Which place is cheaper, Interlaken 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 Interlaken?
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 Interlaken. 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 Interlaken?
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.
Interlaken
Interlaken is a small city that is located in the Bernese Highlands Region of central Switzerland. It sits pleasantly between two Alpine Lakes, Brienzersee and Thunersee. This scenic setting and its easy accessibility make it a popular base camp for travel into the Bernese Oberland Alps. It has become a top tourist destination in Switzerland and it is also a hub for outdoor sports enthusiasts with plenty of hiking, skiing, paragliding, and other activities in the region.. Interlaken is a great hoping off point to explore many of the nearby mountains, lakes, and valleys, too. It offers easy transportation to most major Swiss cities by train or car.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Geneva, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Zurich.
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Sofia Prices
Bulgaria PricesInterlaken Prices
Switzerland Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySofia $86Interlaken $324
The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $86, while the average daily cost in Interlaken is $324. 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 Interlaken in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSofia $44Interlaken $155
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSofia $88Interlaken $310
Compare Hotels in Sofia and Interlaken
Looking for a hotel in Sofia or Interlaken? 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 Interlaken Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sofia $9.26Interlaken $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sofia
Also for Sofia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Sofia HTL-APT (SOF): $48
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Sofia APT-HTL (SOF): $48
- Transfer from the Sofia Airport to your hotel in Sofia by VIP Mercedes V class: $71
- Transfer from Sofia to Stara Zagora: $212
- Transfer from Sofia airport to hotel in Sofia OR vice versa: $21
- Transfer Sofia Airport/city to Plovdiv with a sedan 3+1: $113
- Private Airport Transfer to Sofia City Center: $41
- Sofia City Private Transfer to Sofia Airport SOF in Business Car: $58
- Sofia Airport to Borovets Shared Transfer (Max 90 Min Wait): $28
- Sofia Airport SOF Private Transfer to Sofia City in Business Car: $58
- Sofia Airport (LBSF): One-Way Transfer to/from Borovets: $104
- River Rafting Adventure in Bulgaria (incl. transfer from Sofia): $171
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Interlaken
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Interlaken are as follows:
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Cable Cars (for 2)$76
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Interlaken
Also for Interlaken, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Group transfer Interlaken - Zurich Airport: $899
- Zurich City / Airport: Private Transfer to Davos/Klosters: $553
- From Private One-Way Transfer to Lucerne: $327
- Day Hike to Augstmatthorn with Transfer from Interlaken: $264
- Private direct transfer from Interlaken to Zurich: $263
- Private Transfer from interlaken City to Lucerne City: $168
Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or Interlaken?
Prices for flights to both Interlaken 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 $35Interlaken $129
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
Typical Food Prices in Interlaken
For Interlaken, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Tea at Interlaken$38
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Interlaken
For Interlaken, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- From Night Sledding with Cheese Fondue Dinner: $162
- Fondue Cooking Class and Cheese Workshop in Switzerland: $164
- Cheese and Chocolate Full-Day Food Tour: $843
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sofia $6.54Interlaken $121
Tours and Activities in Sofia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sofia.
- 3-Hour Private Bulgarian Food Tasting Tour of Sofia: $92
- 7 Rila Lakes and Rila Monastery Day tour from Sofia: $125
- 7 Rila Lakes and Rila Monastery Small Group Day tour from Sofia: $101
- 7 Rila Lakes and Rila Monastery Tour: $52
- 7 Rila lakes and Rila monastery day tour from Sofia: $123
- Adventure bike tours in Sofia: $70
- Adventure bike tours in Sofia: $69
- Afternoon Delights in Sofia Tour: $83
- All inclusive Belogradchik fort and Venetsa cave day tour: $93
- Archaeological tour-From the Neolithic to Modern times in Augusta Trayana: $118
- Art Gallery Sightseeing Tour in Sofia: $46
- Boyana Church & Rila Monastery Full-Day Private Tour: $188
Tours and Activities in Interlaken
For Interlaken, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2 Waterfall in Lauterbrunnen from Interlaken Early Express Tour: $65
- Admission Ticket to the Swiss Selfie Museum in Interlaken: $27
- All-Inclusive Ski Experience for Beginners: $191
- Annecy France The Venice of the Alps Private Tour via Geneva: $300
- Attraction Ticket: Day Pass for Lake Thun&Brienz Boat Cruise: $145
- Attraction Ticket: Interlaken to Harder Funicular: $102
- Attraction Ticket: Interlaken to Harder Funicular : $113
- Attraction Ticket: Jungfraujoch self-guided day trip: $459
- Bern: Grindelwald First & Bachalpsee Hiking Private Tour: $815
- Blausee Express Sightseeing Tour from Interlaken Switzerland: $100
- Blausee and Castle Spiez and Lake Thun Sightseeing Tour Private: $250
- Bollywood Tour Gstaad - Full Tour : $205
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySofia $9.26Interlaken $20
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and Interlaken, we can see that Interlaken 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 Interlaken would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Interlaken 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 Interlaken Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sofia or Interlaken?
Sofia has a larger population, and is about 230 times larger than the population of Interlaken. When comparing the sizes of Sofia and Interlaken, 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.