Should you visit London or Interlaken?
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 London and Interlaken can help you decide which place is right for you.
London
The capital of the United Kingdom is a thriving multicultural metropolis. Steeped in iconic landmarks, world-class museums and royal parks, London is energetic, majestic, ambitious and one of the world's greatest cities. London is a cultural and fashion capital, a great place to go out, an amazing place to eat and one of those cities that is constantly changing with new and exciting things sprouting up almost every day. History and tradition greet you at every turn in the UK's capital. London is also a city with an edgy underbelly, delighting in neon pink dive bars, cheeky graffiti and mind-blowing street food. When you need a break from the action, pop into a pub or relax in one of the city's many parks. Blow through the city on a double-decker bus, and take a pinch-me-I'm-in-London walk through the West End. As one of the most visited cities in the world, London is busy, vibrant and very tourist friendly. The only problem with London is that it's very expensive; it can eat away at your budget if you aren't careful. Luckily, there are also tons of free or cheap things to do in London that can fill your time.
Interlaken
Interlaken is a small city that is located in the Bernese Highlands Region of central Switzerland. It sits pleasantly between two Alpine Lakes, Brienzersee and Thunersee. This scenic setting and its easy accessibility make it a popular base camp for travel into the Bernese Oberland Alps. It has become a top tourist destination in Switzerland and it is also a hub for outdoor sports enthusiasts, as there are plenty of things to do in Interlaken in the summer. Interlaken is a great hoping off point to explore many of the nearby mountains, lakes, and valleys. It offers easy transportation to most major Swiss cities by train or car.
Which city is cheaper, Interlaken or London?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in London is £145, while the average daily cost in Interlaken is £133. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for London and Interlaken in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around £182 in London For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around £152 in Interlaken For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
Food in London costs travelers about £29 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
The average traveler spends about £37 per day in Interlaken for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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Food
Meals for one day
London £29
Interlaken £37
Typical Food prices in London
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to London:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in London
For London, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Traveling Spoon Nepalese Momos Private Online Cooking Class:
$27
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Moroccan Couscous Dinner in Shoreditch:
$50
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Modern British Dinner at Chef's Home in East London:
$62
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Dinner with Filmmakers & Filmmaking Experience in London:
$74
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3-Hour Secret British Food Tour:
$82
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Private Cooking Class with a London Cookbook Author:
$87
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BYOB Pizza Workshop Supper Club:
$91
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3-Hour Thames Jazz Dinner Cruise:
$92
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4-Hour East End Food Tour:
$98
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Evening City & Food Tour (non-guided):
$110
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London Half-Day Food Tour: International Foods of Soho:
$111
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Soho International Food Tour:
$113
Typical Food prices in Interlaken
For Interlaken, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Local Transportation
London's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend £20 per person, per day on transportation in London.
To get around in Interlaken, the average visitor spends £7.45 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Typical Local Transportation prices in London
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in London:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in London
Also for London, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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private transfers from London to Heathrow airport:
$167
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private transfer shopping trip from London to Bicester village wr (8 hours):
$745
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private transfer from central london to city airport:
$186
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Warner Bros. Studio Tour and Transfer from London:
$118
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Warner Bros. Studio Tour with Coach Transfers:
$118
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Warner Bros Studio Private Executive return Transfer from London:
$214
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VIP Departure Transfer from London Center to Heathrow Airport:
$113
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Ultra - London Private Airport Transfer from City Centre to Heathrow Airport LHR:
$8.71
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Ultra - London Airport Transfer from City Centre to London Gatwick Airport LGW:
$8.71
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Transfer to the Cruise ports from your London accommodation:
$67
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Transfer in private vehicle from London City to London Airport (LHR):
$51
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Transfer in private vehicle from London City Center to Heathrow Airport:
$56
Typical Local Transportation prices in Interlaken
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Interlaken are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Interlaken
Also for Interlaken, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Transfer from Interlaken to Geneva Airport:
$670
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Private transfer from Interlaken to Zurich Airport:
$485
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Private Transfer from interlaken City to Lucerne City:
$174
Is it cheaper to fly into London or Interlaken?
Prices for flights to both Interlaken and London 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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in London can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around £26 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
In Interlaken, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average £60 per person, per day.
Typical Entertainment prices in London
For London, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
Tours and Activities in London
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for London.
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'Cutty Sark' Entrance Ticket:
$21
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'The Crown' Film Locations Private Car Tour:
$370
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007 James Bond's London Private Half Day Tour:
$690
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007 James Bond's London Private Half Day Tour:
$690
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1 Hour Moroccan Hammam Experience:
$114
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1066 Battle of Hastings Private Tour:
$435
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1066 Battle of Hastings, Birling Gap and Seven Sisters Tour:
$2,005
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1066 Battle of Hastings, Birling Gap and Seven Sisters Tour:
$2,005
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12 Angry Guests: The Online Jury Experience:
$11
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2-Day Cotswolds, Bath, and Oxford Small Group Tour:
$226
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2-Hour London Tour and Photo Shoot:
$98
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2.5-Hour Chocolate Walking Tour of London:
$53
Tours and Activities in Interlaken
For Interlaken, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Aare River Gorge Walk Private Tour from Interlaken:
$238
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Aare River Gorge Walk Small-Group Tour from Interlaken:
$106
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Aare River Gorge Walk plus Lake Brienz Cruise - Private Tour from Interlaken:
$238
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Best of Bernese Oberland Tour from Interlaken:
$689
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Blue Lake & Öschinen lake - Private day tour from Interlaken:
$750
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Blue Lake and Winter wonderland - Private day tour from Interlaken:
$1,328
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GAILY TOUR in INTERLAKEN - Gay & Lesbian Tour:
$187
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High Ropes Adventure Park Admission in Interlaken:
$46
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Interlaken City Tour plus Harder Mountain (Top of Interlaken) Private Tour:
$247
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Interlaken Private Tour: Mountains Cows, Thun Lake, and Brienz Lake:
$421
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Interlaken Private Walking Tour with Professional Guide:
$415
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Funicular Ticket to Harder Kulm:
$19
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In London, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is £12.
Typically, people visiting Interlaken spend on average £9.72 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in London
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in London:
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5-Hour Shoreditch Pub Crawl:
$14
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Central London 4-Hour Pub Crawl:
$14
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Central Daily 5-Hour Pub Crawl:
$14
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The Shoreditch Pub Crawl:
$14
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Camden Pub Crawl:
$14
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The London Pub Crawl - Shoreditch:
$14
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Camden Pub Crawl:
$20
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3-Hour Pub Tour:
$21
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The Original Shoreditch Pub Crawl:
$28
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2-Hour Historic Pub Tour:
$28
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London Pub Crawl and Nightlife Tour:
$28
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Sipsmith Distillery Tour and Complimentary Tasting:
$35
When comparing the travel costs between London and Interlaken, we can see that London is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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