How has it taken me so long to get around to writing a budget breakdown for London?
London is everything to me.
I was born in this incredible city and spent the first 23 years of my life exploring everything it has to offer. Even now, over a decade after leaving to travel the world, I consider London home and return every single year to spend my summers strolling its streets. I spent several weeks there last summer, and have already booked my tickets for this year’s trip!
Whether you’re a local or a tourist, it’s impossible to run out of things to do and see in this magnificent place. A list of things to do would stretch into the hundreds, if not the thousands; my top restaurant recommendations would require months to visit them all. You could spend a week in London doing nothing but visiting world-class museums and leave with just as many left on your to-do list. And that’s before I even dive into the countless day trips that are up for grabs around the U.K.
And all of this wonder? Yeah, it won’t be a surprise to hear that it comes at a steep price.
London is expensive, but there are plenty of ways to keep your budget to a minimum — when I returned to the city after backpacking in Southeast Asia, I was still able to keep my costs low by staying in hostels and eating the delicious street food. But if you’re all about that luxury life? London is unlike anywhere else in the world, with so many world-class hotels and restaurants to dip into.
Today, I’m going to be sharing exactly how much you can expect to spend on a trip to London. Prices are in USD and GBP.
How to Save Money on the Cost of Accommodation in London
As always with travel, it’s possible to cut your accommodation costs down to zero if you have the time and patience to seek out an offer. And when you see the price of some of the accommodation in London, you might just be able to find said time!
Couchsurfing exists in the UK– and, of course, London — and lets you stay with a local for free, sleeping on their sofa and enjoying a local’s insight into life in their country. It’s not the most comfortable of living situations, but if your budget is tight and you don’t mind roughing it, it’s worth sending out a few requests to hosts to see if anything comes of it. You can search for potential hosts on the Couchsurfing site.
Housesitting is another option. This is where you take care of somebody’s house for free while they’re away, and usually look after their pets, too. It’s best for long-term travellers or retirees: you can’t pick and choose dates and destinations, so you need to have a lot of flexibility as to where you go and when you go there.
If you do have that freedom, though, it’s a wonderful way to cut down your travel expenses, soak up some home comforts, and live like a local for a while. Trusted Housesitters is the best site for getting started with housesitting — they usually have hundreds of housesits available for London at any one time, so it’s well-worth having a look to see if any coincide with your travel dates.
I’m suspecting, though, that for most of you, you’re not interested in the free accommodation: you just want somewhere clean, safe, and affordable to rest your head each night. If that’s the case, there are several options available.
The Cost of Accommodation in London
The best hostel in London: YHA London Oxford Street (dorms $45/£35 a night, private rooms $141/£110)
Want to visit London on a budget and still stay in the heart of the action? Well, you can’t get much more central than right beside the city’s premier shopping street, and YHA London Oxford Street lets you stay there for as little as $45/£35 a night! That’s assuming you’re happy to stay in a dorm, of course, but even if you aren’t, private rooms are still very reasonably priced. Despite the affordability, you still get a quiet building, clean rooms, individual lights and power sockets beside each dorm bed, and the option of an inexpensive breakfast each morning. You can also buy drinks and light meals onsite, but of course there are about a thousand eating and drinking options nearby as well! Everything is within walking distance or a short tube ride away, so if all you’re really looking for is a cheap, clean place to lay your head in central London, this is definitely the place to do it.
The best budget hotel in London: The Lilac Door ($167/£130 a night)
The Lilac Door is an adorable, family-run bed and breakfast in Dulwich Hill that’s an affordable yet charming place to stay in London. The rooms are clean and comfortable, but as always with a B&B, it’s the hosts that make or break it. In this case, they definitely make it: not only were they super warm and welcoming, but the breakfasts I had there were exceptional. They had no problem catering for dietary requirements like gluten-free or vegetarianism, but if you’re not limited in what you can eat, you have so many options, from a full English to a huge spread of croissants, yoghurts, and omelettes. There’s plenty to see and do nearby, including the well-known Dulwich Picture Gallery and Crystal Palace Park, while a bus or overland train gets you into the centre of the city in about 40 minutes.
The best mid-range hotel in London: Blackbird ($277/£216 a night)
It’s no surprise that you’ll need to up your budget a bit if you want to stay closer to the heart of London: with that in mind, Blackbird offers impressive value. Honestly, I was surprised to find out that it’s actually a pub first and accommodation second: it’s a very upscale version of the classic “pub with rooms” that you find all over the UK. The rooms are clean and spacious for the area, with all the amenities you need for a few days in the city. Food (and drinks) at the pub downstairs are definitely a step above traditional pub fare, and with breakfast included, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to sample it! In terms of getting around, you’re in a great location: Kensington Palace and Hyde Park are a lovely half-hour stroll away, and the hotel is basically over the road from Earls Court station, with regular tubes that can whisk you directly to Covent Garden in 20 minutes or Heathrow airport in 40 minutes.
The best high-end hotel in London: Bankside Hotel, Autograph Collection ($555/£432 a night)
Ever since I stayed in one of Marriot’s amazing Autograph Collection hotels in Seoul last year, I’ve been keeping an eye out for the chance to do it again. The stylish design, exceptional staff, and attention to detail was unlike anything I’d experienced before, and Bankside Hotel brings all of that and more to London’s bustling South Bank. You couldn’t ask for a better location, less than a five minute stroll from the Tate Modern and the Thames, and an easy walk or short cab or tube ride to everything you’ll want to see in central London. As you’d expect, the rooms are super-quiet and the amenities are top-notch, from remote-control blackout blinds to marble bathrooms, and the artwork around the hotel is quirky without being tacky: not an easy balance. In short, if you’re happy to spend a bit extra to make your stay in London especially memorable and comfortable, Bankside is the place to do it!
The Cost of Transportation in London
Your first travel experience from London is going to depend a hell of a lot on which airport you choose to land at. Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, or even London City: all are potential options, but only London City is anywhere close to the centre of the action. It’s a small airport that mostly services flights to nearby European countries, so you’ll likely be flying into somewhere else, which means a solid hour of public transport to get into central London.
Yeah, it’s a pain in the ass.
Other than London City, Heathrow is the only London airport that’s serviced by the Underground, which means it costs as little as $7.20/£5.60 to get into the central city. It takes about an hour, though: if you want a faster journey, the Heathrow Express zips between the airport and Paddington station in 15 minutes, and costs $26/£20 if you book in advance.
All the other airports are further out and require a bus and/or overland train journey into central London. Gatwick has an express train service that takes about half an hour and costs $30/£22.90. If you’re traveling at an off-peak time and don’t mind if your journey takes a bit longer, just take a non-express service from Gatwick instead; it’s under half the price.
Stansted also has an express service, which takes about an hour and costs $30/£23. Cheap advance fares are sometimes available that cost as little as $13/£9.90, but there are only a limited number available and they sell out quickly. Check the website just in case, though! Luton doesn’t have a direct train service, so you’re looking at a fairly painful 90 minute bus journey there, for $17/£13.
Once you’re in London, though, moving between attractions is a breeze. You’ll often be able to walk from one to the next, but if not, there’s a diverse range of public transport options available. Buses, underground and overground trains, light rail, trams, and even boats criss-cross the city, and most of them are integrated into a single payment system.
Prices vary depending on the type of transport and how far you’re going, but expect to pay $2.25/£1.75 for a bus ride (with free transfers for an hour) and $3.50/£2.70 for a single tube ride in zone one. Daily fare caps apply, so you won’t pay more than $11/£8.50 per day for journeys in zone one and two.
Note that those prices and caps apply only if you’re using a contactless card: either a credit or debit card, Apple or Google Pay on your phone, or an Oyster card that you can buy and top up at ticket machines and counters at major stations. Cash tickets can be noticeably more expensive.
The London Overground is a more recent addition, using existing railway lines to cover a wide area that generally wasn’t well served by underground routes. There’s also the Docklands Light Railway, or DLR, an innovative driverless option that starts at Bank station and heads out through the old London dock area on a few different routes towards Greenwich, London City Airport, and elsewhere.
When you tire of the railway and bus system, hop on a boat instead. The Uber Boat by Thames Clippers is a unique way to skip the (often) chaotic London transportation scene and enjoy the beauty of the Thames River. It’s rarely the fastest way to get around, but it’s definitely the most scenic, and a lot cheaper than paying for a Thames cruise. The river is split into three fare zones: Oyster/contactless cards are accepted and kids under five ride free. An adult single zone fare starts at $8/£6.20.
As a rule, you’ll likely end up taking the tube most of the time, a bus for shorter trips or where the tube doesn’t run to, and then the occasional overground train, tram, or boat. Unless you’re heading to Greenwich or flying in or out of London Airport, you probably won’t take the DLR much or at all.
If you’d prefer to power your own explorations, there are many dockless bike share systems in London as well. The biggest is Santander, which has over 12,000 bikes around inner London and a handy $4/£3 day pass option that includes unlimited rides of up to half an hour each.
The Cost of Food in London
Yeah, I’ll point directly at the elephant in the room right now: English food has a terrible reputation.
Jellied eels, spotted dick, and toad in the hole are often called out by visitors to my homeland, with many still believing the British cuisine of the pre-millennium is still in favour. That couldn’t be any less true today!
London is one of the greatest cities in the world for eating these days, and you’re going to have so many delicious meals while you’re in town.
Let’s start with the breakfasts. Even if you’ve never come across any other British food before, you’ve probably heard of the full English: a breakfast smorgasbord of bacon, eggs, potatoes, sausages, mushrooms, baked beans, toast, and grilled tomatoes is a well-known way of setting yourself up for the day. It’s probably also a good way of setting yourself up for a heart attack if you have it all the time, but fortunately continental options of cereal, yoghurt, and fruit are commonplace, along with avocado toast and other lighter fare.
If breakfast isn’t included in your room rate, expect to pay around $15.50-19.50/£12-15 for a full English at a good cafe, and $8-11.50/£6-9 for a continental option. You might get tea or coffee with that, but if not, it’ll be around $2/£1.50 for a cup of milky tea, $2.50/£2 for a basic brewed coffee, and $4/£3 for a good latte or flat white. Avocado toast normally runs about $13-15.50/£10-12.
Lunch is usually a relatively light meal, and you’ve got endless options. It’s pretty much impossible to walk more than a block in central London without seeing somewhere selling sandwiches, from the infamous supermarket “meal deals” of a sandwich or wrap plus a drink and crisps/chips, through chain sandwich stores like Pret a Manger with a wider range and somewhat higher quality, to specialist delicatessens. Fillings like egg mayo or cheese and pickle are common, but there’s a huge variety. Expect to pay around $5.25/£4 for a supermarket meal deal, and $4.50-7.75/£3.50-6 for a wrap or sandwich elsewhere.
If you’re after something heartier (and still have room left after that full English breakfast), many pubs and restaurants have weekday lunchtime specials. Keep an eye out for signboards as you walk around: these specials typically change regularly, but can offer a significant saving over having something similar for dinner. I recently paid $24/£18.50 for ham, eggs, and chips plus a pint of cider at a pub in inner London, which is about what it would have cost without the drink later in the day.
One of my favourite London activities is afternoon tea and I’ve been fortunate to have sampled over a dozen of the city’s offerings in my lifetime! It’s a fantastic tea-based tradition in this country; a multi-hour experience, during which you’ll sample sandwiches, scones, cakes, pastries, cocktails, and tea. Perfect for a special occasion! There are so many different options available to suit a range of budgets. My personal favourite options are:
- For a luxury afternoon tea: The Lanesborough afternoon tea (£80/$100). A high-end option in one of London’s fanciest hotels. The staff were amazing and their cakes are some of the best I’ve had.
- For a wow-factor afternoon tea: Peter Pan-themed afternoon tea at the Shard (£70/$88). You’ll have the best views in London at this one. I loved sitting beside the window and gazing out across the city.
- For a fun, themed afternoon tea: Mad Hatter’s afternoon tea at the Sanderson (£65/$82). This is a London classic, with Alice in Wonderland-themed treats. I’ve been to this one three times as it makes for a great place for first-time visitors to the city!
- For a budget afternoon tea: Tapas-themed afternoon tea at Map Maison (£28/$35). I really enjoyed this afternoon tea in East London and thought it offered amazing value for money. It’s Spanish-themed, so expect lots of delicious jamon.
If you’re near a pub at lunchtime on a Sunday, be sure to stop in for a Sunday roast. Most pubs that serve food offer it, and it’s a real British institution. There’s usually a choice of two or three meat-based options and a vegetarian/vegan version, along with roast potatoes, vegetables, gravy, and Yorkshire pudding that you absolutely have to try at least once. Expect to pay $18-23.50/£14-18 for it.
You’ll have even more choice about what to eat and drink for dinner than at lunchtime, but to give just a few examples:
- Fish and chips: $10-18.75/£8-15
- Steak and chips: $18.75-37.50+/£15-30+
- Indian curry: $15-25/£12-20
- Pizza: $12.50-22.50/£10-18
- Glass of house wine at a pub: $6.25-10/£5-8
- Cocktails at a fancy bar: $15-22.50+/£12-18+
Those prices really can vary a lot, though, based on which part of the city you’re eating in and how fancy the establishment is. London caters for all budgets!
After you’ve eaten your way through the city it’s ok to step outside the traditional English cuisine to taste the many flavours from all over the world. With so many people from all over the world choosing to make London their home, it’s hardly surprising that their country’s cuisine also makes an appearance. If you’re craving almost any type of food at all, chances are there’s a restaurant that serves it.
The Cost of Activities, Tours, and Entrance Fees in London
Where to even begin? There’s so much to do in London that I could write an entire article for each and every activity.
We’ll start things off with the big hitters.
When it comes to paid activities within the city, the London Eye is one of my favourites.
I’ve been for a ride on this giant observation wheel three times now — once in the morning, once at sunset, and once in the evening — and it’s one of my favourite places to take friends who are new to the city. It’s a great first destination in London, in my opinion, as it gives you a sense of the size of the city and where the attractions are in relation to each other. I recommend going at sunset, as at this time, you’ll still be able to make out the monuments but also get to watch the city start to light up. Prices come in at £32 for a standard ride or £51 to skip the line and enjoy a glass of champagne onboard. As somebody who has spent over an hour queueing to board the Eye, I recommend the latter if you can afford the extra cash.
The Tower of London is another iconic location that you have to check out. You can catch a glimpse of the famous Crown Jewels while you’re there, of course, but that really is just the beginning: after all, there’s over a thousand years of history inside those stone walls!
Churches and museums grace nearly every corner, enlightening history fanatics of the centuries old religious presence and modern art spirit that lives there. Most of the to-dos are best seen by simply walking through them. Big Ben, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge are all a sight to be seen and an opportunity to capture that ‘London pic’.
Piccadilly Circus is London’s version of Times Square. It’s busy, brightly lit and full of people. But most importantly, it’s free. Yes, people watching at the circus is totally free of charge and totally worth it. For all you night owls, take notes. Pubs, Broadway productions, restaurants and clubs will keep you happily vibing until the wee hours of the morning if you so choose.
Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens is a beautiful way to see a different side of London. Picnics, bike paths, swans, blooming gardens and a memorial walk pathed with history are all features of this must-do. There are no costs associated with this, but there are vendors scattered around eager to serve you a coffee or lunch to accompany you on your stroll.
And day trips?
After you’ve wandered every museum, toured every church, and sat in every pub (which means you’ve spent 50 years in London!), it’s time to explore more of the U.K.
Oxford and Oxford and Cambridge offer a portal back in time with winding cobblestone roads, thousand-year-old churches, and universities that hold both clout and tradition. Stonehenge is a mystery worth digging into during your time here. Just short of a three-hour drive from London, you will find a pile of rocks strategically placed. By whom? No one knows. Day trip tours start at $89/£69.
The Cost of Travel Insurance in London
If you’ve read any other posts on Never Ending Footsteps, you’ll know that I’m a great believer in travelling with travel insurance. I’ve seen far too many Go Fund Me campaigns from destitute backpackers that are unexpectedly stranded in a foreign country after a scooter accident/being attacked/breaking a leg with no way of getting home or paying for their healthcare. These costs can quickly land you with a six-figure bill to pay at the end of it.
In short, if you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel.
Travel insurance will cover you if your flight is cancelled and you need to book a new one, if your luggage gets lost and you need to replace your belongings, if you suddenly get struck down by appendicitis and have to be hospitalised, or discover a family member has died and you need to get home immediately. If you fall seriously ill, your insurance will cover the costs to fly you home to receive medical treatment.
I use SafetyWing as my travel insurance provider, and recommend them for trips to London. They offer two options for insurance: Nomad Insurance Essentials is standard travel insurance that covers all of those big travel emergencies, like the medical disasters I mentioned above, plus trip interruption-related expenses and lost luggage. The Complete plan is travel insurance plus full health insurance, whether you’re living overseas, travelling full-time, or looking for coverage in your country of residence.
How Much Does It Cost to Travel in London?
Travelling on a mid-range budget like I was, my costs were as follows:
Accommodation: $195/£152 per day between two people ($97.50/£76 each)
Transportation: $9/£7 per day
Food: $57/£44.50 per day
Activities: $48/£37.50 per day
Total amount spent per day: $211.50/£165
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We spent a couple of weeks pre-Christmas in Brixton two years ago (in a very cute Airbnb also!) and I fell in love with it. The first night our host sent us to Brixton Market for dinner, and we ate ALL THE DUMPLINGS at Mama Lan’s and after that we pretty much loved being in that neighbourhood. I wish we could afford to live in Brixton full-time – you and Dave don’t fancy going halfsies on a house for us all to share, do you?!
Um, yes, we absolutely do! :-D
I was wondering why on earth you were having conversations about candy, sidewalks, friends, pants, restrooms, drapes, parking lots , and jelly. Seemed like odd/trivial topics of conversation! ….Until I realized that those are all Americanisms and, being American, I didn’t even realize that there could be a second meaning to that sentence :D
Hahahaha! That made me laugh so hard.
I just ate my oatmeal breakfast, but after reading this article and looking at your photos I think I need to eat something that contains fat.
I should have stopped reading after a title, cause I knew this would happen to me.
Hahaha! I should have added a warning to the top of the post as well ;-)
I lived in London for two years and didn’t venture to Brixton once. Now I’m kicking myself! But I’m a north of the river girl and you can definitely eat your way around Archway…
It’s funny how England has a reputation for having terrible food, but one of my favourite things to do there these days is eat!
Aww what a lovely story! I should have timed reading this better though – it’s 5pm and I’m starving now ha ha! A friend of mine used to live in Brixton but I haven’t been for years – sounds like there’s some amazing places for food – I’m gonna have to pay it a visit next time in in the city I think…
Definitely do so, Keri! Brixton Village is so incredible for eating :-)
Brixton is totally going on my travel list!
Also, just looking at those photos makes me hungry (and I have just finished dinner…)
Then my work is done! :-) Glad you enjoyed the post!
Lauren!! You absolutely have to go to Ms. cupcake – its a vegan bakery…..everything they make is to die for! X
Ah, amazing! Will add it to my list :-D
I have only been to London once and never made it to Brixton. However I did spend a day at Camden Market and had an amazing time there.
I love Camden Market! Lots of fun and great for people watching :-)
I got so hungry from reading this post and looking at pics :)
It took me longer than usual to write it because I kept having to head out to grab some food!
My God, Lauren – these photos! Arghghghgh, it’s only 9:20am here and I’m now ridiculously hungry!
I’ve always wanted to try out the mad-hatter’s afternoon tea. Have seen loads of my friends go and then paste the photos all over Facebook. Definitely one to add to the list for when I’m back home next!
Brixton sounds like a food-lover’s dream come true. I love the idea of having a ‘local’ currency, too, in order to help support local businesses. Brilliant.
Haha, sorry! I’ll be writing a post about the mad-hatter’s tea party next week and sharing lots of photos :-)
I live here!! And it’s AWESOME! I love all the places you mention. Would also recommend Spanish… Brindisa, Gremio de Brixton, Boqueria… Or for slightly smarter meals go for Salon or Naughty Piglets. If you want cocktails there’s Shrub and Shutter (although that’s gotten more expensive recently) or the Beast of Brixton. Gremio does good cocktails too. I love the food in Brixton – I’m a triathlon blogger but reviews of Brixton restaurants always seem to creep onto my blog because I just want to give them a big shout-out – so I am so pleased you have done too!!
Yay! I’m glad I could do it justice :-) Thanks so much for the suggestions — I’ve added them all to my list of where to check out when I return (and maybe hopefully move there!)
Yum, the food pictures look delicious! Being in your hometown with a traveller’s mindset is the best thing! I’ve rediscovered my own country recently as well and I’m happy to live at home. Also wandering around with a camera makes you appreciate all the sights you would normally miss!
It makes such a difference, doesn’t it? I was even admiring the lampposts as we were walking around London recently haha!
As a born-and-bred Londoner for 27 years (I moved to Manchester 6 months ago), I’m almost ashamed to say that my only experiences of Brixton have mostly involved underage drinking and various emo gigs at the Academy. I’m travelling at the moment and trying to plan a Christmas visit home with my boyfriend and I think it’s safe to say that eating my way through Brixton is now firmly on my list! …as well as the rugby!
Hahaha! Yes, definitely add Brixton to your list! And the rugby was so. much. fun!
P.S. I love your Taiwan post!
Hi Lauren,
Forget about the food in Brixton and drag Dave down to the O2 and watch a live band. Having just been to see Garbage play the 20th anniversary of their debut album I can definitely recommend it.
Loved the book by the way and from your blog over the years I’m guessing there is more to come ;-)
Ha! Our music tastes don’t align all that often. I’m all about classic rock and he loves grunge. One of the the great things about London, though, is how many people play there! I’d be going to gigs all the time if I lived there :-)
And thank you! So happy to hear you enjoyed my book :-D
That Honest Burger looks and sounds amazing. I will definitely have to check it out on my next visit to London! I’ve never spent much time in Brixton, and now I’m wondering how in the world I missed it.
It’s definitely worth visiting! :-)
Oh wow! I could probably live there too with all that food, and you are right they are not that pricey for London. I lived in the UK for almost 5 years around 12 years ago and haven’t been back since. I remember that I was always complaining about the weather (!) but now I kinda I miss it, especially during the hot and dry season here in Indonesia. And I also miss the prawn cocktail crisps!
Prawn cocktail crisps: so good! It surprises me how much I miss the weather, too.
Oh yum, I could eat everything in this post.
Looks like you had an amazing month!
http://www.justbeingbrooklyn.com
It was definitely a month of eating! :-D
This has been so helpful. My friends live near Brixton, this article pushed me to get my friends to explore Brixton more. We’ve had great experiences at Mama Lans and Okan. Thanks for posting this!
So happy to hear that, Laura! :-)
Looks like you guys had a fabulous time. Can I explore London with you?? LOL!! Why would you have to fake an American drawl? That is so terrible. Granted I think Brits can fake an American accent better than anyone. You sound even better than Americans do and I am American. LOL!!! Can’t wait to see what your new year of travel brings.
Haha! I fake the accent because nobody can understand my British accent and I get fed up with having to repeat myself 50 times only to have people ask me why I didn’t just pronounce it the American way. Americans usually can’t even understand me when I say my name!
Congratulations on your success with Dave. I have always felt that no matter where you go, home is home. I love food blogs, and yours was that and more. The apartment is stunning, and the food looks delicious. The Mad Hatter’s tea is one party I want to go to. You must have had such a delightful time. Prawn cocktail crisps sound so yummy.
Thanks so much!
I just love Brixton one of my favourite areas in London always check it out for the Jamaican food to be found there. As for Borough market what a heavenly place for a market fan like me. I adore a good farmer’s market and am hoping to collect guest posts on markets around the world.
Yes! I definitely need to head back there for an eating holiday soon :-)
It was interesting reading about your experience in Brixton.
I would be interested to visit the place too if I ever go back to London, though I would not be interested in trying out most of the food.
Perhaps, I could get a nice flat too that have a nice little kitchen that I can try out my cooking skills.
I just went to London for the second time. My first time was before Covid, and this time I found prices have risen considerably. I had a hard time finding a meal under £20 anywhere. I’m very thankful for Marks and Spencer food. Taxi fares are high as well.