How Much Things Cost in the UK
Creating your travel budget becomes a whole lot easier when you know how much everything is going to cost. To give you an idea of how much everything is going to cost for your trip to the UK, we've listed some information about things you'll need on your holiday like accomodation, transport, food and more!
All the prices we've quoted in this article are in Australian dollars, but you can visit our currency converter to find out what the exchange rate is between the AUD and GBP right now!
Before you head off, learn about:
- Is it expensive to visit the UK?
- How much you need to bring to the UK
- How much it costs to fly from Australia
- The cost of food
- Buses and trains
- Tours in the UK
- Hiring a Car
- Accomodation
Is it Expensive to Visit the UK?
Costs of goods and services are very different in the UK compared to Australia. In this table, we have a comparison of some things you might do in the UK and associated costs. The prices are approximate and can change city to city within the UK.
Australia vs UK
| Expense | Cost in Australia | Cost in the UK |
| Breakfast with Coffee | $25AUD | $25AUD |
| 1 full week of public transport (MyKi) | $43AUD for a MyKi Pass | $60AUD |
| Full priced Movie ticket | $23AUD | $27AUD |
| Museum Entry | $28AUD | $24AUD (most are free!) |
| A pint of beer | $9AUD | $7AUD |
How much money do I need to bring?
The answer to this question really depends on the type of holiday you're planning. Will you be backpacking and staying in hostels? Will you be living it up at the Ritz in London? If you want to do it on a budget, you easily can or you can splurge and go on a luxury holiday.
It all depends on what you're doing, where you're staying and how long you're planning to travel.
Here we have listed an estimate of what you'd need, per person, per day depending on your holiday.
Budget holiday: Up to $100AUD
Middle of the range holiday: Up to $250AUD
Luxury holiday: Up to $550AUD
How much does food cost in the UK?
Food is a pretty important part of a holiday, and a great way to get to know a country. In the UK you can really decide how much you want to spend on food everyday. You could get by on as little as $15AUD or if you're fine dining, you could spend hundreds! Below we've listed some general prices for eating and drinking out, and the cost of some other bits and bobs.
Eating out:
- First course: $5 - $20AUD
- Main course: $20 - $50AUD
- Dessert: $8 - $20AUD
Drinks:
- Coffee: $5AUD
- Beer: $5 - 15AUD
- Glass of wine: $10 - $30AUD
Some other examples:
- Bread: $1.60AUD
- Big Mac meal: $10AUD
- Sandwich and Coffee from Pret a Manger: $11AUD
- Fish and chips: $8AUD
How much does it cost to fly from Australia to the UK?
Like flying anywhere in the world, flights between Australia and the UK can change depending the time of year. Remember that the UK is always a popular destination and requires a stopover so the flights can be a little expensive.
It also depends on where in Australia you're flying from.
Generally, the average cost of a return flight to London Heathrow from Melbourne or Sydney will cost you somewhere between $1,100 and $2,000AUD. But the fight prices can go up to $6,000AUD depending who you fly with and whether you go economy or first class.
Buses and Trains
There is a lot of public transport in the UK. You can use it to get around cities, and to get between them. But it also depends where you are. For example, the Tube system is very popular in London, but a lot of people opt to drive if they live further out of the city. The UK has a large national network of trains and long distance buses (called 'coaches'). Although the public transportation network in the large cities is extensive, tickets can be pricey.
Public Transport in London
London has a number of public transport options.
| Name | Type of Transport | Cost Per Ride |
| The Tube | Underground railway | $8.70AUD + |
| The Bus | Bus | $4.50AUD |
Planes
With the increase of low cost airlines between the UK and Europe, flying can be a good option if you want to explore Europe on your trip.
You can use Skyscanner to find the best deals.
- Minimum fare of $4.60 at all times.
- About $4.60 per km
- Fares vary according to tariffs
Tours
The UK is so diverse, and there is so much to see. Utilising tours is a great way to meet other travellers and learn about the area you're in. If you're looking to have a completely guided tour, you could consider looking into companies like Intrepid, Topdeck or a Contiki tour. But on a smaller scale, you can often find walking or cycling tours in major cities run by locals! Usually, you can find out about these online or through your hostel. They are free, but usually require you to tip your guide. Only fair, right?
The great news is that majority of the UK's famous museums and galleries are free to enter!
Examples of some other popular tours you might consider in the UK. They will all have different prices, depending on the tour inclusions and length.
- Baths and Stone Henge tour from London $170AUD
- London hop-on-hop-off bus $60AUD
- Harry Potter World $150AUD
- Day trip to Paris $440AUD
Hiring a Car
If you're a fully licensed driver in Australia, it'll be relatively easy to hire a car in the UK. And logistically, it's just like driving here! Just remember it could be a bit more expensive if you're hiring a car while you're under 25.
You will need a have to be a full and valid licence holder, and it needs to be valid in the UK for up to 12 months from the time of your last entry into the country.
Price of a Rental Car in the US, per Week:
- Budget: $270AUD per week for a budget car that will comfortably fit two people and luggage
- Mid-range: $350 – $550AUD for a mid-range car that will easily fit four people and luggage
- High-end: $700 – $1,000AUD for a high end car such as a convertible, large SUV or luxury vehicle
Rental Car Companies
Accomodation
You can really be flexible about how much you spend on accomodation when you get to the UK. If you're keeping it low key and don't want to spend much, there are hostels in most major cities, or you could live it up! Below are some rough guides on how much you can expect to pay.
Accomodation on a budget, like hostels cost about $35 to $90AUD a night.
Mid-range accomodation like a double room in a 3 star hotel will probably cost between $100 and $150AUD a night.
A double luxury hotel room will cost between $200 to $1000AUD per night.
Using the following sites will give you an even better idea of how much the accomodation you're after will cost you.
Tipping
Tipping is not compulsory in the UK. Although, there are some industries where it is appreciated. The following list is a rough guide, if you decide you would like to tip:
- Hospitality: around 10% in restaurants and teahouses with table service, 15% at smarter restaurants. Sometimes, tips can be added to your bill as a 'service charge'.
- Pubs & Bars: not expected if you order drinks (or food) and pay at the bar. Expect to tip about 10% if you order at the table and your meal is brought to you.
- Taxis: usually 10%, or rounded up to the nearest pound. This is almost expected in London.
Need to know more about travelling to the UK?
