Which place is cheaper, Cambridge or Inverness?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Inverness and Cambridge can help you decide which place is right for you.
Inverness is a traditional, local, and historic city. This is a charming small with plenty of activities, too. Other reasons to visit include food, shopping, and museums.
Cambridge is a historic, beautiful, and collegiate university town. It's a very nice small town not to be missed. The beauty of this spot is also one of the main reasons why visitors come. And you can't forget about the nightlife, food, and shopping.
Both Cambridge and Inverness have plenty of things to do for travelers. Both provide a wide variety of sights and activities for tourists. Inverness is famous for its surrounding countryside, but also its regional heritage, local festivals and proximity to the famous Loch Ness. Cambridge is famous for its iconic university and the many colleges associated with it.
Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Cambridge and Inverness. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.
Plenty of people visit the high quality sights and museums in both Inverness and Cambridge.
Many visitors head to Inverness specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. As a city rich in culture and heritage, you'll find a number of sights and museums in town. Check out the Highland House of Fraser, Culloden Moor, and Clava Cairns.
With a variety of museums, monuments, and historical sights, a trip to Cambridge can be an interesting and educational experience. The history is rich and impressive in this university town. There are countless museums and architectural sights that you should check out. High on the list are the Cambridge University buildings, The Fitzwilliam Museum, the Bridge of Sighs, The Round Church, and many more.
Local dishes at restaurants are fun to try in both Inverness and Cambridge.
Eating is part of the travel experience when you visit Inverness. The city makes a great spot to fill your belly after a few days exploring the Scottish Highlands. You'll find local restaurants that serve up regional specialties, and when the weather's nice, there are some spots with outdoor seating.
Cambridge has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. You'll find college pubs, local eateries, and fine dining, all in one charming town. Enjoy afternoon tea or fish chips at one of the many local restaurants around town.
Both Inverness and Cambridge are nice when it comes to partying.
There's a variety of activities in the evening in Inverness. Nightlife isn't the first thing that comes to mind with this town, but there are actually lots of distilleries in the area and there's a surprising number of high quality bars and pubs that make for a fun evening.
With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Cambridge. The nightlife scene is centered around the student culture and you'll find many university pubs, some lively clubs, theaters, and wine bars around town. Whether you're looking for a chill night with friends or a more wild experience, there are options in Cambridge.
Both Inverness and Cambridge are high quality shopping destinations.
Inverness is a popular shopping destination with plenty of stores. The town is at the cultural heart of the Scottish Highlands you'll find plenty of local shops where you can pick up local products. Make sure you check out the Inverness Victorian Market.
Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Cambridge. The town offers independent boutique shops, local brands, and a 7 day a week market. The three main shopping areas in town are The Grafton, Lion Yard and Grand Arcade.
You'll find nice kid-friendly activities in either Inverness or Cambridge.
Inverness is a family-friendly place to visit. The city has some parks and activities that are great for kids. Make sure you explore Inverness Castle and the Inverness Mystery Treasure Trail.
Cambridge is a family-friendly city. Kids will enjoy following the Treasure Trail, or climbing to the top of the Great St Mary’s Tower. Punting is another iconic experience. On a rainy day, head to the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, the Museum of Zoology, or the Cambridge Science Centre.
Cambridge is a well-known place for its romantic activities. Also, Inverness is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for couples.
Cambridge is a very popular place to visit for couples. The quaint town is fun to explore as a couple. Try your hand at punting or take a tour of one of the colleges. You can also enjoy a picnic in the botanical gardens or have tea at the Orchard Tea Garden.
Inverness is a good city for couples to visit. Located in the Scottish Highlands, there ae many scenic spots and nice activities that couples can enjoy in the area.
Cambridge is very good for backpackers. However, Inverness is not a good city for backpackers and budget travelers.
Cambridge is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. With a handful of hostels and a vibrant student population, the town makes for a fun stop on your backpacking trip.
Inverness is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. There a some hostels and student hotels, but this isn't one of the major backpacker spots in the UK.
Cambridge is terrific for students. However, Inverness is not popular with students.
Students come from all over the world to visit Cambridge. The town is home to more than 25,000 students who come from 140 different countries. This is one of the most iconic university towns in the world, and there's really no better place for students to visit or reside.
Inverness is not popular with students.
Cambridge is very good for its public transit. However, Inverness is not a good city for times when you don't have a car.
Cambridge has a few public transit options. There is a regional bus service that operates through town.
Public transit is mostly limited in Inverness. There are local buses that pass through the town.
Cambridge is terrific for its high level of walkability. Also, Inverness is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its ease of walking around.
It is easy to get around Cambridge on foot. Walking is the best way to explore the town.
Inverness is a very walkable destination. It's compact enough that you can explore much of the town on foot.
For even more information, also check out Is Inverness Worth Visiting? and Is Cambridge Worth Visiting?.
You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Inverness or Cambridge to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Inverness than Cambridge because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Inverness, and 1-2 days is enough time in Cambridge.
Families should spend more time in Cambridge than Inverness. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Cambridge, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.
Couples should spend more time in Cambridge than Inverness. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Cambridge that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.
Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Cambridge than Inverness if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Cambridge.
You'll find shopping and museums around the city of Inverness. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Inverness has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.
You'll find shopping and museums around the university town of Cambridge. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Cambridge has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.
You'll find museums and nightlife around the historic destination of Inverness. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from.
You'll find museums and nightlife around the collegiate destination of Cambridge. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this university town has to offer. This university town offers a variety of activities to choose from.
Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the traditional city of Inverness. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.
Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the historic university town of Cambridge. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.
Inverness is a popular choice for travelers. One week is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.
Cambridge is a popular choice for travelers. One week is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from London, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Edinburgh, The Best 10-Day Tours from London, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Edinburgh.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Inverness is £168, while the average daily cost in Cambridge is £134. 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 Inverness and Cambridge in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Inverness or Cambridge? 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.
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Inverness:
Also for Cambridge, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Cambridge and Inverness 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.
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Inverness are as follows:
For Cambridge, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Also in Inverness, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Inverness and Cambridge, we can see that Inverness is more expensive. And not only is Cambridge much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cambridge would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cambridge 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 Inverness would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Inverness than you might in Cambridge.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Inverness Expensive? and Is Cambridge Expensive?.
Cambridge has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Inverness. When comparing the sizes of Inverness and Cambridge, 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.