London on a budget: The Complete Guide

Last Updated on August 30, 2024 by Lauren Allen

It is a well-known fact that London is an expensive city. However, for anybody wishing to explore London on a budget, it can be done. If like me, you like to make your money stretch further, you may want to consider following these tips for exploring the capital city of London on a budget:

How to visit London on a Budget

Getting there:

By Plane: Planning a holiday to London? Cheap flights to London can be booked from many destinations in Europe. Budget airlines such as Easy Jet, Ryan Air, FlyBe and Jet2 make it super affordable to travel to England’s capital city. Flights from further afield obviously won’t be as cheap, but there are deals to be had.

Tip: Ensure you compare flight prices through a number of airlines and try to book in advance to secure the best deal. Some airlines often run offers and sales, meaning you could save hundreds of pounds. Don’t just jump into booking flights right away without doing your research!

Megabus: Megabus offer extremely cheap fairs to London from many towns and cities throughout the UK, which makes visiting London on a budget easier for somebody who already lives in England. For example, last-minute tickets between Manchester and London for £6 each way. You can purchase even cheaper tickets by booking in advance or using your NUS card if you have one. Compared to last-minute train ticket prices of £57 at the cheapest, this is a brilliant deal.

In my opinion, Megabus is a great way to travel to a different town or city. Most mega buses also have plug sockets and wifi, which is of course, very useful. Another positive thing about travelling by Megabus is they are often a lot quieter than trains, making it easier to take a nap if you are tired.

By Train: If you wish to take a more convenient route, travelling by train is a lot quicker. If you do wish to travel by train, I recommend booking in advance and travelling outside of peak hours. This allows you to take advantage of the best prices.

By Car: If you are travelling in a group, it may work out cheaper to travel by car and split the cost of petrol. This depends on where you are travelling from. Ensure you compare prices on each option to make an informed decision based on convenience and cost.

London on a Budget | Getting around:

London is perhaps one of the easiest cities to get around in worldwide thanks to an extensive transport network. The best ways to get around include:

By Foot: If you are visiting London on a budget, the best way to get around is on foot as it is completely free. Staying in a central location will allow you to walk to many tourist attractions without taking public transport, so consider this while booking your accommodation.

Getting around the city by foot also allows you to see more. There are so many tourist hotspots in London that you could miss if you opt to take public transport instead of walking. However, if you are travelling quite far, consider travelling:

By Tube: Taking the tube is the most convenient method of transportation in London with 270 stations located around the city. You will never be too far away from a tube station in the capital and with 11 lines running underground, this is perhaps the quickest way to get from A to B.

By Bus: If you would prefer a less crowded method of transportation, travelling by bus is a great alternative to the tube. London runs 673 bus routes 24 hours a day with 52 night buses. This means you are likely to be able to get home by bus even after a night on the town. No need to get an Uber!

The bus costs £1.50 for a single journey and bus travel in London is capped at £4.50 daily. After jumping on your first bus, you can take advantage of free unlimited bus travel for one hour. These facts mean that besides walking, getting around by bus is perhaps the cheapest method of transportation in London. Take note of that!

Tip: Getting around the city is easy if you use Google Maps. If you wish to travel entirely by bus to take advantage of the cheapest fares, you can select just “bus travel” while researching how to get from A to B.

By Train: Lastly, travelling by train is a great option for getting around in London if you are travelling further afield. Ticket prices will vary depending on the distance you are travelling. Don’t forget to use your railcard if you have one, you will save up to a third of the price of your journey!

London on a Budget | Where to stay:

Now, I know they are not for everyone but I choose to stay in hostels whenever I visit London. Mainly because hotels in London are very expensive and far too over budget for me. If you want to stay in a hostel, I recommend the following:

YHA London Central

Prices start from £16 per night:

I have previously paid just £16 a night to stay at a YHA hostel in central London. Anybody who has searched for accommodation in central London will understand that this is a total bargain. 

YHA London Central is about a five-minute walk from Regent Street which makes the location great. Although the rooms are pretty basic, they’re still clean. The reception/ bar area is open 24 hours a day and the staff serves food and non-alcoholic drinks throughout the night. This is obviously a good thing if you’re a night owl like me but don’t want to disturb anybody sleeping in your room.

Meininger Hotel, London Hyde Park

Prices start from £14 per night:

Located right next to the Natural History Museum, Meininger Hotel has beds in a 12-bed dorm room starting from £14 a night. The rooms are fully equipped with bedding and come with free wifi, bedding, toiletries, a TV and more. The whole property is also extremely clean and guests have access to cooking facilities.

Additionally, the staff are super friendly and the decor is very modern. This along with the amazing location and affordability makes the Meininger Hotel one of the best places to stay in the whole of London. Ensure you book super far in advance if possible, this place is popular for good reason!

Pub Love @ The Crown, Battersea

Prices start from £15 per night:

PubLove is a chain of hostels in London that have several locations scattered around the city. The great thing about these hostels is they are located directly above some of the city’s best pubs and close by to London’s most popular tourist spots.

PubLove offers guests 24-hour service, meaning that you can continue the party back at your place long after all the bars have closed for the night. Then all you need to do once you’re ready for bed is climb a few stairs! What more could you ask for?

The rooms are decorated to a modern standard, all beds come with power points and lockers and the washroom and shower facilities are super clean. Additionally, as a guest, you are entitled to discounts on all food and drink – winner!

Note: Personally, I have stayed at the Battersea property and can highly recommend it.

Clink 78

Prices start from £16 per night:

Clink 78 is a unique hostel based on the fact that it was once a Victorian Courthouse. Situated just a short walk from Kings Cross station, the location is super convenient and serves as a great place to base yourself on any trip to London.

Although the dorm rooms are not the most stylish, they are clean, comfortable and affordable. In terms of the rest of the hostel, there is a bar, a kitchen/ lounge area for guests and some cool chill-out spots to relax in after a day of exploring.

Read more: Solo travel pros and cons you NEED to consider

London on a Budget | Where to eat:

Another great way to explore London on a budget is to take advantage of cheap eats and prepare your own meals. Yes eating out is fun, but the cost of eating out in London can be pricey. If you want to save some cash, I advise:

Preparing your own meals

Staying in hostels with kitchens is a great way to save money while visiting London on a budget. After checking into your room, head to the nearest supermarket to do a food shop for the duration of your trip. You can even prepare lunches to eat on the go while exploring! This will save you a TON of money.

Eating street food

Places like Camden Market are great for picking up cheap eats. If you don’t fancy cooking yourself, consider heading to Camden for dinner and try some tasty food on offer at the Market. This also means no dishes to wash up, result!

London on a Budget | Free things to do:

If you are exploring London on a budget, you may think that limits the number of activities that you can take part in. However, there are so many free things to do in the city that you could easily stay in London for at least a week without getting bored. Some of the best completely free things to do in London are:

Join a free walking tour

I’ve made it no secret that free walking tours are one of my favourite things to do while exploring a new city. Although I have been to London a TON of times now, there are still a number of free walking tours that are still on my to-do list!

Some of the best free walking tours to join in London include the following:

• London in a day: A daily 6.5-hour tour starting at 9.30am. Perfect for those that want a full low down on London’s highlights in less than a day!
• Harry Potter Tour: Stop off at all the top Harry Potter filming locations in the city.
• Jack the Ripper Tour: Discover everything there is to know about Jack the Ripper, a world-famous murderer who brutally killed five prostitutes in the city.
• Street Art & Graffiti Tour: Perfect for street art enthusiasts.
• Ghost Tour: For those who like to be spooked, this nighttime walking tour will take you to some of London’s most haunted locations.

To read more about the free walking tours offered in London and to book your tickets, click here.

Portobello Road

Portobello Road is a popular spot for shopping in London, especially for super cool antiques and vintage clothing. The surrounding areas also boast some really colourful streets with rows of houses in a rainbow of colours – great photo spots!

You could easily spend a full afternoon shopping for goodies, brunching and having a lil photoshoot. My personal fave spot for photos is Farm Place. I would love to live there!

Camden Markets

Perhaps my favourite place in London, Camden Markets and the surrounding area is a cool place to go shopping for souvenirs, clothes, homeware and vintage goods. There are also a number of food stalls, perfect for a lunch break as they have something to fit everyone’s tastes. Street art enthusiasts also can’t visit London without spending some time strolling around Camden!

Covent Garden

With seasonal decorations suiting the time of year, Coven Garden is a great insta-worthy location situated in London’s west end. Boasting some great shops, live entertainment and fab places to eat, there is a great atmosphere here all year round for all ages to enjoy.

Admire art in the cities MANY art galleries

Art lovers will be in their element in London, with so many galleries scattered all across the city. There are galleries dedicated solely to portraits, modern art, watercolour, fashion, textiles and more. Although you may need to buy tickets to enter certain exhibitions, most of the art galleries in the city are completely free to enter. Some of my personal faves include:

• Tate Modern
• Tate Britain
• Bankside Gallery
• Saatchi Gallery

The Natural History Museum

Located inside one of London’s most beautiful buildings, the natural history museum is a great spot to spend an hour or two exploring. If you are a fan of dinosaurs, human biology, animals, science or wildlife, this is a great place to visit.

The natural history museum opens daily 10am until 5.50pm, with the last entry being 20 minutes before closing time. The museum is closed on 24th, 25th and 26th of December every year.

Brick Lane

Are you a lover of street art? Then you absolutely MUST head over to Brick Lane during your time in England’s capital. Amazing street art and graffiti can be found on almost every corner, in addition to some of the city’s BEST vintage clothes shops.

The Sky Garden

Visiting London on a budget but still hoping to admire some great views? Then look no further than the Sky Garden. Free visits can be booked in advance here, or for any food and cocktail lovers out there, the Sky Garden also boasts several bars and restaurants.

Tip: If you want to visit the Sky Gardens completely free of charge, please note these slots get booked up way in advance. As soon as you know the date you wish to visit, I recommend booking it as soon as possible.

Watch the changing of the guards

Buckingham Palace is a must-see for any first-timers in the city of London and can be admired from afar free of charge. If you wish to watch the changing of the guards, the ceremony starts at 11am daily and lasts for three-quarters of an hour.

Hyde Park

Entrance into Hyde Park is completely free and can be enjoyed all year round. During the Summer months, Hyde Park is the perfect location for a spot of people-watching and a relaxing lunchtime picnic with friends.

At Christmas time, the park is turned into a Winter Wonderland for visitors to enjoy the festivities of Christmas with fairground rides, mulled wine, food and fun activities.

Victoria & Albert Museum

The Victoria & Albert Museum (named the best museum of art and design worldwide) has a lot to offer visitors. From sculpture, ironwork, glasswork and jewellery to fashion design, textiles and photography – there is something to fit everybody’s interest at the V&A.

Not only this, but the cafe at the museum is a thing of beauty itself boasting beautiful ceilings and intricate stained glass windows making it the perfect spot for a lunch break.

The museum is open daily between 10am and 17.45pm with extended opening hours until 10pm every Friday.

Liberty London

Ah, Liberty! My favourite department store in the whole entire world. Liberty London is bursting to the brim with amazing fabric, unique homeware, stylish clothing, beautiful scarves and much more.

It’s easy to spend at least an hour strolling around this store, with so many beautiful goodies to admire! At Christmas time, the exterior of the store is decorated with Christmas trees and lights for a super festive feel. Furthermore, you can also find a whole department dedicated to Christmas decorations! Wow!

Although free to visit, you will find it difficult to not spend any money here! I know I do…

Carnaby Street

Located just a short walk from Liberty London, Carnaby Street is a popular spot for tourists thanks to its decorative installations, shopping streets and bar scene.

Note: These are just a few of the free things to do in London. Of course, your chosen activities will depend on your own personal interests. There are also A LOT more free activities to take advantage of in London, but I would be here all day if I listed them all.

Thank you for reading, I hope these tips are helpful and have shown you that visiting London on a budget is completely doable! Feel free to leave your own tips in the comments below!

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