Which place is cheaper, Belfast 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 Belfast?
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 Belfast. 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 Belfast?
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.
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland and the second largest city on the island of Ireland after Dublin. It has a population of about 270,000 and almost 500,000 in the metropolitan area. It's located on the mouth of the River Lagan and is set between many low hills that rise up around it.
One of the most famous, and tragic times in Belfast's history is referred to as "The Troubles." During this time, between 1969 and 1997, there were many bomb and gun attacks throughout the city. This left many areas as essentially no-go zones. Neighborhoods became completely lawless do to the lack of security and the damage is still visible today in some areas. In 1998 the Good Friday Agreement was signed and much of the politically motivated violence ended. The city actually received praise recently as the safest city in the UK based on crime rate. Tourism is growing and many visitors enjoy seeing this less popular travel destination. The city has a lot of character and will give you an interesting take on Irish and British history.
Belfast has a temperate climate and temperature and precipitation have little variation throughout the year. The climate is influenced by the warming effects of the Gulf Stream, making it warmer than many cities that are found at the same latitude. Rain is common with precipitation falling an average of 157 days a year. Snow is much less common, although it does happen about ten days a year. The warmest days during the summer may reach a temperature around 25 degrees Celsius and the coldest days have lows that drop just below freezing.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria, The Best Budget Tours to United Kingdom, and The Best Tours for Seniors to United Kingdom.
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Sofia Prices
Bulgaria PricesBelfast Prices
UK Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySofia $86Belfast $232
The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $86, while the average daily cost in Belfast is $232. 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 Belfast in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSofia $44Belfast $93
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSofia $88Belfast $186
Compare Hotels in Sofia and Belfast
Looking for a hotel in Sofia or Belfast? 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 Belfast Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sofia $9.26Belfast $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sofia
Also for Sofia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Sofia airport to hotel in Sofia OR vice versa: $21
- Sofia Airport to Borovets Shared Transfer (Max 90 Min Wait): $28
- Private Airport Transfer to Sofia City Center: $41
- Private Transfer from Sofia (SOF) Airport to Sofia City: $45
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Sofia APT-HTL (SOF): $48
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Sofia HTL-APT (SOF): $48
- Sofia City Private Transfer to Sofia Airport SOF in Business Car: $58
- Sofia Airport SOF Private Transfer to Sofia City in Business Car: $58
- Korali Hot Spring with Private Transfers: $65
- Private Departure Transfer from Sunny Beach to Burgas Airport: $71
- Private Transfers from Sofia to Borovets OR Borovets to Sofia: $71
- Transfer from the Sofia Airport to your hotel in Sofia by VIP Mercedes V class: $71
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Belfast
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Belfast:
- Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Florencecourt: $299
- Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Bellanaleck: $294
- Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Kinawley: $289
- Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Killadeas: $289
- Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Kesh: $289
- Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Irvinestown: $276
- Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Castlederg: $271
- Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Sion Mills: $271
- Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Carrybridge: $271
- Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Lisnaskea: $266
- Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Lisbellaw: $266
- Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Maguiresbridge: $266
Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or Belfast?
Prices for flights to both Belfast 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 $35Belfast $119
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: $116
- Private Sofia Night Tour with Bulgarian Folklore & Dinner: $118
- Bulgarian Food tasting, cullinary-historical tour, Cooking class: $137
- Sofia by Night Panoramic Tour with Dinner and Folklore Show: $161
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Belfast
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Belfast.
- Rhythms and Tales of Belfast Irish Dance Show and Dinner: $81
- Taste & Tour: Craft Beer and Food Tour of Belfast: $112
- Belfast Centre Food Tour of 12+ Local Irish Dishes & Drinks: $112
- Guided Craft Beer and Street Food Tour: $115
- Taste & Tour: The original Belfast Food Tour™️ with drinks: $120
- The Original Belfast Food Tour™ with Drinks: $124
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sofia $6.54Belfast $25
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: $5.95
- Self-guided Tour in the Museum of Socialist Art: $8.57
- Sofia Self Guided Audio Experience: $9.00
- City Monuments Guided Walking Tour with Audio Guide: $12
- Guided Walking Tour of Sofia: $12
- Sofia’s Roots: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
- Bulgarian Rose Aromatic Experience : $17
- Private Kayak Tour on the Pancharevo Lake: $18
- Walking tour: Communist architecture in downtown Sofia: $18
- City Highlights Sightseeing Walking Tour: $19
- Communist Walking Tour: $21
- Communist Walking Tour of Sofia: $21
Typical Entertainment Prices in Belfast
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Belfast are as follows:
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Movie Tickets$11
Tours and Activities in Belfast
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Belfast are as follows:
- Belfast Titanic Experience & Black Taxi Political Conflict Tour: $205
- 1 Hour Express Belfast Taxi/Cab Tour History, Murals, Troubles: $89
- 2 Hour Private Belfast Taxi Cab Tour of Troubles & Peace walls: $99
- 2 Hour Terror and Mural History Belfast taxi Private Tour : $171
- 2 hours Belfast Original Drivers The Troubles Black Taxi Tour: $100
- 2 hrs Belfast unique history terror & mural private Taxi tour: $151
- A History of Terror - Belfast City Centre Walking Tour : $30
- A Unique Belfast City Center Walking Tour: $30
- A Unique Belfast Walking Experience: $30
- Afternoon Giant's Causeway Half Day Tour from Belfast: $35
- Afternoon Giant’s Causeway Half Day Tour from Belfast: $34
- Award Winning Exclusive 2 Hr Private Belfast Black Taxi Cab Tour: $90
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySofia $9.26Belfast $11
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: $24
- Wine and Tapas Boutique Bulgarian Wine Tasting : $29
- Wine and Tapas - Bulgarian's Wine Tasting Experience: $29
- Wine Tasting in Heart of Sofia: $36
- Special Selection Bulgarian Wine Tasting: $46
- Special Selection Bulgarian Wine Tasting: $46
- Wine Tasting: Bulgarian Wine Grape Varieties: $48
- From Rozhen monastery and Melnik with wine tasting: $107
- Sofia – Kazanluk Rose Valley & Oil Distillery Tour: $115
- Plovdiv Old Town & Thracian Wine Tasting – Day Tour from Sofia: $137
- Plovdiv and Thracia Valley with Wine Tasting: $173
Sample the Local Flavors in Belfast
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Belfast:
- Pub Crawl and Bar Walking Tour with Two Drinks: $19
- McConnell's Distillery Guided Tour with Tasting: $27
- Explore & Taste: Distillery Tour at Titanic Distillers: $34
- Belfast Giant's Causeway and Titanic Distillery Whiskey Tour: $74
- Giant's Causeway and Whisky Distillery tasting tour from Belfast : $75
- Historic Pub Tour: $202
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and Belfast, we can see that Belfast 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 Belfast would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Belfast 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 Belfast Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sofia or Belfast?
Sofia has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Belfast. When comparing the sizes of Sofia and Belfast, 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.