Should you visit London or Lucerne?
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 Lucerne 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.
Lucerne
Lucerne is a relatively small city in the center of Switzerland. It is located across the lake from Altdorf and it has a thriving tourism industry. It's close proximity to many of the major sights in the country make it a great base for exploration. Many people use it as a jumping off point for exploring Mount Rigi and the Rutli Meadow.
Which city is cheaper, Lucerne 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 Lucerne is £123. 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 Lucerne 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.
For a normal double-occupancy room in Lucerne, £156 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Lucerne, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is £78, such as in a hostel.
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.
While meal prices in Lucerne can vary, the average travelers spends about £36 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Lucerne should cost around £14 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Lucerne is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
London £29
Lucerne £36
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
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.
Lucerne'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 £7.17 per person, per day on transportation in Lucerne.
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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London to Paris private taxi transfers:
$1,794
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Private Chauffeured Luxury Range Rover Transfer to London Bicester Shopping Outlet:
$1,229
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Airport and venues transfer 3:
$1,173
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Bath Day Trip From London With Private Transfer in Range Rover:
$1,134
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Private Round Trip Transfer: London to Brighton:
$911
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Private Transfer Between London and Paris:
$748
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private transfer shopping trip from London to Bicester village wr (8 hours):
$745
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Private Luxury Return Transfers to London Bicester Shopping Outlet:
$708
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Private transfers to/from Portsmouth International Port and London City Airport:
$613
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Private transfers to/from Southampton Cruise Port and London City Airport:
$613
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Private transfers from Southampton cruise terminal to London via Windsor castle:
$564
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Private Transfer from London City to Manchester Airport (MAN):
$547
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lucerne
Also for Lucerne, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Transfers Zurich Airport - Lucerne:
$431
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ZRH Airport - Lucern City (Transfer Service):
$287
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Private transfer from Lucerne City to Zurich Airport:
$271
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Departure Private Transfer Lucerne-Basel-Bern to Zurich Airport by Luxury Van:
$251
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Zurich Airport Transfers : Lucerne City to Zurich Airport ZRH in Luxury Van:
$207
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Departure Private Transfer Lucerne-Basel-Bern to Zurich Airport by Business Car:
$191
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Private Transfer from Lucerne City to interlaken City:
$174
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Zurich Airport Transfers : Lucerne City to Zurich Airport ZRH in Business Car:
$118
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Private transfer from Lucerne City to Lucerne Train Station:
$110
Is it cheaper to fly into London or Lucerne?
Prices for flights to both Lucerne 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.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Lucerne can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around £19 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
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
Typical Entertainment prices in Lucerne
For Lucerne, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
Tours and Activities in Lucerne
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Lucerne.
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3 Days Swiss Alpine Rails and Trails Tour:
$2,452
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5 day Private Tour of Central Switzerland including Luzern, Grindelwald & Zurich:
$7,504
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ALL TRANSPORT INCLUSIVE Mt. Pilatus Guided Golden Roundtrip Tour:
$280
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Appenzell and Liechtenstein Tour from Luzern:
$627
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Artisan Cheesemaking and Chocolate factory with Tasting Private Tour from Luzern:
$424
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Artisan Cheesemaking and Tasting Private Tour from Lucerne:
$328
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Chocolate World Experience and Tasting Private Tour from Luzern:
$226
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Glacier Express Panoramic Train Round Trip in one Day Private Tour from Luzern:
$399
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Golden Round Trip from Mt. Pilatus Self-Guided Tour:
$113
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Grindelwald Adventure Tour with Cliff walk & Bachalpsee hiking tour from Lucerne:
$1,443
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Jungfraujoch Top of Europe Private Photo Tour from Lucerne:
$1,489
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Jungfraujoch Top of Europe Private Tour from Luzern:
$536
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.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Lucerne, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is £13.
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Lucerne
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Lucerne:
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Chocolate, Cheese and Wine Tour in Luzern region:
$627
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between London and Lucerne, we can see that London is more expensive. And not only is Lucerne much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Lucerne would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lucerne 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 London would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in London than you might in Lucerne.
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