Which city is cheapest for a weekend trip?
We compared the cost of a short trip to the cities in our calculator: 3 nights for two, with accommodation, food, local transport and attractions. Getting there is not included.
The ranking covers 19 cities. The cheapest is Avignon: from $670 for 3 nights for two. Next come Warsaw (from $680) and Porto (from $730). The most expensive is New York: from $1,670.
| Rank | City | Standard, cheapest month | Standard, priciest month | Budget, from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Avignon | $670 (December) | $1,090 (July) | $360 |
| 2 | Warsaw | $680 (January) | $800 (September) | $240 |
| 3 | Porto | $730 (February) | $970 (September) | $320 |
| 4 | Budapest | $810 (March) | $950 (May) | $300 |
| 5 | Bordeaux | $830 (January) | $970 (June) | $410 |
| 6 | Lyon | $830 (January) | $970 (September) | $420 |
| 7 | Marseille | $840 (January) | $1,160 (September) | $400 |
| 8 | Barcelona | $870 (December) | $1,180 (September) | $400 |
| 9 | Rome | $920 (January) | $1,170 (October) | $420 |
| 10 | Lisbon | $960 (January) | $1,230 (September) | $400 |
| 11 | Nice | $990 (January) | $1,200 (July) | $450 |
| 12 | Cannes | $1,020 (January) | $1,520 (June) | $440 |
| 13 | Milan | $1,060 (August) | $1,330 (April) | $490 |
| 14 | Venice | $1,090 (November) | $1,460 (September) | $500 |
| 15 | Edinburgh | $1,210 (January) | $1,730 (August) | $450 |
| 16 | Paris | $1,220 (January) | $1,430 (October) | $460 |
| 17 | Boston | $1,260 (December) | $1,760 (April) | $600 |
| 18 | London | $1,570 (January) | $1,910 (September) | $580 |
| 19 | New York | $1,670 (February) | $2,210 (December) | $670 |
Amounts converted at the European Central Bank rate of .
Click a city in the table to estimate the cost for your own party, nights and month.
How the ranking was made
The amounts come from our calculator. The Standard level is a double room in a three-star hotel, restaurants, public transport and the main paid attractions. The Budget level is two hostel beds, cheap food and mostly free attractions.
Cities are ordered by their cheapest month at the Standard level. The same weekend in peak season can cost far more, so the priciest month is shown alongside.
These are estimates, not a price list. For some cities we filled in accommodation prices with our own estimate; each city page lists its sources and the date the prices were collected.
How to cut the cost of a city trip
- Pick a month outside the season: in most cities accommodation is then tens of percent cheaper.
- Check the way in from the airport: a regular bus or metro usually costs several times less than an airport express train or a taxi.
- Work out whether a city card or a pass is worth it. For every city we show after how many rides or museums it pays off.