Average cost of accommodation in London
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One bedroom, city centre
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£500 - £1,250
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One bedroom, outside city
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£400 - £1,000
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Three bedrooms, city centre
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£725 - £2,000
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Three bedrooms, outside city
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£600 - £1,500
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Average weekly grocery bill
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£60
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Average pub meal
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£12
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Average restaurant meal
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£15 - £20
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Pint of beer
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£3.50
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Average bottle of wine in supermarket
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£7
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Average meal for two in mid-priced restaurant
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£45
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One-way ticket on local transport
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£2.30
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Monthly pass
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£125 (standard single, off-peak)
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Train trip to Cambridge / Brighton
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£21.20 (standard single, off peak)
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Average mid-sized car rental for a weekend
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£150 (budget carrier)
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Return budget flight to Spain
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£78 (standard class)
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Eurostar return ticket to Paris
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£100 (standard class)
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Return flight to Ireland
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£125 (economy)
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Cost of entertainment
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Movie
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£9 - £10
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Monthly gym membership
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£34
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Show on the West End
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£30
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Club/Pub entry
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£20+
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International live music concerts
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£30+
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Money tips
London is known as one of the most expensive cities in the world. For an average day, we recommend you budget at least £50.00. A bit of sightseeing or a night out could easily add £30.00 on to this. If you are looking to stay in a modest hotel and eat restaurant meals, you should budget upwards of £90.00 a day. Outside of London, costs do drop quite quickly, especially if you have a transport pass and are able to cook your own meals.
Tipping
If you eat in a British restaurant, a tip of at least 10% is seen as standard, unless the service was unsatisfactory.
Waitrons are generally paid minimum wage, with much of their income coming from tips. Some restaurants include a service charge on the bill, especially with larger dining groups, in which case leaving a tip is unnecessary.
It is standard to tip hairdressers’ assistants if you are especially pleased with their service. Tipping is always at your discretion – there is no need to leave a tip if you’ve simply had a pint poured at a pub, but the 10% recommendation stands at more upmarket cocktail bars.