iGotTripLondon 5-Day Trip Budget Calculator
London is a city of free wins hiding behind premium prices: world-class museums cost nothing, contactless tap-to-pay caps daily transit fees automatically, and a £6 meal deal from any supermarket is a local lunchtime institution. Our 2026 preset reflects real London costs — high floor, smart workarounds.
Category Breakdown
Travel Style Comparison
£1,990
£995 per person
£3,467
£1,734 per person
£6,805
£3,402 per person
Sample 5-Day Itinerary & Daily Budget
- £1,757
Day 1: Arrival & South Bank
- Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express
- Tate Modern (free)
- South Bank walk to Westminster
✈️ Flight £1,343🏨 Accommodation £134🍱 Food £118🚃 Transport £34🎫 Activities £31☕ Cafe £34💰 Buffer £63 - £477
Day 2: Westminster & free museums
- Big Ben & Parliament
- British Museum (free)
- Covent Garden street acts
🏨 Accommodation £134🍱 Food £118🚃 Transport £34🎫 Activities £94☕ Cafe £34💰 Buffer £63 - £477
Day 3: Royals & parks
- Buckingham Palace changing of guard
- Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens
- Natural History Museum (free)
🏨 Accommodation £134🍱 Food £118🚃 Transport £34🎫 Activities £94☕ Cafe £34💰 Buffer £63 - £478
Day 4: Markets & Tower
- Borough Market lunch
- Tower of London
- Camden or Portobello (weekend)
🏨 Accommodation £135🍱 Food £118🚃 Transport £34🎫 Activities £94☕ Cafe £34💰 Buffer £63 - £278
Day 5: Final sights & departure
- Sky Garden (free, book ahead)
- M&S food gifts
- Airport departure
🍱 Food £121🚃 Transport £38🎫 Activities £19☕ Cafe £38💰 Buffer £63
London Budget FAQ
Is this budget accurate?
It's a reference estimate based on typical category prices by travel style. Actual costs vary with season, exchange rate, and personal habits. Use it as a starting point and edit any line.
How is the budget calculated?
We multiply per-night accommodation by (days - 1), per-day categories by total days, and flight by travelers. A buffer percentage is added as a separate category.
Are flights included?
Yes — a preset round-trip flight per person is included. You can edit the amount to match your actual booking.
Is my data stored when I share?
No server storage. The budget is encoded into the URL hash. Anyone with the link sees the same numbers. Don't enter personal information.
Can I export to Excel?
Yes. Click the Excel button to download a .xlsx file with summary and category breakdown.
Does it work on mobile?
Yes, the planner is mobile-first and works in any modern mobile browser.
Do I need to log in?
No login required. The tool runs entirely in your browser.
How much does a London trip cost?
A 5-day standard-style London trip for 2 runs about £3,467 total. London is among the priciest cities we cover — accommodation is the dominant cost, so booking 2-3 months out matters.
Are London museums really free?
Yes — the British Museum, Natural History Museum, Tate Modern, National Gallery, V&A, and Science Museum are all free to enter, funded publicly. Special exhibitions charge, but the permanent collections are genuinely free.
Should I get an Oyster card or just tap?
Just tap a contactless card or phone — TfL applies the same daily and weekly caps as Oyster automatically, and you avoid the £7 card fee. Avoid paper single tickets, which cost far more.
What's the cheapest way to eat in London?
The supermarket meal deal — a main, snack, and drink for about £3.50-£6 at Tesco, Sainsbury's, M&S, or Waitrose — is a London institution. Borough Market and Brick Lane offer great £8-12 lunches. Pubs do pie-and-a-pint deals midweek.