London is a mecca for art, music, and food. You might be on a business trip, a cultural visit, a foodie adventure, or a coming for a music festival. London caters to all. But traveling to this hub of culture comes at a cost. Is London expensive? Definitely! Can you travel to London on a budget? Absolutely. If you’re unsure of what a trip to London might cost, be sure to read this guide before you start planning!

In this article I have looked only at the cost once you’re on the ground. I did not include the cost of flights, as they vary depending on your point of origin and time of the year.

Cost of Living

The first thing to check before you can figure out what a trip to London will cost is accommodation. In this article I pointed out that you can get a decent hotel for around £80 or $105. If you’re feeling fancy, you can get a really nice hotel for $300. A hostel bunk, on the other hand, will cost you around $25 a night if you’re visiting London on a budget. Going for the decent hotel, you’ll end up around $735 a week.

When it comes to food, you have many choices. From cheap fast food to the finest dining, you can find one within 1000 meters of the other. The average restaurant meal is around $25, so dinner for two for one week ends up around $350. Add a pub lunch for $15 for each person and you’re at $560 a week for food. This is assuming you have breakfast at your hotel. Throw in a bottle of wine for around $15 and a few beers for $5 and you’ll quickly end up over $600. Of course, if you decide to cook your own or live on cheap fast-food, you’ll get away with much less.

Cost of Entertainment

There is plenty of entertainment to go around and it will influence what your trip to London will cost. If you’re planning to go sightseeing, a great option is to get an Oyster card for public transport. It is pay-as-you-go but caps at £50.50 a week, which is $65. This way you can see all the popular sights, get to restaurants and attractions. The entry for Madame Tussauds is £35 ($45), the London Dungeon costs you £30 ($40) and a Warner Bro’s Studio tour of the Harry Potter sets is around $65.

Most museum entries are free or have a low fee, but if you want to skip the queues and save the entry fee, get a London Pass. It costs around $175 for six days if you get it online and grants you express entry to many attractions. These include Madame Tussauds, Tower of London, Thames River Cruises and quite a few more.

There you go, that’s a week of London for you! If you’re a big spender, you can easily end up paying around $1,600 for your week, even when not staying in a five-star hotel. If you’re a little more conservative with your money, you might pay $1,250 or less. There truly is something for everyone in London – and something for (almost) every budget, too!

What do you think about travelling to London on a budget? Maybe you prefer to splurge! Let me know in the comments.

Not sure if London is the right choice for your budget? Check out this comparison of different destinations. Perhaps you’ll like Thailand better!