How much does it cost to travel to Edinburgh?
You should plan to spend around $177 (£142) per day on your vacation in Edinburgh. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $49 (£39) on meals
- $21 (£17) on local transportation
- $185 (£148) on hotels
A one week trip to Edinburgh for two people costs, on average, $2,480 (£1,991). This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to Edinburgh has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is Edinburgh expensive to visit?
Prices in Edinburgh are reasonable and comparable to your average travel destination. Hotels, food, and sightseeing are generally within normal price ranges.
Within Europe, which is known to be an expensive region, Edinburgh is a moderately priced destination compared to other places. The overall cost of travel here is fair for the region and comparable to Leipzig or Beaune.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Edinburgh Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Edinburgh?
The average Edinburgh trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Edinburgh travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
|
Category
|
Cost
|
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
£148
($185)
|
|
Local Transportation 1
|
£17
($21)
|
|
Food 2
|
£39
($49)
|
|
Entertainment 1
|
£20
($25)
|
|
Tips and Handouts 1
|
£48 -
143
($59 - 178)
|
|
Scams, Robberies, and Mishaps 1
|
£119 -
358
($149 - 446)
|
|
Alcohol 2
|
£8 -
23
($9 - 28)
|
Accommodation Budget in Edinburgh
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Edinburgh is $92 (£74). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Edinburgh is $185 (£148). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in Edinburgh? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Transportation Budget in Edinburgh
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in Edinburgh is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $21 (£17) per person, per day, on local transportation in Edinburgh.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$21
£17
How much does it cost to go to Edinburgh? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
The price of renting a car in Edinburgh will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
Typical prices for Transportation in Edinburgh are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Edinburgh, but your costs will vary based on your travel style.
Food Budget in Edinburgh
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in Edinburgh can vary, the average cost of food in Edinburgh is $49 (£39) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Edinburgh should cost around $19 (£16) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Edinburgh is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$49
£39
Typical prices for Food in Edinburgh are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Edinburgh, but your costs will vary based on your travel style.
Entertainment Budget in Edinburgh
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in Edinburgh typically cost an average of $25 (£20) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
-
Entertainment1
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
$25
£20
Typical prices for Entertainment in Edinburgh are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Edinburgh, but your costs will vary based on your travel style.
Tips and Handouts Budget in Edinburgh
Calculated from travelers like you
Scams, Robberies, and Mishaps Budget in Edinburgh
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Unfortunately, bad things can happen on a trip. Well, you've just got to deal with it! The average price for a scam, robbery, or mishap in Edinburgh is $297 (£239), as reported by travelers.
-
Scams, Robberies, and Mishaps1
$297
£239
Alcohol Budget in Edinburgh
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $19 (£15) on alcoholic beverages in Edinburgh per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$19
£15
Typical prices for Alcohol in Edinburgh are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Edinburgh, but your costs will vary based on your travel style.
Water Budget in Edinburgh
Calculated from travelers like you
-
On average, people spend $3.09 (£2.48) on bottled water in Edinburgh per day. The public water in Edinburgh is considered safe to drink.
-
Water2
Bottled water for one day
$3.09
£2.48
Last Updated: Sep 6, 2023
Edinburgh On a Budget
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.
Edinburgh's climate is most enjoyable between the months of May and September. Throughout the year, the weather is prone to sudden changes and you can expect both sunshine and rain at any given time. Rainstorms often come with wind, so it can be chilly, damp, and generally unpleasant all at once. During the summer months, when tourist crowds are at their peak, daylight hours are long and the temperature is comfortable. During the winter months days are short and the weather is bitter cold, but snow is rare. It's best to spend time enjoying Edinburgh's many indoor activities during the winter months.
Sights
The main sight and iconic structure in Edinburgh is the
Edinburgh Castle. It's situated dramatically on the highest point in the city and remains in excellent condition despite its continuous use for the past 1000 years. Also worth visiting is St Giles' Cathedral, Gladstone's Land, and the Royal Botanic Garden. Most sights are concentrated in the Old Town and New Town areas. There are also many museums and art galleries that are worth checking out.
Neighborhoods
Most tourists spend the majority of their time in Old Town. This is the medieval heart of the city and it runs from the Castle to Holyrood Palace. New Town is also in the city center and it dates back to the late 18th century. This is where you want to go for the city's best shopping opportunities. There's also some interesting shopping to the north of New Town in Stockbridge and Canonmills. This is also where you'll find the Royal Botanic Garden. Leith is the port area and the beach district is to the east of the city. To the south you will find a high concentration of students and plenty of places to eat and drink. In the west is the zoo and Murrayfield rugby stadium.
Activities
There is almost a constant stream of festivals in the city for anything from comedy, to jazz, to literature. There's actually a festival season in Edinburgh which begins with Hogmanay, or the Scottish New Year. The peak festival season is during the summer when weather is at its best, the crowds are the highest, and the festivals are quite popular.
Nightlife is also a huge draw in Edinburgh. For modern and trendy clubs, head to Cowgate and Lothian Road. George IV Bridge in the Old Town area also offers some trendy clubs. While there's some big name clubs that many people want to hit while they're in Edinburgh, you may actually have your best night if you pop into a little known corner pub and make yourself at home. This is how you truly get to know a city.
Because of the weather, visiting Edinburgh can often be a wet experience. But the city offers plenty of indoor activities. For more ideas, check out this
guide to visiting Edinburgh in the rain. Then, you can have plenty of things to do no matter when you arrive.
If you're in Old Town, don't forget to check out
a ghost tour of Edinburgh in the evening before you head out to the restaurants and bars.
Food and Dining
Restaurants in Edinburgh are quite good and international. Like most cities, it's best to avoid eating in the touristy areas, particularly around the castle, but if you head into the local neighborhoods you'll be pleasantly surprised with your selection. In addition to eating in the city center, you can also head to Leith and the West End for some good restaurants. There's a pedestrian area along Rose Street that runs parallel to Princes Street that also has some good pubs.
Drinking in Edinburgh is part of the experience. There's truly a pub culture in this city, and it's something you really want to experience while you're in town. As with restaurants, it's best to avoid the tourist traps, but there are some great pubs around town, particularly in the university area.
Transportation
The best way to navigate Edinburgh is on foot. It's a compact city and you'll find most of the points of interest in the Old Town, with a few nearby in the New Town. Walking around Edinburgh also gives you a feel for how historic this city is. It's laid out as a city to be walked through, and to this day that is the best way to explore it. There are some hills that may make some of the walks slightly more strenuous.
The public transit system is heavily dependent on buses and is much less developed than most major European cities. The buses can be slow and inefficient because they must deal with the city's heavy traffic. There is a suburban railway network but it is also insufficient and sparse.
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We've been gathering travel cost data from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of destinations around the world.
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.