iGotTripLondon Couple Trip Budget
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
Group Size Comparison
| Group Size | Total | Per Person | Per Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo Traveler | £2,029 | £2,029 | £406 |
| Couple | £3,467 | £1,734 | £693 |
| Family of 4 | £6,344 | £1,586 | £1,269 |
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 Couple 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.
Is London safe for solo travelers?
London is safe for solo travelers — stick to well-lit Tube routes at night and watch for pickpockets around Oxford Street and Camden Market. Hostels in Bloomsbury or Shoreditch are central and sociable. The Night Tube runs on key lines on weekends.
Best family-friendly areas in London?
The free museums (Science, Natural History), London Zoo, and Harry Potter Studio Tour are family favorites. Stay near South Kensington or Bloomsbury for walkable museums and Hyde Park playgrounds.
Couple trip budget tips for London?
Book a Bloomsbury or South Bank hotel 2-3 months out, share contactless tap-to-pay transit caps, and picnic in Hyde Park with M&S food. Splurge on one West End show via the TKTS booth in Leicester Square for discounts.