How Much Does a Trip to London Cost? (2024 real prices and data)
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London is quite possibly the best city in the world. But that “best” comes with a price tag. It’s also one of the most expensive cities to visit in the world. But there are many ways to have a vacation and a trip to London doesn’t have to be prohibitively expensive.
After living in London and having friends visit as well as now traveling back as much as we can, we’ve learned a bit about how much a trip to London costs as well as ways to save without sacrificing those dream vacation vibes.
Using all of the estimates we’ll dive into below, a trip for two to London in 2024 will cost $6,087 for a week. But that’s just a starting point. We’ll give you different budget options for your trip so you can better estimate how much a trip to London will cost you.
Don’t miss some of our best London travel planning resources:
Our London Travel Guide has everything you need to know for your trip.
Learn about taking the Tube in London, you’ll be using it a lot!
You won’t want to leave before checking our London Packing List.
Decide whether a day trip to Paris is worth it on your London vacation.
How Much Does a Trip to London Cost (2024 prices)
To estimate how much a trip to London costs, we’re going to look at 5 major categories: Airfare, Hotel, transportation, Food, and Activities. We’ll estimate how much it costs for two people to visit London for one week, but give you all the details so you can adjust the estimates to fit what you’re looking for.
We’re also looking at dates in June 2024, which is not quite the top of the peak season (July is!), but it’s a month where you’ll usually have lovely weather and prices that are high but not outrageous yet.
Note: we’re using the exchange rate of £1 = $1.25
Airfare Costs: San Francisco to London
To start off with our trip costs, we’re tackling one of the biggest costs: airfare. We pulled estimates from San Francisco for a direct flight. While there are definitely cheaper months to fly, this is a good baseline estimate.
For a 7 day return flight from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to London Heathrow (LHR) in June 2024, you’re looking at an average price of $1,300, per person with taxes and fees.
We selected a very basic economy seat departing June 9 and returning June 16, 2024 for a total of $1,305 on British Airways. Other airlines like Virgin Atlantic and Aer Lingus prices were pretty comparable.
Total flight cost: $1,305 per person, or $2,610 for two people.
Hotel Costs
London has so many different accommodation options that span a wide range of budgets. You can stay really far out of the city center and save a lot of money, you can find a single room with a twin bed if you’re a solo traveler or you can stay at an uber luxury hotel and have all of your needs catered to.
So if you’re looking for a place to save money on your trip, booking cheaper accommodation is a great place to start.
As far as costs go, Visit Britain reported that in the first six months of 2023, greater London saw the average daily rates of hotel rooms of £187 per night ($234).
Going along with our June 2024 trip, we have prices for seven different hotels in central London:
| Hotel | Per Night Cost | June 10 – June 16, 2024 Cost |
| London Marriott Hotel Park Lane | £759 | £4,554 ($5,692) |
| Kensington Hotel | £548 | £3,290 ($4,112) |
| Treehouse Hotel | £368 | £2,208 ($2,760) |
| Georgian House Hotel | £285 | £1,710 ($2,137) |
| Sydney House Chelsea | £254 | £1,524 ($1,905) |
| Ruby Hotel | £234 | £1,405 ($1,756) |
| Mama Shelter | £181 | £1,090 ($1,362) |
For our cost calculation, I’m going to use the Sydney House Chelsea as it’s mid-priced for central London and we loved our stay at this boutique hotel.
Total hotel cost: £1,524 or $1,905 for six nights
Check out all our favorite hotel options here.
Transportation
While London is an expensive city to visit, getting around London doesn’t have to be expensive. Public transport is one of the best ways to get around and we love taking the tube, bus, and train. You may have noticed renting a car did not make the list, see our Should You Rent a Car in London for details.
If you’re using an Oyster card or a contactless credit card to get around London (which you should!) there is a daily cap of £8.10 when you’re riding the tube or the bus in Zone 1 and Zone 2 in London. And as most of the sights that you’ll be seeing are in Zone 1 and Zone 2, that means the most you’ll spend on public transport for the day will be £8.10 per person. That’s a great deal!
If you’re using a contactless credit card, just make sure each person uses the same credit card all day, so you don’t get charged the daily cap on two different cards.
To estimate total costs, we’ll assume that two people will be hitting the daily cap on their contactless card riding the tube and the bus around London for six days.
Getting around London will cost £97.20 over six days, or $122.
To and From Heathrow Transportation Costs
There are several different ways you can get to central London from Heathrow Airport and costs vary widely. We’ve done them all depending on how much luggage we have and whether we’re traveling with our kids or riding solo.
In order from most expensive to least expensive, your options include:
- £80 for a Black Cab (estimate)
- £60 for Private Car Service Addison Lee (estimate)
- £55 for uber (estimate)
- £25 per person Heathrow Express
- £13.30 per person Elizabeth Line (tube)
- £5.60 per person Piccadilly line (tube)
For our estimate, we’ll assume that you’re taking the Elizabeth Line to and from Heathrow Airport for £13.30 per person (£26.60 roundtrip), for two people, or £53.20 total.
Total transportation cost estimate: £97.20 + £53.20 = £150.40 or $188
Food Cost in London per Day
London has a thriving food scene and you’ll want to take part in it! Whether you’re ducking into a Chippy (fish and chip shop), stopping for a pint at a pub, or hitting up a trendy Soho restaurant, the food in London is great.
And unlike Switzerland which has staggeringly high restaurant prices, prices in London are in line with any big city. You can find well-priced places like food markets and food halls, upscale options, and everything in between.
Per day you can expect to spend £75 per person on food, with a moderate budget.
To get there, we expect that you’ll pay £15 for breakfast, £20 for lunch, and £40 for dinner, on average.
You can spend less and you can spend more. If you want to gauge how much you’ll spend, here are some examples of what we’ve recently spent eating out in London. The prices below are per person!
- Pizza Dinner at Franco Manca: £17 per person
- Dishoom Dinner: £45 per person
- Pub lunch: £25 per person
- Breakfast at Gail’s: £ per person
- Afternoon tea: £40 per person
A good way to save money on food is to eat at pubs! Read our London Pub Guide for details on visiting pubs.
Total food cost for two people: £900 or $1,125 (£75 per person, per day for six days)
Activities
London has so many wonderful free activities. Museums! The Royal Parks! Sky Garden!
But some things are worth paying for.
If you’re following our free one-day itinerary in London, you’ll pay for entrance to the Tower of London (£37) and Tower Bridge (£12.30). And for us, paying that to see it was worth it.
Some other example costs include:
- London Eye: £25.50
- Buckingham Palace entrance: £19.50 per adult
- St Paul’s Cathedral entrance: £23
- Westminster Abbey Entrance: £27
- Churchill War Rooms: £30
- Harry Potter World ticket: £53.50 per adult
- Hamilton Theatre tickets: £54 per person
For the sake of estimating, we’ll assume that two people are going to pay for two different London activities or attractions that cost £30 per person, for £120 total spent ($150) on activities during your trip.
For a full list of the free museums in London, see our article on the 12 Best Museums in London. Plus you won’t want to miss London’s hidden gems (with lots of free options!) If you want a guide to show you around, check out our Activities Database.
Day Trip
If you’re in London for a week you do have time to squeeze in a quick day trip outside of the city. Maybe a quick train ride to Windsor, or a visit to Cambridge to go punting in the river?
To save money, book those rail tickets well in advance! Some examples of train costs include:
- Return ticket to Windsor from London: £13.60
- Return ticket to Cambridge from London: £43.90
- Return ticket to Oxford from London: £12.00
- Return ticket to Bath from London: £46.00
We’ll assume you’re going to make a one-day trip to Windsor, spending £13.60 per person on a train ticket and £30 per person on an entrance ticket to Windsor Castle.
The total cost for a day trip to Windsor is £87.20, or $109
How Much Does a Trip to London Cost for One Week?
Using all of our estimates from above, a trip to London for two people for one week will cost $6,087.
| Item | Cost for Two People for One Week |
| Airfare | $2,610 |
| Hotel | $1,905 |
| Transportation | $188 |
| Food | $1,125 |
| Activities | $150 |
| Day Trip | $109 |
| Total Cost for Trip To London | $6,087 |
Of course you can spend a lot more or a lot less on your trip, depending on how you like to travel. Prefer the backpacking/hostel route? You could probably easily slash $1,500 or more from the bill. Or if you want to step up your comfort, there are plenty of ways to spend another $2,000.
How Much Does a Trip to London Cost: Budget, Mid-range, and Luxury
We don’t all travel the same way or on the same budget, so what does this one-week trip look like at a variety of different price points? We’ve put together some different budget options.
For the budget traveler, we grab cheaper hotel and food options, as well as cut out a day trip and any paid activities. That doesn’t mean you miss out! But you’ll need to get creative. For example, instead of touring Westminster Abbey, go in for Evensong when it’s free.
The midrange trip is what we already covered above.
Looking for a little luxury? We’ve upgraded the hotel, and transportation options, and added in a bigger food budget. Grab a room at the London Marriott Hotel Park Lane, add in afternoon tea at the Ritz (£144 for two), a few more splashy dinners, and a private day tour. Book private transportation to and from Heathrow, and enjoy!
| Budget | Mid-range | Luxury | |
| Airfare | $2,610 | $2,610 | $2,610 |
| Hotel | $1,362 | $1,905 | $5,692 |
| Transportation | $150 | $188 | $300 |
| Food | $600 | $1,125 | $1,700 |
| Activities | $30 | $150 | $250 |
| Day Trip | $0 | $109 | $600 |
| Total | $4,752 | $6,087 | $11,152 |
How to Cut Costs on Your Trip to London without Sacrificing Fun
While a trip to London is expensive, there are some ways to trim back on your trip to London costs without it feeling painful.
Travel in the Shoulder Season
The most expensive time to visit London is June and July. The summer months usually see a big surge in visitors thanks to better odds of having sunny weather. So if you’re traveling during those months, expect to pay a premium!
If you’re looking for deals, you can find great prices during the winter months, but you’ll have to contend with the dreary weather. If you love the rain and cold and plan to spend most of your time in museums, this can be a wonderful option.
But if you’d prefer to steer clear of the coldest and wettest months and you are hoping for cheaper prices, the shoulder season is the time to go. Aim for a trip in May, September, or October. You’ll usually find moderate weather and lower costs. And in my opinion, fall in London and the Cotswolds is extremely underrated.
Related read: check out the best (and worst) time to visit London so you get your timing right.
Book With Points
If you want to seriously cut costs without sacrificing anything, booking part of your trip with points is a solid option. And you don’t need to be a hard-core travel hacker or a million miler frequent fliers to pay for part of your trip in points.
We strategically open credit cards throughout the year to qualify for sign-up bonuses. Those sign-up bonuses are usually enough to pay for our flights to Europe (in points!) and a few nights at a hotel.
And we always make sure to pay off our balance in full each month, because no amount of free travel is worth credit card fees, interest, or debt.
To learn how to book with points and step-by-step guidance on getting a free hotel stay, check out our BookedWithPoints.com for details.
Book Your Travel Early
The earlier you book the more deals to be had! Trying to book last-minute trips can be prohibitively expensive and can throw your travel budget out of whack. Plus, when you book early you have better options as more things are available!
We try to book at least six months out to find the best rates and availability. While you can still find deals closer to your travel, you’re rolling the dice with last-minute deals. We’ve sometimes done well planning last minute (we scored a great deal on a last-minute apartment with a view of the Eiffel Tower), but we usually end up paying more.
Last year we rented an apartment in London for a month and we were able to get such a good deal by booking it nine months in advance. Had we booked later than that, the price of the stay would’ve been far too expensive.
Stay a Bit Further Out
While staying in central London is extremely convenient, it’s also very expensive. Thankfully, London has a very easy public transport system that can get you anywhere you want to go. If you’re having trouble finding hotels that are in your price range, there are so many great options if you want to stay outside of the city center.
To keep things easy, make sure you’re booking a hotel that is on the tube line or a train line. For example, you can book a well-priced room at the Spread Eagle Pub in Wandsworth, which is just a quick train ride to Clapham Junction or London Waterloo. Or the Lodge Hotel in Putney which is just a quick 5-minute walk from the East Putney Tube stop.
Rein in Food Costs
I’ve said it many times and I’ll say it again: London has great food. And what’s more, London has great food at a range of price points. Eating in London does not need to be an expensive affair. Grab a coffee and a Bircher Muesli for breakfast from Pret. Eat at a food market for lunch (check out a list of our favorite food markets in London) or a museum cafe. Enjoy £5 cream tea rather than a full afternoon tea. And grab a kebab for dinner. Jordan and I used to get a takeout kebab all the time for dinner when we lived in London and it was a cheap and filling £15 meal for the two of us.
Eating in London can be as expensive or inexpensive as you make it.
Use Our Free Guide
Do you know what else can be expensive? Losing a day of your trip thanks to bad information or bad planning. We have you covered with our free download: an easy one-day tour of London. Download the walking tour that we used to send all of our friends and family on when we lived on London. Beautiful sights, great food, interesting history — it’s all here!
THE BEST 1-DAY LONDON ITINERARY
If you have limited time in this capital city, don’t miss out. Our one day itinerary takes you to great spots on an easy walking tour of London. Download to your phone and take it on the go.
