Plenty of Brits have felt the squeeze of the ongoing cost of living crisis. Consequently, holiday budgets have been revised and reduced, with lots of us switching flights abroad for a staycation in the UK.
Despite this, high inflation means that even a short break at home can become expensive. Luckily, the experts at Savoo have researched the most affordable, must-visit cities for a UK city break.
Those planning an autumn touring holiday who aren’t sure on a destination should look no further for inspiration. With cities across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland featuring, there’s certainly something for everyone.
For each city, this list factors in the number of free attractions, the average cost of a coffee and meal, the price to park your vehicle for a day and even how ‘Instagrammable’ it is – or in other words, how many hashtags it’s garnered on the platform.
The UK’s most affordable city staycations
Coming in first place is the hometown of The Beatles – Liverpool. The city topped the chart based on its plethora of museums and art galleries, making up a whopping 100 total free attractions.
While this is less than second-place London’s 186 free attractions, the Merseyside city’s average parking cost of £9.66 is a lot more appealing than in the capital, where dropping your leisure vehicle off for the day could set you back £51.39 on average.
Taking the bronze medal is Derry and, if parking is your biggest concern, you’ll be pleased to hear there’s no charge here! Northern Ireland’s only fully intact historic walled city is small and walkable, packed with things to see and do that don’t require you to splash the cash.
Notable additions to the top ten list include Wells, Nottingham, Stirling and Manchester, with the latter boasting over 18 million Instagram hashtags – the second highest of all studied, making it a top destination for tourists looking to take some great pictures.
Read on for the full list of the UK’s most affordable city staycations.
| City | Number of free attractions | Cost of a coffee | Average cost of a meal | Cost to park your car (daily) | Number of accommodation options £100 and under | Number of Instagram hashtags |
| Liverpool | 100 | £2.88 | £15.00 | £9.66 | 97 | 16,463,627 |
| London | 186 | £3.47 | £20.00 | £51.39 | 102 | 158,467,876 |
| Derry | 11 | £2.32 | £10.13 | £0.00 | 5 | 516,981 |
| Wells | 47 | £3.00 | £10.00 | £4.14 | 34 | 351,068 |
| Nottingham | 95 | £3.13 | £12.00 | £12.99 | 35 | 3,791,319 |
| Stirling | 56 | £2.75 | £12.00 | £3.84 | 3 | 580,346 |
| Durham | 80 | £2.75 | £13.50 | £9.42 | 11 | 3,116,201 |
| Stratford-upon-Avon | 73 | £2.75 | £13.50 | £13.25 | 8 | 452,827 |
| York | 34 | £2.92 | £14.00 | £22.19 | 55 | 4,978,588 |
| Manchester | 53 | £3.24 | £15.00 | £28.72 | 70 | 18,361,398 |
Image credit: Miroslav / Pexels
