Which place is cheaper, Siena 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 Siena?
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 Siena. 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 Siena?
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.
Siena
Located in Tuscany, Siena is a medieval city that is about 70 kilometers south of Florence. One of its most famous events is the horse race, Il Palio, which occurs twice a year during the summer. The race puts a lot of emphasis on neighborhood pride and competition. It is a local tradition that is of great importance to the residence, so it is not an event that is held specifically for tourists. It dates back to the Medieval times and is associated with the area's religion, pageantry and rivalry. In addition to the city's strong neighborhood pride, rich history, and impressive architecture, Siena was also the home of many famous artists including Duccio, Simone Martini, and Ambrogio and Pietro Lorenzetti.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Italy, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Italy.
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Sofia Prices
Bulgaria PricesSiena Prices
Italy Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySofia $86Siena $199
The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $86, while the average daily cost in Siena is $199. 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 Siena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSofia $44Siena $81
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSofia $88Siena $162
Compare Hotels in Sofia and Siena
Looking for a hotel in Sofia or Siena? 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 Siena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sofia $9.26Siena $23
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 Siena
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Siena:
- Transfer Siena - Pisa with stop in San Gimignano & Lunch: $275
- Private transfer from Siena to Florence: $221
- PRIVATE TRANSFER from Siena to Florence with stop in S Gimignano & Monteriggioni: $179
- Arrival transfer Siena Airport SAY to Siena City by Van or Sedan: $174
Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or Siena?
Prices for flights to both Siena 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 $35Siena $103
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 Siena
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Siena.
- Pasta and Tiramisu Small Group Cooking Class with Wine: $82
- Small-group Cooking Class in a Chianti Farm: $95
- Siena : Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $100
- Dining Experience at a local's Home in Grosseto with Show Cooking: $102
- Tuscan, Italian, tiramisu cooking class and tasting 3 wines: $106
- Small-group Street food tour in Siena: $106
- Siena’s Ultimate Food Tour: Full Tuscan Meal by Do Eat Better: $109
- Cooking Class: Italian Authentic Recipes with Lunch: $131
- Small Group Cooking Class in Chianti Farmhouse: $136
- From Pizza and Gelato Cooking Class: $136
- Family Cooking Class: Pizza and Tiramisù from Siena: $136
- Pizza and Gelato Cooking Class: $137
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sofia $6.54Siena $4.40
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 Siena
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Siena are as follows:
- Mysterious Siena City Bike Tour: $149
- Val d’Orcia Bike Tour: $215
- Birdwatching and Photo Tour in Diaccia Botrona: $245
- Chianti Adventures: ATV Excursion through Tuscan Landscapes: $179
- Chianti Classico Bike Tour from Siena: $215
- Chianti E-Bike Tour from Siena: $227
- Chianti Wild Safari Adventure through Tuscan Vineyards: $130
- Chianti and Castles Tour from Siena Small Group: $102
- Discover Brunello Wines with DiWine Experience: $293
- Discover the Medieval Charm of Siena on a Private Walking Tour: $176
- E-Bike Tour: Explore the Chianti, its Enogastronomy and Castles: $299
- Exciting ATV tour in the Tuscan countryside: $231
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySofia $9.26Siena $2.57
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 Siena
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Siena:
- "CLASSIC" Wine Tasting and Typical Tuscan Products: $33
- Montalcino: Brunello Wine Tasting Experience: $39
- Exclusive Wine Tasting in the Historic Center of Siena: $42
- Winery tour and wine tasting in Maremma - Grosseto: $48
- Tour and Wine Tasting in a Tuscan Private Castle: $51
- Brunello di Montalcino Wine Tasting with Tuscan appetizer in ancient residence: $53
- Chianti Half Day Wine Tasting Tour from Siena: $59
- Tuscany Hiking Tour from Siena Including Wine Tasting: $66
- Siena wine tasting & Gelato tasting: $66
- Montalcino: Brunello Wine Tasting & Lunch in a Tuscan Castle: $70
- Guided tour of the cellars with wine tasting and lunch: $72
- Guided Tour of the Cellars with Wine Tasting and Lunch: $72
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and Siena, we can see that Siena 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 Siena would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Siena 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 Siena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sofia or Siena?
Sofia has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Siena. When comparing the sizes of Sofia and Siena, 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.