Which place is cheaper, Sofia or Tallinn?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Tallinn or Sofia?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Tallinn or Sofia, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Tallinn or Sofia?
Tallinn
Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland. It has a population of more than 430,000 people and is a charming, yet cosmopolitan place to visit. The Old Town is at the center of the city's tourism, and the beauty and architecture is very impressive. The city's close proximity to Helsinki makes it a popular day trip from Finland, but cheap plane flights have also encouraged visitors from around Europe to spend several days in this city. In particular, summer months can become quite crowded.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Tallinn, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Estonia, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTallinn €95Sofia €60
The average daily cost (per person) in Tallinn is €95, while the average daily cost in Sofia is €60. 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 Tallinn and Sofia in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTallinn €47Sofia €38
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTallinn €94Sofia €76
Compare Hotels in Tallinn and Sofia
Looking for a hotel in Tallinn or Sofia? 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: Tallinn Hotel Prices and Sofia Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tallinn €12Sofia €7.87
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Tallinn
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Tallinn:
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Tram Around Town for Two€1.66
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tallinn
Also for Tallinn, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From Helicopter transfer to Helsinki: $2,647
- Tallinn Party Bus Airport Transfer: $124
- Tallinn Arrival Private Airport Transfer in Minivan: $118
- Tallinn Cruise Port: Private Transfer to Tallinn hotels: $102
- Tallinn Lennart Meri Airport (TLL): Transfer to Tallinn Port: $102
- Arrival Private Transfer from Tallinn Airport or Port to Tallinn City by minibus: $91
- Arrival Private Transfer from Tallinn Airport or Port to Tallinn by Luxury Car : $90
- Departure private transfer from Tallinn to Tallinn Airport or Port by Luxury Car: $90
- Tallinn Airport Transfer - Return: $87
- Beginner Archery Class with Transfer: $80
- Tallinn Limo Airport Transfer: $75
- Tallinn Highlights Shore Excursion With Port Return Transfer: $51
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
Is it cheaper to fly into Tallinn or Sofia?
Prices for flights to both Sofia and Tallinn 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 dayTallinn €36Sofia €17
Typical Food Prices in Tallinn
For Tallinn, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two€7.68
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Dessert€1.15
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tallinn
For Tallinn, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Tallinn TV Tower evening dinner (2-course meal): $56
- Tallinn TV Tower evening dinner (3-course meal): $63
- Tallinn Russian Dinner: $84
- Tallinn Beer House Dinner: $96
- Tallinn Food Tour: $116
- Tallinn 3-Hour Estonian Food Tour: $127
- Tallinn Food Tour with Round-trip Transfer Port-City: $136
- Vegan Food Tours Tallinn: $213
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Tallinn €5.63Sofia €5.56
Tours and Activities in Tallinn
For Tallinn, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- "Legends and Landmarks: A Tallinn Walking Adventure": $21
- 120 Degrees daily guided walking tour: $27
- 2 Hour Tales of Tallinn Private Car Tour: $65
- 2 Hour Tallinn Old Town Walking Tour: $196
- 2-Day Guided Tour of Medieval Tallinn : $240
- 2-Hour Guided Walking Tour of Tallinn: $49
- 2-hour private tour of Tallinn with transport: $272
- 3-Hour Private Tour of Tallinn: $188
- 3-Hour Private Tour of Tallinn: $293
- 5 Hour Deluxe Shore Excursion in Tallinn from Cruise Port: $48
- 5 Hour Majestic Tallinn Tour from Cruise Port: $45
- Accessible tour in Tallinn: $738
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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTallinn €15Sofia €7.88
Sample the Local Flavors in Tallinn
Also in Tallinn, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Mad Monk’s Pub Crawl Tallinn: $21
- Tallinn Pub Crawl (Ex The Epic Bar Crawl): $27
- Tallinn Exclusive Pub & Bar Crawl - Free Drinks, Local Guide: $42
- Tallinn Brewery Fiesta: $72
- Tallinn Guided Bar Crawl: $123
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tallinn and Sofia, we can see that Tallinn 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 Tallinn would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tallinn 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 Tallinn Expensive? and Is Sofia Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Tallinn or Sofia?
Sofia has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Tallinn. When comparing the sizes of Tallinn and Sofia, 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.