Which place is cheaper, Nice 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 Nice?
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 Nice. 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 Nice?
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.
Nice
Nice, in the French Riviera, is one of the most popular destinations in France. It's located on the southeast coast along the Mediterranean Sea and is the second largest French city on the Mediterranean. It is an energetic city that attracts all types of vacationers from every age group and demographic. It's the 5th largest city in the country and is the capital of the Alpes Maritimes departement. The metropolitan area has a population of about 1 million.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria, The Best 10-Day Tours in France, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in France.
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Sofia Prices
Bulgaria PricesNice Prices
France Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySofia $86Nice $198
The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $86, while the average daily cost in Nice is $198. 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 Nice in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSofia $44Nice $72
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSofia $88Nice $144
Compare Hotels in Sofia and Nice
Looking for a hotel in Sofia or Nice? 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 Nice Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sofia $9.26Nice $27
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 Nice
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Nice:
- Nice Intl Airport (NCE): Private Transfer to Cannes hotels: $567
- Private Transfer to Isola: $411
- From Nice Airport Private Transfer to Saint-Tropez: $352
- Private Transfer Nice City or Nice Airport (NCE) to Draguignan: $299
- Transfer - Nice Airport> Monaco: $299
- Nice to Cannes one way Private Transfer: $268
- Nice Cruise Port to Cannes city - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $260
- Private Transfer Nice Airport (NCE) to Saint-Aygulf: $239
- Private Transfer From Monaco To Nice With a 2 Hour Stop: $227
- Private Arrival Transfer Nice Airport to Mandelieu La Napoule 23: $224
- Transfer from Antibes to Nice Airport : $215
- Private Transfer from Nice Airport to Frejus: $215
Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or Nice?
Prices for flights to both Nice 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 $35Nice $100
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 Nice
Some typical examples of dining costs in Nice are as follows:
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Slushee$2.93
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Strawberries$4.69
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Loaf of Bread$3.75
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nice
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Nice.
- Food Tour in Local Flavors & Niçoise Specialties: $59
- Exclusive Food Tour in Menton - 3 hours - small groups: $60
- Nice Food Tour – A Full Taste of French Riviera by Do Eat Better: $91
- Nice Food Tour: Food Tastings & Local Wine Experience in Nice: $96
- Food Tour of Nice with a Passionate Guide: $105
- Nice Small-Group Walking Food Tour with Local Specialties & Wine Tasting: $106
- Secret Food Tour: Nice: $109
- Sunset Food Tour with Full Meal and Wine: $112
- Nice Sunset Food Tour – A Full Taste of France by Do Eat Better: $114
- 3-Course Organic Dinner in Garden with Views of French Riviera: $117
- Viator Exclusive: Local Cooking Class & Dinner with View of Nice: $137
- Half-Day Walking Food Tour in Nice with Lunch: $143
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sofia $6.54Nice $14
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 Nice
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Nice are as follows:
- Half Day Shared Tour in Eze, Monaco and Monte Carlo: $78
- Monaco, Monte-Carlo and Eze Village Small Group Half-Day Tour: $82
- Èze Medieval Village Tour with your Certified Guide: $44
- Èze: Private Village Guided Walking Tour: $256
- 1/2 day tour; Monaco and Eze guided tour, sightseeing: $84
- 2 Hour Walking Tour in the Old Town of Antibes: $30
- 2 Hours Shared Nice City Walking Tour: $5.97
- 2-Hour Guided Tour of Monaco with a certified guide: $55
- 3-Hour Private Tour to Discover Nice and its Heights: $298
- 7 Hills of Nice E-bike Tour with Local Guide: $118
- A Self-Guided Tour Of Nice The UNESCO Heritage City: $9.99
- All-Inclusive Culinary and History Tour of Old Nice with a Local: $155
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySofia $9.26Nice $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
Sample the Local Flavors in Nice
Also in Nice, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Private Distillery Day Tour: $11
- 4 Bars Party Pub Crawl + VIP Club Entry & 5 Free Shots: $23
- 4 Bars & 1 Club Fun Bar Crawl Party with Free Shots: $24
- Bar Crawl in Nice the Ultimate Experience with night club: $24
- Private Pub / Bar Crawl Group Size 6-20 people: $27
- Spirits Tasting at the Distillery Le Vadrouilleur: $29
- St. Patrick's Bar Crawl Party, Free Shots & Club Entry: $29
- Halloween Party : Pub Crawl Nice with 5 free shots and Masks: $35
- Vineyard Tour with Wine Tasting: $39
- Vineyard Tour with Wine Tasting within Nice city borders: $39
- Nice Visit DE Distillery and Tasting DE Local Spirits: $42
- Discover our terroirs and enjoy a cheese and wine tasting: $47
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and Nice, we can see that Nice 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 Nice would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Nice 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 Nice Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sofia or Nice?
Sofia has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Nice. When comparing the sizes of Sofia and Nice, 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.