Which place is cheaper, Valencia 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 Valencia?
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 Valencia. 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 Valencia?
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.
Valencia
Valencia is a port city that sits on Spain's southeastern Orange Blossom coast, where the Turia River meets the Mediterranean Sea. As the nation's third-largest city, it is continually innovative in the arts and sciences with some futuristic architecture including a planetarium, oceanarium, and an interactive museum. The nightlife and daytime culture both thrive in their own ways, bustling with limitless opportunities for sight-seeing and entertainment. While the city is surrounded by fertile farmland, its center is a modern metropolis, skirted by beautiful beaches.
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 Madrid, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Barcelona.
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Sofia Prices
Bulgaria PricesValencia Prices
Spain Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySofia $86Valencia $179
The average daily cost (per person) in Sofia is $86, while the average daily cost in Valencia is $179. 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 Valencia in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSofia $44Valencia $68
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSofia $88Valencia $136
Compare Hotels in Sofia and Valencia
Looking for a hotel in Sofia or Valencia? 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 Valencia Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sofia $9.26Valencia $21
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 Valencia
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Valencia:
- Private Transfer from Callosa d'en Sarria to Alicante–Elche (ALC) Airport: $206
- Departure Private Transfer Montserrat to Barcelona Airport or City by Luxury Van: $192
- Valencia Cruise Port to Valencia hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $115
- Private Transfer: Valencia Airport VLC to Valencia in Luxury Van: $99
- Private Transfer: Valencia to Valencia Airport VLC in Luxury Van: $99
- Valencia City, Airport, Cruise Terminal Private Transfer: $96
- Private Transfer: VLC Airport to Valencia in Business Car: $94
- Private Transfer: Valencia to VLC Airport in Business Car: $88
- Private arrival OR departure transfer in Valencia (hotel OR airport pick-up): $78
- Valencia Airport (VLC) to Valencia Cruise Port - Arrival Private Transfer : $57
- Private Transfer from Valencia Cruise Port to Valencia hotels: $57
- Private Transfer from Valencia Hotels to Valencia Cruise Port: $57
Is it cheaper to fly into Sofia or Valencia?
Prices for flights to both Valencia 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 $35Valencia $82
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 Valencia
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Valencia.
- Make Valencian 'Pizza' in Ruzafa: $72
- Authentic Paella Dinner in Valencia : $73
- Valencian paella cooking class, tapas and visit to Ruzafa market.: $76
- Valencian Paella Cooking Class, Tapas & Sangria - Evening : $76
- Valencia Evening Cruise with Dinner and Drinks: $77
- Paella Cooking Class, Wine Tasting & Central Market in Valencia: $78
- Valencia Morning Food Tour with Central Market by Food Lover Tour: $78
- Seafood paella cooking class, tapas and visit to Ruzafa market.: $82
- Valencia Food Tour: Tapas, Drinks and Delights with a Local: $102
- Any Day is Sunday: Paella Cooking Class with Tapas and Sangria: $117
- Tapas Dinner and Flamenco Show in Valencia: $117
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sofia $6.54Valencia $34
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 Valencia
Here are a few typical costs in Valencia for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Flamenco Tour$19
Tours and Activities in Valencia
Here are a few actual costs in Valencia for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Private tour modernism of Valencia: $161
- Tour nocturno privado Mitos y leyendas a la luna de Valencia: $161
- Valencia in Focus Unforgettable Photographic Tour: $81
- 1 + 1 Discover Valencia Self Guided Cycling- and Walking Tour : $30
- 2 Hour Private Bike Tour in Valencia: $30
- 2 Hours Self Guided Audio Tour in Valencia: $12
- 3-Hour Private Dream Picnic Experience in Valencia: $54
- A Fun Retreat Experience in Valencia - Solo Travellers Only: $154
- A day in the life of Valencia - Private tour with a local: $255
- Adventure Jetski: $215
- Adventure Paddle: $42
- Adventures day: Thermal Springs and Waterfalls: $118
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySofia $9.26Valencia $24
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 Valencia
Also in Valencia, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Gourmet Tapas and Wine Tour in Valencia: $54
- Wine tasting tour : $115
- Small Group - Half-Day Wine Tour: $117
- Cheese Factory Workshop with Wine Tasting in Requena, Valencia: $118
- Two wineries tour with wine tasting : $137
- Horseback riding and wine tour (private tour): $179
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sofia and Valencia, we can see that Valencia 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 Valencia would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Valencia 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 Valencia Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sofia or Valencia?
Sofia has a larger population, and is about 43% larger than the population of Valencia. When comparing the sizes of Sofia and Valencia, 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.