Which place is cheaper, Kotor 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 Kotor?
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 Kotor. 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 Kotor?
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.
Kotor
A coastal town of Montenegro, Kotor is also a beautifully-preserved fortified, medieval town, featuring a labyrinth of cobbled streets, lively piazzas, historic churches, and a spread of bars and restaurants throughout its historic Old Town.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria, The Best Luxury Tours to Montenegro, and The Best Budget Tours to Montenegro.
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Sofia Prices
Bulgaria PricesKotor Prices
Montenegro Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySofia $86Kotor $153
The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $86, while the average daily cost in Kotor 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 Sofia and Kotor in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSofia $44Kotor $57
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSofia $88Kotor $114
Compare Hotels in Sofia and Kotor
Looking for a hotel in Sofia or Kotor? 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 Kotor Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sofia $9.26Kotor $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sofia
Also for Sofia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfers in Sofia: $83
- Arrival Transfer: Sofia Airport SOF to Sofia in Luxury Car: $94
- Bansko Shuttle: Transfer from/to Sofia Airport: $107
- Bansko Transfer From/to Sofia Airport and Hotels: $286
- Borovets Transfers from/to Sofia Airport: $179
- Bucharest: Private Transfer to Sofia: $219
- Departure Transfer: Sofia to Sofia Airport SOF in Luxury Van: $82
- From Plovdiv Day Tour with Transfer: $78
- From Private Transfer for SPA to Sapareva Banya: $100
- From Rila Monastery & Melnik Day Trip with Transfers: $102
- Korali Hot Spring with Private Transfers: $65
- Private Arrival Transfer from Sofia Airport to Bansko Ski Resort: $226
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kotor
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kotor:
- Speedboat Tour or Transfer with Custom Options: $293
- Transfer Portonovi / Herceg Novi to Dubrovnik Old Town: $274
- Private Transfer from Herceg Novi to Dubrovnik Airport (DBV): $242
- Kotor to Podgorica one way transfer: $227
- Private Transfer from Tivat Airport (TIV) to Ulcinj: $211
- Old Town Budva and Kotor Guided Tour with Transfers: $176
- Montenegro: Podgorica Airport to One&Only One-Way Transfer: $166
- Private Transfer from Herceg Novi to Tivat Airport (TIV): $162
- Private Transfer from Tivat Airport (TIV) to Herceg Novi: $162
- Private transfer from Herceg Novi to Dubrovnik airport: $155
- Airport Transfer Tivat/Porto Montenegro to Portonovi /Herceg Novi: $155
- Private Transfer from Herceg Novi, Meljine or Igalo to Tivat airport: $155
Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or Kotor?
Prices for flights to both Kotor 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 $35Kotor $86
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 Kotor
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kotor.
- Handmade Pasta Cooking Class with Italian Chef in Montenegro: $54
- 3 Hour Kotor Food Tour - Rick Steves' Recommended: $167
- 3H Food Tour: $176
- Old Town Walking Tour and Cooking Class: $176
- Kotor City Tour and Cooking Class : $222
- Kotor private cooking class with lunch and Old town guided tour: $247
- Cooking class in a local home & old town walking tour: $334
- Private City Tour and Cooking Class: $363
- City, Perast, Our Lady of the Rocks and Cooking Class: $385
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sofia $6.54Kotor $9.76
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
Tours and Activities in Kotor
Here are a few actual costs in Kotor for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 3hr Blue Cave, Submarine Tunnel, and Lady of the Rocks Tour: $48
- Gourmet Sailing Day Adventure: $149
- Old Kotor ,Charming Perast & Our Lady of the Rocks Private tour : $101
- 1-Day Montenegro Hiking Tour to Durmitor National Park : $130
- 2025 Blue Cave Speedboat Tour from Kotor: $38
- 2025 Private Blue Cave Guided Speedboat adventure Tour from Kotor: $298
- 3 Hours Blue Cave Tour in Montenegro: $48
- 3-Hour Private Blue Cave Tour: $243
- 4 Hours Blue Cave Tour and Gastronomic Journey in Boka Bay: $82
- 7 hr private tour Perast, Kotor Bay & Blue Cave, lunch break: $701
- Adriatic Jewels Tour: Saint Stefan – Budva - Tivat : $267
- Adventure park ’Lovcen’ and Njegos’s Mausoleum : $216
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySofia $9.26Kotor $9.98
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 Kotor
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Kotor:
- Kotor : Old Town Food & Wine Tasting Tour: $117
- Skadar Lake National Park with Wine Tasting: $468
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and Kotor, we can see that Kotor 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 Kotor would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kotor 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 Kotor Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sofia or Kotor?
Sofia has a larger population, and is about 220 times larger than the population of Kotor. When comparing the sizes of Sofia and Kotor, 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.