, 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.