Which place is cheaper, Wellington or Sofia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sofia or Wellington?
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 Wellington. 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 Wellington?
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.
Wellington
Wellington is the capital and second largest city in New Zealand. It sits on the southwestern edge of the North Island between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. It's a beautiful setting that is encircled by mountains giving it a beautiful backdrop. There are also many cultural sights and attractions around town. Wellington really is the perfect mix of New Zealand's natural beauty and a vibrant urban core. The film industry is also prevelant in the city. The city's production centers have helped create Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit trilogies, Avatar, Tin Tin, and District 9.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, and The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySofia $65Wellington $104
The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $65, while the average daily cost in Wellington is $104. 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 Wellington in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSofia $41Wellington $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSofia $82Wellington $122
Compare Hotels in Sofia and Wellington
Looking for a hotel in Sofia or Wellington? 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 Wellington Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sofia $8.47Wellington $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sofia
Also for Sofia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from the Sofia Airport to your hotel in Sofia by VIP Mercedes V class: $66
- Transfer from Sofia to Stara Zagora: $195
- Transfer from Sofia to Pamporovo: $192
- Transfer from Sofia to Burgas: $269
- Transfer from Sofia to Borovets: $83
- Transfer from Sofia to Bansko: $132
- Transfer from Sofia airport to hotel in Sofia OR vice versa: $19
- Transfer from Sofia Airport to Bansko: $196
- Private Airport Transfer to Sofia City Center: $31
- Sofia to Bucharest - Private Transfer: $692
- Sofia Airport SOF Private Transfer to Sofia City in Business Car: $54
- Private transfer: Sofia Airport (SOF) to Sofia: $47
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Wellington
Also for Wellington, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Airport Transfer: $80
- Wellington Airport Transfer to Wellington Hotels and Vice versa: $77
- Private Transfer with Wellington Dial a Driver: $74
- Wētā Workshop Experience with Guided Transfers: $62
- Wellington Airport (WLG) to Wellington - Arrival Private Transfer: $28
- Private Transfer from Wellington Cruise Port to Wellington Hotels: $26
- Private Transfer from Wellington hotels to Wellington Cruise Port: $26
- Departure Transfer: Wellington Central City Centre Hotels to Wellington Airport: $13
- Arrival Transfer: Wellington Airport to Central Wellington City Centre Hotels: $13
Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or Wellington?
Prices for flights to both Wellington 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 $18Wellington $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
- 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
Typical Food Prices in Wellington
For Wellington, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner$9.02
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Wellington
For Wellington, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Walking Food Tour Of Wellington: $153
- A Taste Of Wellington Food Tour (half Day): $188
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sofia $5.98Wellington $16
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
Tours and Activities in Wellington
For Wellington, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 5 hour Wellington City Heights Shared tour: $92
- A Taste of Kapiti - Kapiti Foodie Delights Tour: $292
- From Cave to Coast Wellington Highlights Tour: $119
- From Source to Sea Remutaka Mountain Bike Cycle Tour: $104
- From Half-Day Foodie Tour of the Wairarapa: $106
- From Taste Buds Tour of Petone: $167
- Full Day Lord of the Rings Tour: $181
- Full Day Tour of Wellington: $181
- Full-Day Wellington Self-Guided Electric Bike Tour: $52
- Fully customizable tours: $150
- Guided Small Group Walking Tour in Wellington: $46
- Guided Wellington Sightseeing Tour by Electric Bike: $79
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySofia $8.48Wellington $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 Wellington
Also in Wellington, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Wellington Craft Brewery Half Day Tour: $94
- Wellington Craft Brewery Half-Day Guided Tour with Tastings: $96
- 5 hour Martinborough shared Chefs Wine Tour with Gourmet lunch: $153
- Martinborough Full Day Wine Tour: $172
- Chefs Private Martinborough wine tour with Gourmet Lunch: $361
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and Wellington, we can see that Wellington 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 Wellington is in Pacific, 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 Wellington would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Wellington 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 Wellington Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sofia or Wellington?
Sofia has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Wellington. When comparing the sizes of Sofia and Wellington, 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.