Cost to drive from Sofia to Thessaloniki
Driving from Sofia to Thessaloniki covers 293 km (182 miles) and takes about 3h 45min without stops. At Bulgaria's current fuel prices (week of 2026-08-31), the fuel for the trip costs about €32.22 in a typical petrol car — here's the full breakdown for petrol, diesel and electric.
Petrol, diesel or electric — priced for your car
Pick the kind of car you drive and whether you are coming back. Everything updates against Bulgaria's live prices.
Driving Sofia → Thessaloniki in a family car, electric costs €25.37 less than petrol — 79% of the bill.
Sofia vs Thessaloniki: which end is cheaper?
The two ends of this route are priced by different markets, so where you fill up changes what the drive costs.
What if fuel prices move?
Booking this drive for later in the year? Pump prices swing with crude, season and tax changes — here is the same 293 km in a typical petrol car at four price levels.
Cheapest fuel before you leave Sofia
The cheapest published prices within 15 km of Sofia, across 138 sites. In Bulgaria each operator publishes one national price rather than a price per forecourt, so these are chain prices attached to the sites that chain runs — real and checkable, but not a reading from that pump.
- 11 km€1.530Eko Petrolбул. Тодор Александров №117
- 21 km€1.530Eko Petrolул. Константин Стоилов №62
- 32 km€1.530Eko Petrolул. Гюешево №80
- 43 km€1.530Eko Petrolул. Йосиф Щросмайер №25
- 57 km€1.530Eko Petrolбул. Искърско Шосе 1-Е
Enter your fuel economy and see stops along the way.
How this cost is calculated
We take the real driving distance between Sofia and Thessaloniki (293 km) from OpenStreetMap routing, then multiply by a typical car's fuel use and Bulgaria's current average pump price. The petrol figure assumes 7 L/100km · 34 MPG; diesel and EV use 6 L/100km · 39 MPG and 18 kWh/100km. Your real cost depends on your car, traffic, driving style and the stations you pick — use the planner for your exact numbers, and check live prices on the Bulgaria fuel prices page.
Related routes
Frequently asked questions
Where is the cheapest fuel in Sofia?
Petrol 95 around Sofia ranges from €1.530 at the cheapest chain to a local median of €1.630, across 138 sites within 15 km. These are each operator's published national price rather than a per-pump reading.
How much does it cost to drive from Sofia to Thessaloniki?
The drive is 293 km (182 miles) and takes about 3h 45min without stops. Fuel costs roughly €32.22 in an average petrol car, €31.87 in a diesel, and €6.86 in an electric car, using Bulgaria's current fuel prices.
How far is it from Sofia to Thessaloniki in miles and km?
About 182 miles or 293 kilometres by road — roughly 3h 45min of driving.
Is it cheaper to fill up in Sofia or Thessaloniki?
Petrol is cheaper in Bulgaria (€1.57/L) than in Greece (€2.05/L), so fill up before you leave.
How many times will I need to fill up between Sofia and Thessaloniki?
None on the way. The drive needs about 20.5 L of petrol and a typical 55 L tank covers roughly 786 km, so one full tank at the start does the whole trip.
Is it cheaper to drive or fly from Sofia to Thessaloniki?
On fuel alone the drive costs about €32 one way, and that cost splits across everyone in the car — with €8 each for four people, which is where driving usually wins. Against that, the drive takes 3h 45min without stops, and a fair comparison also counts tolls, parking, wear and any overnight stay.
What will this trip cost if fuel prices change?
At today's Bulgaria average the fuel is about €32. A 10% rise takes it to €35, a 25% rise to €40, and a 10% fall to €29. Prices here update every week from official data, so this page always reflects the current figure.
How do I get the exact cost for my car?
Set the vehicle type on this page for an instant estimate, or open the FuelWide route planner, enter your car's own fuel economy, and it prices the trip on live data — including fuel and charging stops along the way.
Driving distance via OSRM / OpenStreetMap. Fuel prices are Bulgaria's current official averages; efficiency and electricity rate are typical estimates. Your figure will vary — use the planner for an exact result.