This UK destination is the most expensive city break in western Europe

17 May 2025, 00:03 | Updated: 17 May 2025, 10:13

Edinburgh has been named the most expensive major city break destination in western Europe, according to a new report.

Analysis by Post Office Travel Money found the total average price of accommodation and other typical tourist expenses is higher in the Scottish capital than other cities in the region.

This included £399 for two nights in three-star city centre accommodation.

The figure was based on the average price of the 10 cheapest ensuite rooms for stays from June 6 to 8 available on booking website Hotels.com.

Accommodation in Edinburgh is even more expensive during the school summer holidays and the August festivals.

Short-term let booking company Airbnb warned in November last year that Edinburgh’s enforcement of new regulations on the accommodation is “highly restrictive” and means rents and hotel prices in the city have “soared to record highs”.

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A licensing scheme for short-term let accommodation came into force across Scotland in October 2023 amid concerns about the impact of the accommodation on long-term rent prices.

Other items that are more expensive in Edinburgh than most other tourist destinations are a 48-hour public transport pass (£22), entry to its “top tourist heritage attraction” – Edinburgh Castle (£19.50) – and a cup of filter coffee in a cafe or bar (£3.50).

Edinburgh was ranked the most expensive western European city despite admission to its “top museum” and “top art gallery” – the National Museum of Scotland and National Galleries of Scotland respectively – being free.

The overall basket of goods in Edinburgh was found to cost £601.50.

That is more than double the cost in Lisbon (£292.27), the cheapest western European city analysed.

Travel costs to reach destinations such as flight tickets were not taken into account.

The report looked at prices in 38 cities across the whole of the continent, and found eastern European cities have the best value.

Latvia’s Riga was ranked number one with a total cost of £252.63, followed by Lithuania’s Vilnius (£254.32).

The most expensive was Norway’s Oslo (£636.20).

In the UK, Cardiff (£374.90) was ranked 17th, while London (£523.40) was 26th and Edinburgh was 36th.

Laura Plunkett, head of Travel Money at Post Office, said: “Although city break holidaymakers need to keep a watchful eye on exchange rates, the real challenge will be the cost of accommodation in the cities Britons are considering.”

She said price analysis often finds “big swings in hotel costs depending on how many rooms are available in peak months”.

She added: “Vilnius lost its top spot in the latest chart because the cost of accommodation has risen by over 9% since last year, while it has fallen over 20% in Riga in the same period.”

A spokesperson for Scottish Government tourism organisation VisitScotland insisted Edinburgh has “a variety of experiences and accommodation options to suit a range of budgets”.

She said VisitScotland is encouraging the tourism industry to “consider the importance of providing great quality services and hospitality that offer value for money”.

She added: “We are currently creating an accommodation monitor using data from tourism and events industry sources.

“This will help clarify performance and price competitiveness in the accommodation sector going forward.”