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 the latest average price in each country along the way, the fuel for the trip costs about €38 in a typical petrol car — here's the full breakdown for petrol, diesel and electric.
Country by country: where the petrol money goes
The 21 L a typical petrol car burns on this drive, priced where it is burned.
Where to fill up
Filling up at these stops instead of wherever the tank runs low saves about €5 (15.1%).
- 1.Eko Petrolat 2 km7.5 L at €1.56/L
Assumes a 50-litre tank that starts half full. Your car will differ — plan it with your own numbers.
Tolls and vignettes: not included — we hold no verified toll tariffs for Greece, and we don't guess them.
Petrol, diesel or electric — priced for your car
Pick the kind of car you drive and whether you are coming back. Prices are the average across every country on the route.
Driving Sofia → Thessaloniki in a family car, electric costs €29.99 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 141 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€1.560Eko Petrolбул. Константин Стоилов
- 21 km€1.560Eko Petrol
- 32 km€1.560Eko PetrolГюешево 80
- 43 km€1.560Eko PetrolЙосиф Щросмайер
- 53 km€1.560Eko PetrolКукуш 1
Your car's mpg, tank and fuel level — plus tolls, route options and the cheapest stops.
How this cost is calculated
We take the real driving route between Sofia and Thessaloniki (293 km) from OpenStreetMap routing, work out how far it runs in each country, and price the fuel a typical car burns in each one at that place's latest published average. 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 trip planner for your exact numbers, or check 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 €1.560 at the cheapest chain to a local median of €1.640, across 141 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 €38.05 in an average petrol car, €34.76 in a diesel, and €8.07 in an electric car, using the latest average price in each country along the way.
Which country has the cheapest petrol between Sofia and Thessaloniki?
Bulgaria, at €1.65/L on average, against €2.19/L in Greece. Timing your fill-ups around that difference saves about €5 in a typical car.
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 (€1.65/L) than in Greece (€2.19/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 €38 one way, and that cost splits across everyone in the car — with €10 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 prices the petrol is about €38. A 10% rise takes it to €42, a 25% rise to €48, and a 10% fall to €34. Prices here refresh as each source publishes, so this page always reflects the latest figures.
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 trip planner with your car's fuel economy, tank size and how full it is — it prices the drive state by state and suggests where refuelling is cheaper (state averages in the US, individual forecourt prices where a country publishes them).
Driving distance via OSRM / OpenStreetMap. Fuel prices are the latest published averages for each country on the route (sources named on each price page); efficiency and electricity rates are typical estimates, and tolls are not included unless listed above. Your figure will vary — use the planner for an exact result.