Which place is cheaper, Sofia or Vilnius?
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 Vilnius or Sofia?
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 Vilnius and Sofia. 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: Vilnius or Sofia?
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital and largest city in the country of Lithuania. It has a population of more than 500,000 residents and is located in the valley between the Neris River and the Vilnia River in the southeastern part of the country. Visitors come to the city for its beautiful Old Town, impressive architecture, and fascinating culture. In 2009 it was named the European Capital of Culture along with the city of Linz, in Austria.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Vilnius, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Lithuania, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Bulgaria, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bulgaria.
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Vilnius Prices
Lithuania PricesSofia Prices
Bulgaria Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayVilnius €121Sofia €73
The average daily cost (per person) in Vilnius is €121, while the average daily cost in Sofia is €73. 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 Vilnius and Sofia in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personVilnius €42Sofia €38
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomVilnius €84Sofia €76
Compare Hotels in Vilnius and Sofia
Looking for a hotel in Vilnius or Sofia? 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: Vilnius Hotel Prices and Sofia Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Vilnius €8.05Sofia €7.87
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vilnius
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Vilnius:
- Hot Air Balloon Ride with Hotel Transfer: $235
- Jewish Heritage Sites Private Tour with Transfer: $235
- Hot Air Balloon Flight Over Vilnius or Trakai(transfer included): $208
- Hot Air Balloon Flight Over Trakai(transfer included) or Vilnius : $208
- From Suburbs Hot Air Balloon Ride w/ Hotel Transfer: $164
- Private Transfer from Vilnius Airport to Lithuania: $155
- Vilnius Private 1-Way Airport Transfer: $70
- Private Vilnius Airport Arrival Transfer: $42
- Trakai Tour with Audio Guide and Minibus Transfers: $35
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
Is it cheaper to fly into Vilnius or Sofia?
Prices for flights to both Sofia and Vilnius 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 dayVilnius €67Sofia €30
Typical Food Prices in Vilnius
Some typical examples of dining costs in Vilnius are as follows:
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Dinner for Two€13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vilnius
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Vilnius.
- Cooking Class in Vilnius : $106
- Zeppelin Cooking Class: $118
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Vilnius €9.72Sofia €5.56
Typical Entertainment Prices in Vilnius
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Vilnius are as follows:
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Walking Tour€5.79
Tours and Activities in Vilnius
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Vilnius are as follows:
- (Post) Soviet Vilnius Private Walking Tour: $141
- 1-Day Pilgrim Tour from Vilnius: $516
- Admission Ticket at Auto Museum Vilnius: $24
- Audio Tour of Vilnius Old Town Core: $12
- Audio Tour of Vilnius Old Town Core and the South Part 2in1: $14
- Audio Tour of the South Part of the Vilnius Old Town: $11
- Automuseum Entry Ticket: $21
- Bike Tour of Vilnius Highlights "Iconic Landmarks & Hidden Gems": $35
- Cathedral Crypts and Medieval History Tour: $33
- Day tour out of Paneriai holocaust park,Trakai castle, medieval Kernave: $250
- Discover Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Dzukija National Park and Grutas Park: Full-Day Tour: $235
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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayVilnius €6.23Sofia €7.87
Typical Alcohol Prices in Vilnius
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Vilnius from other travelers:
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Beer€4.34
Sample the Local Flavors in Vilnius
Also in Vilnius, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Vilnius Private Pub & Bar Crawl Tour & Hidden Gems: $62
- Pub Crawl with Welcome Drink and Traditional Snacks: $77
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 Vilnius and Sofia, we can see that Vilnius 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 Vilnius would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Vilnius 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 Vilnius Expensive? and Is Sofia Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Vilnius or Sofia?
Sofia has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Vilnius. When comparing the sizes of Vilnius and Sofia, 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.