A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Volos vs. Plovdiv for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Volos or Plovdiv?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Volos and Plovdiv can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Volos or Plovdiv?

Volos

The coastal port city of Volos on the mainland of Greece sits on a very unique and important location in the agricultural region of Thessaly. Situated between Athens and Thessaloniki, Volos provides a commercial outlet to the sea, allowing a bridge between Europe, the Middle East and Asia. It is the most recent of Greece's port cities, and is highly populated with many modern buildings.

Plovdiv

Located in a large, hilly plain between the Rhodope Mountains in the south of Bulgaria and the Balkan Range in the central part of the country, Plovdiv sits uniquely spread across six hills. It is one of the oldest continuously-inhabited cities in the world, dating back roughly 8,000 years. Some of its best features are its ancient ruins and historic architecture.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Athens, The Best 10-Day Tours from Athens, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Bulgaria, and The Best Adventure Tours to Bulgaria.


Which place is cheaper, Plovdiv or Volos?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Volos is €95, while the average daily cost in Plovdiv is €75. 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 Volos and Plovdiv in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Volos 43
    Plovdiv 41
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Volos 86
    Plovdiv 82
Compare Hotels in Volos and Plovdiv

Looking for a hotel in Volos or Plovdiv? 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.

Hotels in Volos


Hotels in Plovdiv


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: Volos Hotel Prices and Plovdiv Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Volos 37
    Plovdiv 21

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Volos

Also for Volos, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Volos to Athens, Athens Airport and Piraeus Port Private Transfer: $260
  • Volos to Athens Easy & Economy Transfer: $532
  • From Volos to Athens Airport / Athens / Piraeus Private Transfer: $283

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Plovdiv

Also for Plovdiv, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfer from Plovdiv to Sofia: $105
  • Transfer from Plovdiv to Burgas city/airport with sedan/minivan/minibus: $193
  • Transfer Plovdiv to Sofia airport/city with a car 3+1: $99
  • Private Transfer from Pamporovo to Sofia (SOF) Airport: $162
  • Private One-way Transfer Plovdiv Airport to Hotel or vice versa: $43

Is it cheaper to fly into Volos or Plovdiv?

Prices for flights to both Plovdiv and Volos 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Volos 30
    Plovdiv 20

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Volos

For Volos, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Cooking Session "Pelion Flavours": $72
  • Cook like a local Greek Cooking lesson in Mt Pelion Greece: $110

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Volos 17
    Plovdiv 14

Tours and Activities in Volos

For Volos, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • BIKING PELION Private Guided Full or Half Day Tour: $213
  • East Pelion - Sea Kayak Tour "Short Paddle": $39
  • From Hidden Sights of Meteora Private Tour: $217
  • HIKING PELION - Private Guided Full or Half Day Tour: $199
  • Half-Day Sea Kayak Tour "The Secret Cave": $50
  • Kayaking Adventure around Pelion Coastline : $33
  • Volos Pelion Full Day Tour : $188
  • Pagasetic Gulf Full-Day Sailboat Experience: $747

Tours and Activities in Plovdiv

For Plovdiv, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Eastern Rhodopes Day Tour from Plovdiv - Thracian Tombs, History & Wine Culture: $170
  • 5-Day Guided Tour to Sofia, Plovdiv and Istanbul: $495
  • Audio Guide for All Rhodope Mountain Sights, Attractions or Experiences: $43
  • Bachkovo Monastery & Asen's Fortress - day tour from Plovdiv: $83
  • Communist Heritage Tour- Buzludzha and The Might of the East Block Aviation: $99
  • Day Tour from Plovdiv full with History, Nature & Forgotten Village Experiences: $146
  • Exclusive Private Tour in the Thracian Valley from Sofia: $95
  • Food Walk: Bulgarian Food and Culture Tour in Plovdiv: $39
  • From Bachkovo Monastery & Asen’s Fortress Tour: $83
  • From Musala Peak Full-Day Trekking Tour: $132
  • From Sofia - A Story of an Ancient State Day Tour: $97
  • Full Day Eco Private Tour in Koprivshtitsa and Plovdiv: $166

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Volos 7.86
    Plovdiv 8.99

Sample the Local Flavors in Plovdiv

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Plovdiv:

  • Chateau Copsa Wine Tasting Tours & Activities: $21
  • Plovdiv Exquisite Wine Tasting: $65
  • Thracian Valley wine tasting - private day tour from Plovdiv: $93
  • Private Day Trip From Plovdiv To Wine Cellars And Wine Tasting: $109
  • From Sofia: Plovdiv and Perushtitsa Tour With Wine Tasting: $122


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Volos and Plovdiv, we can see that Volos is more expensive. And not only is Plovdiv much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Plovdiv would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Plovdiv 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 Volos would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Volos than you might in Plovdiv.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Volos Expensive? and Is Plovdiv Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Volos or Plovdiv?

Volos has a larger population, and is about 64% larger than the population of Plovdiv. When comparing the sizes of Volos and Plovdiv, 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.