Which place is cheaper, Santiago de Compostela or Sofia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sofia or Santiago de Compostela?
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 Santiago de Compostela. 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 Santiago de Compostela?
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.
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital city of northwest Spain's Galicia region. Its famous cathedral marks the culmination of the Way of Saint James pilgrimage route, and is the alleged burial site of the apostle himself. The pilgrimage route begins in the Pyrenees, 500 miles away, though travelers can decide to join the journey at certain points in between, depending on how far they want to walk and how much they want to see.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria, The Best 3-Week Tours in Spain, and The Best Bicycle Tours in Spain.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySofia $64Santiago de Compostela $97
The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $64, while the average daily cost in Santiago de Compostela is $97. 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 Santiago de Compostela in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSofia $40Santiago de Compostela $40
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSofia $80Santiago de Compostela $80
Compare Hotels in Sofia and Santiago de Compostela
Looking for a hotel in Sofia or Santiago de Compostela? 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 Santiago de Compostela Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sofia $8.38Santiago de Compostela $41
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sofia
Also for Sofia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer from Sofia Airport: $49
- Airport Transfers in Bulgaria: $66
- Arrival Transfer: Sofia Airport SOF to Sofia in Luxury Van: $75
- Bansko Transfer from/to Sofia Airport: $175
- Be Eco: Sofia Airport Transfer with an Electric Vehicle: $54
- Borovets Transfers from/to Sofia Airport: $104
- Departure Transfer: Sofia to Sofia Airport SOF in Luxury Van: $75
- From Bansko Transfer with Rila Monastery Visit: $128
- From Koprivshtitsa & Historic Homes Tour w/ Transfer: $53
- From Plovdiv Day Tour with Transfer: $71
- From Private Transfer to Bucharest: $448
- From Private Transfer to Plovdiv: $96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago de Compostela
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago de Compostela:
- Arrival Private Transfer Santiago de Compostela Airport to City Center by Minivan: $91
- Santiago de Compostela Private Transfer to SCQ Airport by Van: $91
- Airport transfer Santiago de Compostela: $71
- Santiago de Compostela Private Transfer from SCQ Airport to City centre: $51
- Santiago de Compostela Private Transfer from the city centre to SCQ Airport: $51
- Santiago de Compostela Private Transfer from the city centre to SCQ Airport: $51
- Airport Transfer Santiago de Compostela: $45
- Departure Private Transfer Santiago de Compostela to SCQ Airport by Business Car: $38
Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or Santiago de Compostela?
Prices for flights to both Santiago de Compostela 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 $18Santiago de Compostela $21
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 Santiago de Compostela
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Santiago de Compostela:
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Raspberries$3.75
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Ice Cream$2.14
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Cookie$1.07
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Kebab$7.77
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Dinner & Tapas (for 2)$29
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Tuna Empanada$3.75
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Fruit Shake$3.75
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Crepe$4.29
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sofia $5.92Santiago de Compostela $41
Tours and Activities in Sofia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sofia.
- Audio Guided Museum Paleontology and Historical Geology Ticket: $3.82
- Rila Monastery: Monastery & Museums Self-Guided Audio Tour 7 lang: $5.46
- Self-Guided Audio Tour on Your Phone (ENG): $7.61
- Sofia Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
- Sofia Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self Guided Tour: $7.84
- Self-guided Tour in the Museum of Socialist Art: $7.87
- Guided Walking Tour of Sofia: $11
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Audio Guide for All Sofia Sights, Attractions or Experiences: $12
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Sofia Audio guide Tour offers available in 7 languages: $14
- Admission Ticket to the Museum of Illusions in Sofia: $15
Tours and Activities in Santiago de Compostela
Here are a few actual costs in Santiago de Compostela for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 5-day Private Tour Northern Spain (from Bilbao or Santiago): $5,294
- Christmas Enchantment: Walking Tour in Compostela: $459
- Complete Santiago Tour with tickets- Full experience in 4H: $48
- Excursion to Finisterre, Muxia and Cabo Vilan With Boat Cruise : $59
- Exploration of Compostela Walking Tour for Families: $352
- Exploring Santiago de Compostela Walking Tour for Couples: $352
- Finisterre y Costa da Morte el tour más completo desde Santiago: $53
- From Santiago: Finisterre Lighthouse Sunset Tour: $36
- From Santiago: Fuciño do Porco Hiking Tour: $80
- From Santiago: Rías Baixas Galicia Seafood & Wine Day Tour: $59
- From Santiago: Ribeira Sacra Tour & Boat Trip: $61
- Full-Day Excursion to Santiago from A Coruña- Cruisers Only: $74
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySofia $8.39Santiago de Compostela $24
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 Santiago de Compostela
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Santiago de Compostela from other travelers:
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1 Pint Beer$2.14
Sample the Local Flavors in Santiago de Compostela
Also in Santiago de Compostela, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Cheese and Wine Tasting Experience: $31
- Cheese and Wine Tasting Experience: $32
- Albariño Wine Tasting with Winery Tour: $33
- Premium Porto Santiago Compostela tour lunch & wine tasting: $214
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and Santiago de Compostela, we can see that Santiago de Compostela 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 Santiago de Compostela would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santiago de Compostela 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 Santiago de Compostela Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sofia or Santiago de Compostela?
Sofia has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Santiago de Compostela. When comparing the sizes of Sofia and Santiago de Compostela, 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.