How much does it cost to travel to Isle of Skye?
You should plan to spend around $150 (£114) per day on your vacation in Isle of Skye. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $41 (£31) on meals
- $71 (£54) on local transportation
- $134 (£102) on hotels
A one week trip to Isle of Skye for two people costs, on average, $2,102 (£1,601). 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 Isle of Skye 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 Isle of Skye expensive to visit?
Prices in Isle of Skye 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, Isle of Skye is a moderately priced destination compared to other places. The overall cost of travel here is fair for the region and comparable to Livorno or Turku.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Isle of Skye Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Isle of Skye?
The average Isle of Skye trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Isle of Skye travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
Category
|
Cost
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
£102
($134)
|
Local Transportation 1
|
£54
($71)
|
Food 2
|
£31
($41)
|
Entertainment 1
|
£19
($25)
|
Alcohol 2
|
£4 -
12
($5 - 15)
|
Accommodation Budget in Isle of Skye
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Isle of Skye is $67 (£51). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Isle of Skye is $134 (£102). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in Isle of Skye? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Transportation Budget in Isle of Skye
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in Isle of Skye is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $71 (£54) per person, per day, on local transportation in Isle of Skye.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$71
£54
How much does it cost to go to Isle of Skye? 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 Isle of Skye 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.
Food Budget in Isle of Skye
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in Isle of Skye can vary, the average cost of food in Isle of Skye is $41 (£31) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Isle of Skye should cost around $17 (£13) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Isle of Skye is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$41
£31
Entertainment Budget in Isle of Skye
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in Isle of Skye typically cost an average of $25 (£19) 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
£19
Alcohol Budget in Isle of Skye
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $10 (£7.71) on alcoholic beverages in Isle of Skye per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$10
£7.71
Isle of Skye on a Budget
Isle of Skye, Scotland
The Isle of Skye is a series of islands lying off the west coast of Scotland, best known for their dazzling natural wonders. From the natural pools at the Fairy Glen to hiking Jurassic Period mountains, you'll never run out of beautiful sights to see. Spend your days wandering through the scenery that has been featured in various films and has inspired poets and artists throughout centuries. The best time to visit Skye is from May-August when temperatures are at their highest, in the 60's Fahrenheit, and rainfall is at its lowest.
Sights
Skye's natural beauty offers incredible, almost magical, sights to see. The first of which is the Fairy Glen; a bit of a hidden gem, this landslip is covered in intriguing rock formations like the Castle Ewan. Down the road from the Fairy Glen is Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls, a beautiful viewpoint where you'll see the Mealt Falls crashing into the ocean on the left and the kilt-shaped rocks on the right. Continue the tour of the beautiful island with a visit to Neist Point, a famous lighthouse situated on a long cliff that juts out into the sea. A visit to Skye isn't complete without a visit to Dunvegan Castle, a medieval castle which has been run by the MacLeod Clan for over 800 years. The castle features stunning rooms, meticulous gardens, and even boat tours on the loch the castle sits on.
Islands and Cities
Skye has a few islands, although the big two for tourists are mainland Skye and Raasay Island. On the mainland, the capital city is Portree, where you'll find the majority of accommodation and restaurants. There are many small villages throughout the mainland where the you can find the major attractions and a few small B&Bs. Raasay is a small island off the east coast of the mainland, in between Skye and mainland Scotland. It is home to the Hallaig settlement, an ancient village which offers amazing views of Applecross, Scotland across the bay.
Activities
One of the best activities on Skye is a hike to the Old Man of Storr, a pinnacle of rock that stands tall above the surrounding Storr mountain range. The hike to Storr involves a walk through a hilly path then a climb up a set of steep stone steps. From the top, you'll get incredible views of the surrounding Storr range which features landforms from the Jurassic Period. After a hike through Storr, take a cool dip in the Fairy Pools, a series of beautiful waterfalls that create natural swimming pools. If you prefer not to swim, you can still wander around the rocks and paths surrounding the waterfalls. If you want to spend a day like royalty, wander through Inver on Raasay Island, a beautiful wooded area that ends with a secluded beach where the Queen of England would picnic every year.
For more information about the area, including some great ideas with photos, check out this
guide to an Isle of Sky Road Trip.
Food and Dining
Skye is one of the best places to have a seafood dish in Scotland, with some of the freshest scallops, shrimp, and fish available. The city of Portree is where you'll find many of the restaurants, with everything ranging from fish and chips from the Harbor Chip Shop to delightful cakes from The Granary. There are a few cafes and restaurants scattered throughout the island, most of which are located inside of hotels. Some of the best restaurants outside of Portree are the Islay Restaurant at Toravaig House Hotel and The Three Chimneys Restaurant, both of which feature fresh, local, produce in their dishes.
Transportation
Seeing as there are no airports in Skye, there are a few different options for getting onto the island. One of the easiest ways to do so is by renting a car and driving across the Skye Bridge or taking the Calmac car ferry. If you don't want to rent a car, the City Link bus company has routes from Glasgow and Inverness into mainland Skye. As sights and activities are spread out across Skye, it is best to have a car to get around the island with. For local transportation options, the Stagecoach bus company operates throughout Skye, stopping at the majority of villages.
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We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. 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 cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.