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

Should you visit Plovdiv or Hvar?

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 Plovdiv and Hvar can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Plovdiv or Hvar?

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.

Hvar

Hvar is a Croatian island full of mountains, vegetation, beaches, vineyards, shops, restaurants, and also people! Hvar Town is the main city on the island, but there are many other small villages throughout. The best time to visit Hvar is between May and September, although keep in mind it can get busy during this period.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Bulgaria, The Best Adventure Tours to Bulgaria, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Croatia, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Croatia.


Which place is cheaper, Hvar or Plovdiv?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Plovdiv is $105, while the average daily cost in Hvar is $153. 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 Plovdiv and Hvar in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Plovdiv $48
    Hvar $44
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Plovdiv $96
    Hvar $88
Compare Hotels in Plovdiv and Hvar

Looking for a hotel in Plovdiv or Hvar? 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 Plovdiv


Hotels in Hvar


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: Plovdiv Hotel Prices and Hvar Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Plovdiv $24
    Hvar $55

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Plovdiv

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

  • Private One-way Transfer Plovdiv Airport to Hotel or vice versa: $70
  • Transfer from Plovdiv to Stara Zagora: $95
  • Transfer from Plovdiv to Pamporovo: $98
  • Transfer Plovdiv to Sofia airport/city with a car 3+1: $107
  • Transfer from Pamporovo to Sofia: $107
  • Transfer from Plovdiv to Sofia: $113
  • Transfer from Plovdiv to Borovets: $113
  • Transfer from Plovdiv to Burgas city/airport with sedan/minivan/minibus: $208

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hvar

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hvar:

  • Speedboat Transfer from Hvar Town to Split Airport: $585
  • Private Transfer to Dubrovnik with Korčula Stopover: $3,394

Is it cheaper to fly into Plovdiv or Hvar?

Prices for flights to both Hvar and Plovdiv 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
    Plovdiv $40
    Hvar $78

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hvar

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Hvar.

  • Traditional Hvar Cooking Classes, Dinners & 'Poje' Field Tour!: $167
  • Hvar Hidden Gems Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $205
  • Hvar Hidden Gems Small Group Half Day Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $208
  • Private Hvar Wine Tasting Tour with Traditional Dinner/Lunch: $256
  • Hvar Small Group Wine Tour and Authentic Dalmatian Dinner: $298

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Plovdiv $17
    Hvar $8.80

Tours and Activities in Plovdiv

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

  • Old Town Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
  • Plovdiv Old Town Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
  • Old Town Guided Walking Tour & Audioguide & Museum: $18
  • Guided Walking Tour: $18
  • Audio Guide for All Haskovo & Kardjali Sights, Attractions or Experiences: $23
  • Plovdiv guided walking tour: $23
  • Plovdiv Walking Tour To Old Town And Ancient Roman Landmarks: $24
  • Private Virtual Tour in Plovdiv with a Local Guide: $35
  • Food Walk: Bulgarian Food and Culture Tour in Plovdiv: $42
  • Food Walk Bulgarian Food and Culture Tour: $42
  • Audio Guide for All Rhodope Mountain Sights, Attractions or Experiences: $46
  • Private Plovdiv Walking Tour: $48

Tours and Activities in Hvar

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Hvar are as follows:

  • BLUE CAVE & 5 islands tour from Hvar: $113
  • 1-Hour Battle Archery Game in Hvar Adventure Park: $24
  • 1-Hour Private Paintball Adventure in Park Hvar Jelsa: $32
  • 50 Shades of Blue: Blue Cave & 5 Islands Boat Tour from Hvar: $12
  • Adventurous Blue and Green Cave group tour: $94
  • Back to the Roots - Ancient Island Interactive Experience: $154
  • Beach bar Laganini and Hula Hula half-day Private Boat Tour: $1,004
  • Beautiful Sites of Hvar -Private Walking Tour : $243
  • Blue & Green cave tour with yacht from town Hvar: $250
  • Blue Cave & Vis Island speedboat tour from Hvar: $119
  • Blue Cave and Pakleni Islands group Tour from Hvar: $132
  • Blue Cave, Blue Lagoon, Pakleni Islands Group boat tour from Hvar: $118

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Plovdiv $11
    Hvar $11

Sample the Local Flavors in Plovdiv

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Plovdiv:

  • Chateau Copsa Wine Tasting Tours & Activities: $23
  • Bulgarian Wine Tasting Experience in the Center of Plovdiv : $27
  • Food and Wine Tour: $60
  • Thracian Valley wine tasting - private day tour from Plovdiv: $107
  • Private Day Trip From Plovdiv To Wine Cellars And Wine Tasting: $118
  • Half-Day of Horseback Adventure with Wine Tasting: $183

Sample the Local Flavors in Hvar

Also in Hvar, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Wine Tasting Round Trip from Hvar - Family Winery at a Hilltop: $93
  • Hvar Island E-Bike Tour with Wine Tasting and Starters: $115
  • Private Hvar Island Bike Tour and Wine Tasting: $117
  • Hvar Wine Tasting Experience: $129
  • Hvar Wine tasting small group experience: $131
  • Private Hvar Wine Tasting Tour : $173
  • Private Best Beaches Boat Tour with Wine Tasting: $1,001


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Plovdiv and Hvar, we can see that Hvar 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 Hvar would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hvar 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 Plovdiv Expensive? and Is Hvar Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Plovdiv or Hvar?

Plovdiv has a larger population, and is about 90 times larger than the population of Hvar. When comparing the sizes of Plovdiv and Hvar, 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.