Which place is cheaper, Leiden or Edinburgh?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Edinburgh or Leiden?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Edinburgh and Leiden can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Edinburgh or Leiden?
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the moderately sized capital of Scotland. It is a medieval city that has managed to perfect the combination of Georgian architecture and medieval relics with a cosmopolitan population and avant-garde atmosphere. The city's population is quite young, in large part because of the University of Edinburgh. This youthful vibe gives this city a lot of vitality. There's a thriving nightlife, many restaurants, theatres, galleries and museums.
Leiden
Leiden is a city in the province of South Holland. It is south of the Netherlands capital, Amsterdam, and has a population of about 190,000. It is known for its university, museums, markets, and of course, canals. Leiden University is the oldest university in the Netherlands and is a sister school of Oxford, which is England's oldest university.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Edinburgh, The Best 10-Day Tours from London, The Best 10-Day Tours from Amsterdam, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Amsterdam.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEdinburgh £142Leiden £114
The average daily cost (per person) in Edinburgh is £142, while the average daily cost in Leiden is £114. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Edinburgh and Leiden in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEdinburgh £74Leiden £66
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEdinburgh £148Leiden £132
Compare Hotels in Edinburgh and Leiden
Looking for a hotel in Edinburgh or Leiden? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Edinburgh Hotel Prices and Leiden Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Edinburgh £17Leiden £22
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Edinburgh
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Edinburgh:
-
Local Bus£3.60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Edinburgh
Also for Edinburgh, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- VIP Airport Transfer: $139
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Edinburgh HTL-APT (EDI): $150
- Transfer Private Luxury Edinburgh Airport to Glenshee Ski Resort: $207
- Royal Highland Braemar Gathering, transfer from Edinburgh: $56
- Private Transfer from South Queensferry Port to Glasgow Hotels: $50
- Private Transfer from South Queensferry Port to Edinburgh hotels: $28
- Private Transfer from South Queensferry Port to Edinburgh Airport: $28
- Private Transfer from Newhaven Port to Edinburgh Airport EDI: $28
- Private Transfer from Newhaven Cruise Port to Glasgow Airport: $36
- Private Transfer from Glasgow city or GLA Airport to Edinburgh city - Luxury Car: $214
- Private Transfer from Glasgow city or GLA Airport to Edinburgh by Luxury Van: $171
- Private Transfer from Glasgow city or GLA Airport to Edinburgh by Business Car: $157
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Leiden
Also for Leiden, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Zero Emission Tesla Taxi Transfer from Leiden Area to the Airport: $93
Is it cheaper to fly into Edinburgh or Leiden?
Prices for flights to both Leiden and Edinburgh change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
-
Food Meals for one dayEdinburgh £39Leiden £33
Typical Food Prices in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Breakfast£8.50
-
Dinner at Filling Station£10
-
Lunch for Two£15
-
Sandwich£1.85
-
Cheese & bread£7.23
-
Thai Restaurant Dinner (for 2)£25
-
2 Coffees and Scones£5.80
-
Turkish Delight£1.40
-
Soup at the Pub£5.90
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $31
- Scottish Dinner and Folk Music Experience: $87
- Edinburgh Holiday Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $90
- 'Scotland meets Sardinia' - 8-course Dinner in Leith, Edinburgh: $110
- 3-Hour Guided Secret Food Tour: $116
- Edinburgh Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $120
- Edinburgh Food Tour with a Local Foodie Custom & Private: $167
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Edinburgh £20Leiden £15
Typical Entertainment Prices in Edinburgh
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Edinburgh's activities, tours, and tickets:
-
Show Tickets£32
-
Movie Tickets for Two£12
-
Donation for Storytellers£6.00
Tours and Activities in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Edinburgh's Landscapes Tours with a Local Guide: Private & Personalized: $152
- Walking Tour to Edinburgh Castle and Holyood palace: $25
- 1.5 hour Firth of Forth Sightseeing cruise: $23
- 2 Hour Holyrood Palace Private Walking Tour: $76
- 2-Day Highlands and Loch Ness Tour from Edinburgh: $260
- 2-Day Inverness and the Highlands Very Small Group Tour from Edinburgh: $227
- 2-Day Loch Lomond, West Highlands, Glencoe & Oban Tour: $182
- 3-Day Isle of Skye Inverness Highlands and Glenfinnan Viaduct Tour from Edinburgh: $233
- 3-Hour Private Edinburgh Castle Tour: $274
- Alnwick Castle and Scottish Borders Tour from Edinburgh: $71
- Alnwick Castle, Northumberland & Scottish Borders 1-Day Tour: $74
- Alnwick Castle, Northumberland and Borders Tour with Admission: $103
Tours and Activities in Leiden
For Leiden, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 90 minutes Walking tour and Escape room in Leiden: $21
- Discover Leiden with a self-guided Outside Escape city game tour!: $27
- Dutch Windmills & Polder Walking Tour: $33
- Half-Day Private Guided Tour in Leiden: $163
- Highlights Walking Tour in Leiden with Audio and GPS Guide: $7.57
- Historical Private Tour with Local Guide: $320
- Leiden City Tour with Live guide in Netherlands: $41
- Escape Tour - Self-Guided Citygame: $32
- Guided City Canal Cruise: $13
- Hortus Botanicus Entry Ticket: $9.62
- Murder Crime Game Self-Guided Interactive City Tour: $74
- Walking City Tour with Live guide: $32
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayEdinburgh £15Leiden £22
Typical Alcohol Prices in Edinburgh
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Edinburgh from other travelers:
-
Beer & Wine£14
-
Half Pint at Tollbooth Tavern£1.65
Sample the Local Flavors in Edinburgh
Also in Edinburgh, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Pub Crawl with Free Shots & Discounts: $11
- Edinburgh Bar Crawl: 5+ Venues, Free Shots, Free Club Entry: $19
- Pub Crawl in Edinburgh: $19
- Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour with "Real-Actors": $25
- East Lothian: Glenkinchie Whisky Distillery Tour & Tasting: $26
- Guided Gin Tasting at 56 North Distillery: $28
- Pickering's Gin Jolly Distillery Tasting Tour: $31
- Lind & Lime Gin Distillery Tour & Tasting: $31
- Whisky Tasting and Tales at Summerhall Distillery: $31
- Pub Crawl 7 Bars with 6 Shots: $31
- The Original Edinburgh Pub Crawl: $32
- Visit a Working South Loch Gin Distillery: $32
Sample the Local Flavors in Leiden
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Leiden:
- Leiden Private Self-Guided Pub Crawl Pub Quiz: $21
- Leiden Private Self Guided Pub Crawl: $22
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Edinburgh and Leiden, we can see that Edinburgh is more expensive. And not only is Leiden much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Leiden would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Leiden and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Edinburgh would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Edinburgh than you might in Leiden.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Edinburgh Expensive? and Is Leiden Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Edinburgh or Leiden?
Edinburgh has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Leiden. When comparing the sizes of Edinburgh and Leiden, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
When is the best time to visit Edinburgh or Leiden?
Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Edinburgh or Leiden in the Summer?
Both Leiden and Edinburgh are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Edinburgh in the summer for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.
In the summer, Edinburgh is cooler than Leiden. Typically, the summer temperatures in Edinburgh in July average around 14°C (58°F), and Leiden averages at about 17°C (62°F).
It's quite sunny in Leiden. Edinburgh usually receives less sunshine than Leiden during summer. Edinburgh gets 163 hours of sunny skies, while Leiden receives 204 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Edinburgh usually receives less rain than Leiden. Edinburgh gets 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Leiden receives 75 mm (3 in) of rain each month for the summer.
-
Summer Average Temperatures JulyEdinburgh 14°C (58°F)Leiden 17°C (62°F)
Should I visit Edinburgh or Leiden in the Autumn?
Both Leiden and Edinburgh during the autumn are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Edinburgh for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months.
In October, Edinburgh is generally cooler than Leiden. Daily temperatures in Edinburgh average around 10°C (49°F), and Leiden fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
In the autumn, Edinburgh often gets less sunshine than Leiden. Edinburgh gets 90 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Leiden receives 99 hours of full sun.
Edinburgh usually gets around the same amount of rain in October as Leiden. Edinburgh gets 67 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Leiden receives 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberEdinburgh 10°C (49°F)Leiden 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Edinburgh or Leiden in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Edinburgh and Leiden. The winter months attract visitors to Edinburgh because of the museums, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine.
It's quite cold in Leiden in the winter. The weather in Edinburgh can be very cold. Edinburgh is much warmer than Leiden in the winter. The daily temperature in Edinburgh averages around 3°C (38°F) in January, and Leiden fluctuates around 2°C (36°F).
Edinburgh usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Leiden during winter. Edinburgh gets 48 hours of sunny skies, while Leiden receives 46 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Edinburgh usually receives less rain than Leiden. Edinburgh gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Leiden receives 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain each month for the winter.
-
Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryEdinburgh 3°C (38°F)Leiden 2°C (36°F)
Should I visit Edinburgh or Leiden in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Edinburgh as well as Leiden. The activities around the city and the natural beauty are the main draw to Edinburgh this time of year.
In the spring, Edinburgh is around the same temperature as Leiden. Typically, the spring temperatures in Edinburgh in April average around 7°C (45°F), and Leiden averages at about 8°C (46°F).
In the spring, Edinburgh often gets less sunshine than Leiden. Edinburgh gets 132 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Leiden receives 166 hours of full sun.
Edinburgh usually gets less rain in April than Leiden. Edinburgh gets 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Leiden receives 52 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Spring Average Temperatures AprilEdinburgh 7°C (45°F)Leiden 8°C (46°F)
Typical Weather for Leiden and Edinburgh
| Edinburgh | Leiden | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 3°C (38°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 2°C (36°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) |
| Feb | 3°C (38°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 3°C (37°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| Mar | 5°C (41°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) |
| Apr | 7°C (45°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| May | 10°C (49°F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Jun | 13°C (55°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jul | 14°C (58°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) | 17°C (62°F) | 75 mm (3 in) |
| Aug | 14°C (58°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 17°C (62°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) |
| Sep | 12°C (54°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) |
| Oct | 10°C (49°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) |
| Nov | 5°C (42°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 6°C (43°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Dec | 4°C (39°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 3°C (38°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.