Which place is cheaper, Zagreb or Sofia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Sofia or Zagreb?
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 Zagreb. 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 Zagreb?
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.
Zagreb
Zagreb, in central Croatia, is the country's capital. It has a wonderful old town that has cobblestone streets, historic buildings, and a great atmosphere. Many people travel to Croatia specifically for its beaches and coastal towns, but if you overlook this lovely capital city, you'll miss a large part of the culture and personality that is Croatia.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria, The Best 2-Week Tours from Dubrovnik, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Split.
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Sofia Prices
Bulgaria PricesZagreb Prices
Croatia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySofia $86Zagreb $105
The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $86, while the average daily cost in Zagreb is $105. 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 Zagreb in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSofia $44Zagreb $57
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSofia $88Zagreb $114
Compare Hotels in Sofia and Zagreb
Looking for a hotel in Sofia or Zagreb? 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 Zagreb Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sofia $9.26Zagreb $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sofia
Also for Sofia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfers in Sofia: $84
- Arrival Transfer: Sofia Airport SOF to Sofia in Luxury Car: $95
- Bansko Shuttle: Transfer from/to Sofia Airport: $108
- Bansko Transfer From/to Sofia Airport and Hotels: $289
- Bucharest: Private Transfer to Sofia: $222
- From Plovdiv Day Tour with Transfer: $79
- From Private Transfer for SPA to Sapareva Banya: $100
- From Private Transfer to Bucharest: $709
- From Rila Monastery & Melnik Day Trip with Transfers: $103
- From Seven Rila Lakes Transfer: $118
- Private Arrival Transfer from Sofia Airport to Bansko: $193
- Private Arrival Transfer from Sofia Airport to Bansko Ski Resort: $229
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zagreb
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zagreb:
- Private Transfer Zagreb-Split: $858
- Budapest: Private transfer to Zagreb or Zagreb to Budapest: $423
- From Sarajevo: 1-Way Transfer to Zagreb or opposite: $411
- Zagreb to Split: Personalized Transfer & Custom Day Trip!: $385
- Bratislava: Private transfer to Zagreb or Zagreb to BTS: $332
- Private Transfer Zagreb-Plitvice Lakes: $301
- Private Transfer from Zagreb to Budapest with 2 hours for sightseeing: $289
- Private Walking Tour with Funicular Ride & Transfers: $211
- Transfer from Zagreb to Split with Entry Ticket to Plitvice Lakes: $203
- Transfer from Zagreb Airport to Koper: $181
- Private Transfer from Zagreb City Hotels to Rijeka Cruise Port: $167
- Guided transfer from Zagreb to Split with Plitvice Lakes stop: $167
Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or Zagreb?
Prices for flights to both Zagreb 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 $35Zagreb $34
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sofia
For Sofia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 1980s Communism-Era Dinner with Local Host: $35
- Market Food Tour: $55
- Cooking Class in Sourdough Pancakes, Wine & Culture: $59
- Sofia by Night: Panoramic City Tour and Folklore Dinner: $117
- Private Sofia Night Tour with Bulgarian Folklore & Dinner: $119
- Bulgarian Food tasting, cullinary-historical tour, Cooking class: $138
- Sofia by Night Panoramic Tour with Dinner and Folklore Show: $163
- Sofia Evening Tour with Folklore Program and Traditional Dinner: $169
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zagreb
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Zagreb.
- Food Tour with Tastings: $104
- Taste Zagreb Food Tour: $107
- Bite Back in Time: Zagreb's Food Tour Spiced with History : $114
- Zagreb Food Tour: Bite into Traditional Dishes and Flavors: $141
- Croatian cuisine cooking class with Dolac market tour: $157
- Zagreb Walking Food Tour - Sightseeing - Dolac market visit: $163
- Authentic Market Tour and Cooking Class in the Heart of Zagreb: $184
- PRIVATE Half-Day Food Tour: The 10 Tastings of Zagreb With Locals: $203
- Zagreb Hike & Taste - Nature Park. Medieval castle. Local Dinner: $213
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sofia $6.54Zagreb $14
Tours and Activities in Sofia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sofia.
- Rila Monastery: Monastery & Museums Self-Guided Audio Tour 7 lang: $6.02
- Self Guided Tour Experience in Rila Monastery: $8.66
- Self-guided Tour in the Museum of Socialist Art: $8.67
- City Monuments Guided Walking Tour with Audio Guide: $12
- Audio Guide for All Sofia Sights, Attractions or Experiences: $13
- Sofia’s Roots: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
- Immersive Digital Art Experience at Bulgaria: $16
- E-guide for Any Sight, Tour, Trip or Experience in Bulgaria: $18
- Private Kayak Tour on the Pancharevo Lake: $18
- City Highlights Sightseeing Walking Tour: $19
- Communist Walking Tour: $21
- Communist Walking Tour of Sofia: $22
Tours and Activities in Zagreb
Here are a few actual costs in Zagreb for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 4 Day Private Istria Tour from Explore & Enjoy: $1,500
- Archaeological Tour of Zagreb: $53
- Back to Socialism Bike Tour: $49
- Beautiful Christmas in Zagreb – Private Walking Tour: $1,254
- Best Of Zagreb Walking Tour: $66
- Best of SLOVENIA - Bled + Postojna + Ljubljana - Day Tour from Zagreb: $240
- Best of Zagreb Walking Tour: $84
- Best of Zagreb! Self-guided Waking tour Sit&Meet Croatian greats!: $23
- Best of Zagreb! Walking Tour by Sit & Meet; Meet the Great Croats: $36
- Best of 4-Hour Cycling Tour: $94
- Big Zagreb Private Walking Tour: $117
- Classic Zagreb Bike Tour: $54
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySofia $9.26Zagreb $10
Sample the Local Flavors in Sofia
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Sofia:
- Sofia's Hidden Bars: 4-Hour Pub Crawl: $24
- Sofia Pub Crawl Tour of The Hidden Unique Bars: $25
- Wine and Tapas - Bulgarian's Wine Tasting Experience: $30
- Wine Tasting in Heart of Sofia: $36
- Special Selection Bulgarian Wine Tasting: $46
- Special Selection Bulgarian Wine Tasting: $47
- Wine Tasting: Bulgarian Wine Grape Varieties: $48
- Private Rila Monastery Live guide, Local snack and Wine tasting : $78
- Sofia Exquisite Wine Tasting: $83
- 1-Hour Private Cheese and Wine Tasting in Sofia : $95
- From Rozhen monastery and Melnik with wine tasting: $108
- Sofia – Kazanluk Rose Valley & Oil Distillery Tour: $116
Sample the Local Flavors in Zagreb
Also in Zagreb, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Pub Crawl, 1-Hour of Unlimited Drinks, & Club Entry: $34
- Zagreb:Private Bar Crawling and Alcohol Testing with a Guide: $35
- Taste Zagreb Heritage Wine Tasting with Traditional Lunch: $107
- Hrastje Plešivičko Wine Tasting Day Trip: $176
- From Samobor Highlights & Wine Tasting in Plešivica: $194
- Private Wine Tour from Two Local Wineries & Samobor : $289
- Fairytale Castle & Wine Tasting & Lunch: $289
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and Zagreb, we can see that Zagreb 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 Zagreb would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Zagreb 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 Zagreb Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sofia or Zagreb?
Sofia has a larger population, and is about 65% larger than the population of Zagreb. When comparing the sizes of Sofia and Zagreb, 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.