UK city break destination named most expensive in western Europe - and it's not London

has been named the priciest city break destination in western Europe, according to a recent report by

The study revealed that the average cost of accommodation and typical tourist expenses is higher in the Scottish capital than other cities in the region. This includes a hefty £399 for a two-night stay in three-star city centre accommodation.

The figure was calculated based on the average price of the 10 cheapest ensuite rooms available on Hotels.com for stays from June 6 to 8. Accommodation costs in Edinburgh skyrocket even further during the school summer holidays and the August festivals.

warned last November that Edinburgh's strict enforcement of new regulations on accommodation is "highly restrictive", causing rents and hotel prices in the city to "soar to record highs". A licensing scheme for short-term let accommodation was introduced across in October 2023 due to concerns about the impact on long-term rent prices.

READ MORE:

Other items that are more expensive in Edinburgh than most other tourist destinations include a 48-hour public transport pass (£22), entry to its top tourist heritage attraction, Edinburgh Castle (£19.50), and a cup of filter coffee in a cafe or bar (£3.50).

Edinburgh has topped the list as the priciest western European city, beating others even with free entry to its "top museum" and "top art gallery" – the esteemed National Museum of Scotland and National Galleries of Scotland. Shoppers found themselves coughing up an eye-watering £601.50 for a standard basket of goods in Edinburgh.

This staggering sum is more than twice as much as one would shell out in Lisbon (£292.27), deemed the most affordable western European city analysed in the study. Significantly, the report didn't factor in the price of travel costs such as flight fares.

The comprehensive survey examined prices spanning 38 cities all over Europe, discovering that eastern European destinations offer the best bang for your buck. Leading the way for value was Latvia's capital Riga, with a total spend of just £252.63, closely tailed by Lithuania's capital Vilnius at £254.32.

On the flip side, Norway's Oslo was the heftiest hit to the wallet across the whole of Europe, setting you back £636.20. Focusing on the UK, Cardiff emerged as the 17th most costly with expenditure of £374.90, whilst London placed 26th with a total cost of £523.40 and Edinburgh trailed behind at 36th.

Laura Plunkett, the head of Post Office Travel Money, advised: "Although city break holidaymakers need to keep a watchful eye on exchange rates, the real challenge will be the cost of accommodation in the cities Britons are considering."

Highlighting the unpredictable nature of lodging expenses, she noted how prices tend to see "big swings in hotel costs depending on how many rooms are available in peak months".

She continued, saying: "Vilnius lost its top spot in the latest chart because the cost of accommodation has risen by over 9% since last year, while it has fallen over 20% in Riga in the same period."

A representative for VisitScotland, the Scottish Government's tourism body, emphasised that Edinburgh boasts "a variety of experiences and accommodation options to suit a range of budgets".

The spokesperson pointed out that VisitScotland is actively persuading the tourism sector to "consider the importance of providing great quality services and hospitality that offer value for money".

Additionally, she mentioned: "We are currently creating an accommodation monitor using data from tourism and events industry sources. This will help clarify performance and price competitiveness in the accommodation sector going forward."

Lowest-priced cities

1. Riga £252.63

2. Vilnius £254.32

3. Warsaw £277.39

4. Podgorica £281.70

5. Lisbon £292.27

6. Lille £293.26

7. Gdansk £297.08

8. Krakow £300.24

9. Porto £304.66

10. Zagreb £310.56

Most expensive cities

1. Oslo £636.20

2. Copenhagen £628.64

3. Edinburgh £601.50

4. Venice £591.12

5. Berlin £587.65

6. Amsterdam £582.79

7. Geneva £570.04

8. Dublin £568.34

9. Barcelona £561.90

10. Florence £561.86