London is known for its stunning architecture, rainy days, history, and afternoon teas. This travel guide will show you how to travel through London on a budget and not break the bank. London can be quite expensive, even though I have found it is cheaper than NYC. It is one of the more expensive locations in Europe, but it is totally worth the visit.  

Getting Around 

Getting around in London is so easy. They have an amazing public transportation system there. 

The Tube: A great, quick way to get around London for a great deal is the tube. It’s London’s underground train system. They have stations all over London. I’d recommend getting an Oyster card before you travel to make it easier. They have trains from London Heathrow and London Gatwick Airport into the city. The visitor Oyster card costs 5 pounds and postage. You can top it up and use it as needed. The fares don’t expire so if you don’t use everything in one visit you can use it in the next. I’d recommend downloading Tfl Go to get directions to wherever you’re at in London to where you want to go.  

Getting From the Airport 

Getting from London Heathrow (LHR) or London Gatwick into the heart of the city is so easy! From LHR just get on the Heathrow Express and you’ll be in London at the Paddington Station in just 15-20 minutes. From London Gatwick you can take the Gatwick express which will take you directly into London in only 30 minutes. 

Phone Service 

When you travel it is absolutely essential to have cell phone service. Unless you want to be toting a map around everywhere, I would recommend this travel essential. I recently learned about eSims which you can purchase before your trip, install, and have great service for an affordable price. I learned about Airalo on Instagram, and I have become a huge fan ever since. They have plans starting at 1GB of data for seven days for only $5.00. For those longer trips they have 5GB of data for 30 days for only $20.00. This was genuinely the most affordable option I found. I used to use Verizon’s international plan which was $100 for a month. Get your eSim here! 

Where To Stay 

Hyatt Place London Heathrow Airport 

This is a FANTASTIC option if you use credit card points. It is only 3500-6500 points per night. You really can’t beat this redemption for a budget-friendly stay. In cash this hotel is $129 dollars. Book your stay here.

The Buxton 

The Buxton is a unique, 15-bed inn that is set in an old English pub. On the ground floor there is a lively pub with enticing English and European food. A continental breakfast is available on the ground floor each morning. This place is so charming and has so much history to it! I would recommend staying a night or two at the Buxton for only $150 per night. Book your stay here! 

Smart Russel Square Hostel 

Smart Russell Square Hostel is in a cute brick building on Russell Square. The tube is only 200m away and popular destinations like Trafalgar Square and the British Museum are within walking distance. Prices start at $28 dollars per night and breakfast is available for a fee. Book your stay here!  

NX London Hostel 

NX London Hostel was one of the most affordable hostels I found that was rated highly. This hostel has female only dorms, mixed dorms, and private dorms. They’re located close to the Tube and only a 15-minute bus ride to the 02. They have free breakfast, free high-speed internet, and free refreshments. Book your stay here. 

Stay In a Centrally Located Room in London 

This beautiful place is centrally located in London. It has a king-size bed and is only an 8-minute walk to the train station. This Airbnb is only $49 a night. This Airbnb would be $388 for one week, or only $194 if you were sharing the travel cost with another person.  

Stay in the “Snug” For a Week 

This beautiful flat cozily named the “Snug” is a small suite with a kitchen, front garden access, free wi-fi, and a park nearby. This flat is only 15 minutes away from the Tube and is close to the O2 and Wembley Stadium. This flat is only $88 a night or $743 for one week.  

Where To Eat in London 

My best recommendation for staying on budget when traveling is to balance eating out with eating at the hotel or Airbnb. Eating out for three meals a day can add up so quickly. Before you get to your destination, decide how often you want to eat out while you are there and how often you want to eat in. For me, I choose to eat out around 2-3 times per week when traveling. If you stay at an Airbnb, it is super easy to eat in more. London has lots of great grocery stores that are very affordable. You can also get day-old sandwiches for 90p.

Dishoom 

This restaurant needs to be on the Michelin Star list. It is genuinely that good. Dishoom is a vibey, vintage-inspired Bombay-style Indian restaurant that has three locations in London. They have a location in King’s Cross, Covent Garden, and Carnaby. Each dish is truly magnificent, and this is a place I would say is a must-try on your trip to London. Appetizers start at 3 pounds and main dishes start at $9! This is also a great place to get a budget-friendly breakfast. You can get their bacon naan roll for only €8 or their Parsi omelette for €8.30.  

Sonora Taqueria 

Sonora Taqueria serves seriously good Mexican food. Their tacos are only $4 pounds, and their quesadillas are an affordable $5. Get a bean taco for some extra fiber for only $1. 

Roti King 

Roti King makes fresh Singaporean and Malaysian street food that is delicious and budget friendly. Roti King was voted one of the 20 best restaurants in London. All their food is between $8-11 pounds.  

Bun House 

Bun House is the place to go if you’re craving a steamy, Cantonese style bun that is less than $3 pounds for a bun. Their four bun combo is only $10 pounds! 

Pie Dealers 

Pie Dealers is a vegan British pie shop in Camden market. For a filling British pie that is vegan, you can get it for less than $4 pounds. 

Golden Union 

Golden Union is a must go-to if you want some classic fish and chips. They are famous for their fish and chips. You can get a classic thing of fish and chips for less than $15. 

Intermission Coffee 

Intermission coffee has amazing coffee and great pastries. They have freshly made pastries each day, too. You can go and get a coffee for under $3 dollars. 

108 Brasserie Pantry 

Having an afternoon tea in London is a must-do. Afternoon teas are one of my favorite things, and 108 Brasserie Pantry’s cream tea will soon become one of your favorites. Their cream tea is under €10 and includes tea, scones, fresh cream, and jam. 

What To Do in London 

Tower of London 

The Tower of London has so much history to it. The White Tower was built in 1078. We visited the Tower of London last summer and it was one of my favorite spots. They have free tours at the Tower of London each day included in their ticket prices by the Yeoman Warders or “Beefeaters”. This was my favorite part of the visit. The ticket cost is €34.80. It is free to walk around the outside wall of the Tower of London. 

The National Gallery 

The National Gallery is a free art museum located in Trafalger Square. It is always free to the public. They have amazing artwork there and artists such as Jan van Eyck, Leonardo da Vinci, and Vincent Van Gogh. 

The Royal Opera House 

The Royal Opera House has an amazing Live at Lunch program where artists from the Royal Opera House or Royal Ballet perform. This is an amazing free performance program available to all every Friday starting March 8 and ending May 31. I attended it last year and it was one of my favorite spots to visit. Learn more here.  

Go to 221B 

If you’re a fan of Sherlock Holmes going to see 221B Baker street in London is must-see. Wear your favorite trench coat and take some cute pictures.  

Daunt Books 

Daunt books is an iconic bookshop located on Marylebone High street in London. It’s an Edwardian style bookshop with high ceilings and dark wood bookshelves. You could spend an entire day in here just looking through the books. 

Columbia Road Flower Market 

Columbia Road Flower Market is a flower lovers haven. The Columbia Road flower market is only open on Sunday’s. After 2pm you can normally find better deals on the flowers. Columbia Road flower market also has lots of cute permanent shops to visit.  

Hyde Park 

Hyde Park is a beautiful park in the heart of Westminster. You can walk through the 350-acre park and see sights such as Speakers Corner, the Princess Diana of Whales Memorial Fountain, and Serpentine Lake. There’s lots of cafes and restaurants you can sit down at and enjoy the beauty of the park.  

St James Park 

St. James Park is a beautiful, royal wildlife sanctuary within the center of London. St. James Park is close to Buckingham Palace. You can see King Charle’s swans here and other wildlife. St. James Park is well worth the stroll. 

Buckingham Palace 

Buckingham Palace is a royal residence of the British monarchy. Buckingham Palace is a stunning palace that you need to see. It is also free to walk around outside the gates. You can see the changing of the guard every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday at 10:45 a.m. 

British Museum 

The British Museum can be an all-day activity. There is so much history to see there. The British Museum’s permanent exhibits are always free to visit.  

Camden Market 

Camden Market is a large market that has over 1,000 stalls from things ranging from vintage clothes to amazing food. Camden Market is a must-see for your London trip. 

Trafalger Square 

Trafalger Square is a plaza in Westminster named after Britain’s victory in the Battle of Trafalger in 1805. Trafalger Square is surrounded by museums and other cultural attractions. 

Big Ben 

Big Ben is the clock tower in the Palace of Westminster. It is definitely a must-see on your trip to London. 

British Library 

The British Library is one of the biggest libraries in the world and houses many important texts such as the Magna Carta, religious texts, and literary manuscripts. The British Library is completely free to enter.  

1 Week Example Budget for London 

Spending a week in London doesn’t have to break the bank! Here’s an example budget that I am using for my upcoming trip! We do have Hyatt points so we will be staying at a Hyatt hotel, so that is around $800 we will not be spending. I will be doing an article on how to travel for free with points soon.  

Food: $20-30 a day for a budget friendly option. This includes having some meals and snacks at the grocery and having a coffee or meal out each day. 

Transportation: My best budget friendly transportation trip is to walk everywhere. If it’s a 30-minute walk or less just walk to the location. One benefit of this is getting to see more of London. For an Oyster card and 1 week of using it, this would probably cost anywhere from $30-50 dollars. 

Accommodation: Accommodation will cost anywhere from $200-350 for a dorm bed in a hostel to $800 for a budget-friendly hotel. I found some Airbnb’s that were around $400 a week. If you value your privacy, I would recommend getting an Airbnb or renting a room on Airbnb. 

Sightseeing: This one varies so much based on what you want to see and if you want to go inside places or just see the outside of some of these places. Based on this list, you will probably spend anywhere from $20-100 on this section. 

Total cost for one week: 

The total cost for one week staying in London comes to anywhere from $445-570 if you stay at a hostel or private room in an Airbnb to $1160 if you stay at a private hotel and are not sharing the cost of accommodations with a travel partner. As you can see visiting London can be as budget friendly as you make it! You could even make it more budget friendly if you were travelling with a partner and shared a private room in an Airbnb.