Which place is cheaper, Trieste or Sofia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sofia or Trieste?
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 Trieste. 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 Trieste?
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.
Trieste
Located on the northeast Italian coast next to the Adriatic Sea, Trieste is a city characterized by its European charm, ancient architecture, and striking sea views. Its art, music, history, and culture also take some influence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, boasting many Slavic traditions and empire-era architecture.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria, The Best Tours for Seniors to Italy, and The Best Contiki Tours to Italy.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySofia $64Trieste $108
The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $64, while the average daily cost in Trieste is $108. 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 Trieste in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSofia $40Trieste $59
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSofia $80Trieste $118
Compare Hotels in Sofia and Trieste
Looking for a hotel in Sofia or Trieste? 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 Trieste Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sofia $8.38Trieste $19
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 Trieste
Also for Trieste, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Rome & Cruise Port Roundtrip Private Transfer: $5,067
- Cruise Port to Milan Roundtrip Private Transfer: $4,014
- Trieste Cruise Port : One Way Private Transfer to Milan: $2,007
- Trieste Port or City: 1-Way Transfer to Venice + water taxi: $1,027
- Venice Airport(VCE):1-Way Transfer to Trieste or Cruise Port: $706
- Trieste City/Port: One Way Transfer to Venice, Pazzale Roma: $524
- Private Transfer from Trieste Airport to Rovinj: $342
- Trieste Cruise Port to Malpensa Airport (MXP)- Departure Transfer: $293
- Private Transfer from Trieste Port to Malpensa Milan Airport(MXP): $293
- Private Transfer from Koper to Ljubljana Airport (LJU): $292
- Trieste Cruise Port to Venice - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $290
- Private Direct Transfer From Trieste to Venice: $284
Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or Trieste?
Prices for flights to both Trieste 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 $18Trieste $33
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 Trieste
For Trieste, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cesarine: Small group Street food tour in Trieste: $97
- Dining experience at a local's home in Trieste with show cooking: $115
- Istria - Truffles: Hunting & Cooking & Tasting, Slovenia: $141
- Trieste Private Home Cooking Class: $155
- Private Cooking Class at a Cesarina's Home in Trieste: $158
- Private Mediterranean Fish Cooking Workshop with Irena: $180
- 5-Course Food Tour with Electric Bikes: $235
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sofia $5.92Trieste $23
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 Trieste
For Trieste, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- The best of Izola walking tour: $98
- 60-minute Small Group Guided Walking Tour in Piran: $22
- Amazing Private Tour Postojna and Predjama from Portoroz: $192
- Deluxe Venice Shore Excursion from Trieste Cruise Port: $96
- E-bike Vipava River Tour : $164
- EXPRESS LITERATURE Trieste Letteraria: Guided walking tour and readings: $74
- Experience Trieste: $164
- Explore highlights of Trieste on a private 3-hour walking tour: $299
- Flavours of Istria Tasting Experience from Koper: $125
- Flavours of Istria Tasting Experience from Piran or Portoroz or Izola: $126
- Flavours of Istria Tasting Experience from Trieste: $133
- Food & Wine -> Gourmet tour in Piran: $131
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySofia $8.39Trieste $8.57
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Trieste
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Trieste:
- Wine Tasting from Istria, Carso and Friuli terroirs: $37
- Trip to Stanjel castle wine tasting and gourmet lunch 4 courses from Piran: $131
- Castles & Wine Tour: $140
- Collio: Cividale Del Friuli and Wine Tastings from Trieste: $148
- Experience Slovenian Coast line with Wine Tasting from Trieste: $164
- Koper & Wine tasting: $186
- Wine Tour on the Coast: $268
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and Trieste, we can see that Trieste 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 Trieste would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Trieste 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 Trieste Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sofia or Trieste?
Sofia has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Trieste. When comparing the sizes of Sofia and Trieste, 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.