Which place is cheaper, Xi'an or Sofia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sofia or Xi'an?
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 Xi'an. 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 Xi'an?
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.
Xi'an
Xi'an is an ancient city in the Shaanxi Province in China. Today it is most notable as the location of the Terracotta Warriors, but for visitors who choose to linger, there is so much more to see and do in the area. The city itself is more than 3,000 years old and for about one thousand years, through 13 dynasties and 73 emperors, it was the capital. Because of its rich history there are many historical ruins and a strong culture in the city. Today the city is a pleasant place to visit, although much of it's influence and power has dwindled. The city has both cosmopolitan and modern areas as well as historic and culturally rich areas. The neighborhoods are diverse and by exploring the city in depth you can learn a little more about what China really has to offer.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySofia $65Xi'an $94
The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $65, while the average daily cost in Xi'an is $94. 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 Xi'an in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSofia $41Xi'an $60
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSofia $82Xi'an $120
Compare Hotels in Sofia and Xi'an
Looking for a hotel in Sofia or Xi'an? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sofia $8.47Xi'an $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sofia
Also for Sofia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfers in Bulgaria: $66
- Bansko Transfer From/to Sofia Airport and Hotels: $263
- Be Eco: Sofia Airport Transfer with an Electric Vehicle: $54
- Departure Transfer: Sofia to Sofia Airport SOF in Luxury Car: $87
- Departure Transfer: Sofia to Sofia Airport SOF in Luxury Van: $76
- From Bansko Transfer with Rila Monastery Visit: $129
- From Koprivshtitsa & Historic Homes Tour w/ Transfer: $54
- From Plovdiv Day Tour with Transfer: $72
- From Private Transfer to Bucharest: $451
- From Private Transfer to Plovdiv: $97
- From Private Transfer to Spa in Sapareva Banya: $91
- From Rila Monastery & Melnik Day Trip with Transfers: $94
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Xi'an
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Xi'an:
- Xi'an Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 40 pax: $300
- Private Round-trip Airport Transfer to Terracotta Army & City Wall with A Guide: $259
- 2-Day Customized Private Tour With Transfer in Historical Xi'an: $231
- Xian Terracotta Warriors and City Wall Tour with Airport Transfer: $224
- Mt. Hua Entrance Ticket w/ Shuttle Bus&Cable Car&Private Transfer: $224
- Xi'an Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 15 pax: $200
- Full-Day Layover Private Tour: Essence of Xi'an With Airport Transfer: $197
- Xian Private Day Tour with Airport Transfer: Terracotta Warriors and City Wall: $186
- Xian Terracotta Warriors Tour with Airport Transfer: $176
- One Day Private Xian Tour to Terracotta Warriors with Airport Transfers: $170
- Terracotta Warriors Museum Tour with Airport Pickup or Drop-off Transfer: $162
- Xi'an Layover: Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum With Airport Transfer: $162
Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or Xi'an?
Prices for flights to both Xi'an 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 $18Xi'an $12
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 Xi'an
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Xi'an.
- Skip the Line: Xi'an Tang Dynasty Show Ticket & Dumpling Dinner or Royal Banquet: $32
- Dinner and Show of Tang Dynasty Palace in Xian: $40
- Private Home Cooking Class:Dumpling Cooking Class Tour in Xi'an: $50
- Xi'an Twilight Sightseeing and Food Tour: $51
- Tang Dynasty Dinner Show: $55
- Xi'an Vegetarian Food Tour: $60
- Xi'an Food Tour by Tuk Tuk: $62
- Private Xi'an Food Tour: $65
- Private Xi’an Night & Food Tour by Tuk Tuk and Public Transportation: $67
- Xi'an Evening Food Tour by TukTuk: $69
- 4 Hours Food Tours in Xi'an: $72
- 3-Hour Biang Biang Noodles Cooking Class in Xi'an: $75
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sofia $5.98Xi'an $35
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: $3.84
- Rila Monastery: Monastery & Museums Self-Guided Audio Tour 7 lang: $5.48
- Self-Guided Audio Tour on Your Phone (ENG): $7.61
- Self-guided tour of Boyana Church: $7.68
- Sofia Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.73
- Sofia Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self Guided Tour: $7.84
- Self-guided Tour in the Museum of Socialist Art: $7.90
- 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
- Admission Ticket to the Museum of Illusions in Sofia: $15
Tours and Activities in Xi'an
Here are a few actual costs in Xi'an for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Group Tour to the Terra-cotta Warriors Museum & Lunch : $65
- Private Half Day Tour to See The Big Wild Goose Pagoda&City Wall:: $185
- Xi'an Morning Food & Market Tour by TukTuk: $55
- #1 Bestselling Private Terracotta Army Tours + Customized Xian Tours: $109
- 1 Day Xian City Highlights Private Tour: $148
- 1 Day Xian Group Tour: Terracotta Warriors & City Wall: $138
- 1 day The Terracotta Army+Xi'an City Wall+Yongxing Square Mini Group Tour: $106
- 1 day Xi'an Culture and History Discovery Mini Group tour: $112
- 1 day private tour to Xi'an Terra Cotta Warriors by Metro/Subway: $110
- 1-Day Xi'an City Highlights and Hanyangling Museum Private Tour: $100
- 1-Day Xi'an Terracotta Warriors Museum and Banpo Neolithic Village Museum Tour: $100
- 1-Day Xi'an Terracotta Warriors,Wild Goose Pagoda and Banpo Village Museum Tour: $100
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySofia $8.48Xi'an $7.23
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and Xi'an, we can see that Xi'an 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 Xi'an is in Asia, 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 Xi'an would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Xi'an 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 Xi'an Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sofia or Xi'an?
Xi'an has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Sofia. When comparing the sizes of Sofia and Xi'an, 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.