Tokyo Is Third-Most Affordable City of the Top Ten Most Visited Cities Worldwide
By Luca Hogan
Journo Research
According to a new study, the cheapest of the world’s top ten most visited cities is Berlin, with a one-night city break costing $266 per person.
Student travel company Rustic Pathways investigated which of the world’s top ten most visited cities are the best value for a one-night stay per person. They did this by examining the median cost of a room in a mid-range hotel, the average price of breakfast, lunch, and dinner at a budget restaurant, the average spend on alcoholic beverages, the average spend on local transport, and the average spend on tips and handouts. A total cost was then calculated, and each city was ranked from the cheapest to the most expensive.
- Berlin has been named the cheapest of the most popular cities in the world, with a one-night city break costing $266 per person.
- Madrid is the second most affordable city, with a one-night trip costing a total of $298 per person.
- Tokyo ranks third, with a one-night break costing $338 per person.
- The study analyzed the cost of accommodation, local transport, food, alcohol, and tips in each of the world’s top ten most visited cities.
1. Berlin – total cost: $266
The capital of Germany has been named as having the best value for a one-night break out of the world’s most popular cities, with a one-night break costing a total of $266 per person.
The median cost for one night in a mid-range double-occupancy room is $138, which is the cheapest price compared to the other cities. The cost of meals at a budget restaurant is $56, which is the most expensive on the list. Average local transport costs for a day in Berlin will cost you $19.
2. Madrid – total cost: $298
The Spanish capital is the second most affordable popular city, with a one-night trip costing a total of $298 per person.
The median cost for one night in a mid-range double-occupancy room is $167, which is the third-cheapest price in the ranking. The cost of breakfast, lunch, and dinner at a budget restaurant is $37, and the average cost of local transport for a day is $20.
3. Tokyo – total cost: $338
The capital of Japan is the third most affordable of the world’s most visited cities, with the cost of a one-night stay per person totaling $338.
The median cost for a double-occupancy room in a mid-range hotel is $155, the second most affordable price on this list. The cost of breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a budget restaurant is $38. Local transport for a day will cost an average of $18, the second cheapest price compared to the other cities.
| City | Hotel ($) | Transport ($) | Food ($) | Entertainment ($) | Alcohol ($) | Tips and handouts ($) | Total ($) |
| Berlin | 138 | 19 | 56 | 24 | 27 | 2 | 266 |
| Madrid | 167 | 20 | 37 | 37 | 32 | 5 | 298 |
| Tokyo | 155 | 18 | 38 | 69 | 50 | 8 | 338 |
| Barcelona | 208 | 21 | 35 | 36 | 28 | 12 | 340 |
| Amsterdam | 221 | 21 | 47 | 40 | 38 | 7 | 374 |
| Rome | 192 | 23 | 51 | 39 | 30 | 48 | 383 |
| London | 310 | 32 | 43 | 41 | 29 | 6 | 461 |
| Dubai | 340 | 13 | 56 | 19 | 34 | 3 | 465 |
| Paris | 327 | 23 | 45 | 84 | 40 | 38 | 557 |
| New York | 350 | 49 | 50 | 180 | 44 | 14 | 687 |
4. Barcelona – total cost: $340
The popular Spanish city has been named the fourth-best value city, with a one-night break costing a total of $340 per person.
The median cost for one night in a mid-range double-occupancy room is $208. The cost of a day’s meals at a budget restaurant is $35. Average local transport costs for a day in Barcelona will cost you $21.
5. Amsterdam – total cost: $374
The Netherlands’ capital concludes the top five of the most affordable popular cities, with a one-night trip costing a total of $374 per person.
The median cost for one night in a mid-range double-occupancy room is $221. The cost of breakfast, lunch, and dinner at a budget restaurant is $47, and the average cost of local transport for a day is $21.
6. Rome – total cost: $383
The capital of Italy is the sixth cheapest most visited city, with a one-night trip costing a total of $383 per person. The city has the third most expensive food, with three meals from a budget restaurant costing $51.
7. London – total cost: $461
London, the capital of the UK, is the seventh cheapest city, with the cost of a one-night stay totaling $461 per person. London has the third-cheapest alcohol, with a person spending an average of $27 on alcohol during a one-night trip.
8. Dubai – total cost: $465
The eighth most affordable popular city is Dubai, with a one-night break costing a total of $465 per person.The UAE city has the second most expensive mid-range double occupancy rooms, with a one-night stay costing $340 on average.
9. Paris – total cost: $557
The French capital takes the penultimate place in the ranking, with a one-night stay costing a total of $557 per person. Paris has the second most expensive entertainment, with an average person spending $84 per day.
10. New York – total cost: $687
NYC rounds out the top ten, with a one-night break costing a total of $687 per person. The Big Apple has the most expensive mid-range double occupancy rooms, with a one-night stay costing $350, and the most expensive entertainment, with an average daily spend per person of $180.
Shayne Fitz-Coy, CEO ofRustic Pathways, commented on the findings:
“With the cost of living having risen dramatically over recent years for many countries, many will still want a holiday abroad, but will be looking to spend less than they usually would. A short-haul city break is a great option for potential holidaymakers who want to visit new places but spend a bit less.
“This study provides a clear insight into the cities that people want to visit, with Europe dominating, and which of these cities are not going to break the bank.
“If someone is looking for a break with plenty of sightseeing, then Dubai is a good option for them, with many of the country’s most popular tourist hotspots being free to the public, such as the Dubai Fountain and Marina Beach. Or if a tourist doesn’t want to overspend on food, then Barcelona is a great option, with the average visitor spending only $35 on food across a one-night break.”
Sources: Budget Your Trip, Top Ten Most Visited Cities
Methodology: The top ten most visited cities in the world were included in the study.
The prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers, such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, and Viator, were analyzed to find the median price of a budget hotel for one night.
The average price of local transport for a day was calculated using prices from a variety of popular local transport options: taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
The average spend on meals was calculated based on budget restaurant breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
The average cost of alcoholic drinks bought in a day was found.
The most common amount given in the form of tips or handouts to guides or service providers was found for each city, and the average spend on these was found.
The total cost for each city was calculated and ranked from the cheapest to the most expensive.
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