London is the cheapest capital city in Western Europe. Yes, you read that right!
Though Londoners moan about the cost of living and visitors are fleeced £20 for a rickshaw ride and a fiver a pint in a central pub, overall, London trumps its pricier continental cousins.
London moved up one slot in this year’s PriceRunner.co.uk list (overtaking Spain) and now ranks as the fifth cheapest European city, behind Warsaw (Poland), Budapest (Hungary), Prague (Czech Republic ) and Vilnius, (Lithuania).
Shoppers hitting London's Oxford Street may be able to afford more than they think
London beat Lisbon (Portugal), Vienna (Austria) Dublin (Ireland) and Copenhagen (Denmark) – which unsurprisingly was the only Scandinavian country in the top 10. Now in its 11th year, the annual comparison measured basic items such as milk, bus tickets and petrol, as well as popular consumer items such as the iPad and mobile phones.
Visitors heading to the UK capital this season to enjoy the festive markets, slightly odd Marmite Christmas lights and ice rinks will also be able to bag a few bargains for their loved ones’ stockings.
For example, the new iPad is a steal at £399 in London, compared with a whopping £1,066.45 in Paris. And Lancome’s Hypnose black mascara sets you back just £21 in a London department store, compared to £31.39 in Oslo.
[Related: Best value world destination revealed]
On a worldwide scale, London doesn’t seem such good value, beaten by New York, San Francisco and unexpectedly, Dubai. But if you’re planning a romantic getaway to Paris or Rome, make sure you pack a big wad of Euros as they all ranked in the top 10 most expensive cities.
Top 10 cheapest cities
1. Mumbai, India
2. Bangkok, Thailand
3. New York, USA
4. Warszawa, Poland
5. Cape Town, South Africa
6. San Francisco, USA
7. Shanghai, China
8. Budapest, Hungary
9. Prague, Czech Republic
10. Dubai, UAE
Top 10 most expensive cities
1. Sydney, Australia
2. Oslo, Norge
3. Tokyo, Japan
4. Sao Paulo, Brazil
5. Buenos Aires, Argentina
6. Stockholm, Sweden
7. Helsinki, Finland
8. Paris, France
9. Madrid, Spain
10. Rome, Italy
Are you going anywhere over the festive season? Make us jealous on Twitter – @YahooTravelUK.
