the best cities for a night out in the UK & abroad
After 16 months of closure, nightclubs nationwide have finally reopened, and whether you’re a student on a budget or just feeling the pinch after countless lockdowns, you’ll know that clubbing costs can add up fast.
It’s no secret that party-essentials like drinks, an outfit and affordable jewellery can rack up a premium in some cities more than others, but which parts of the UK are the most budget-friendly?
To help you choose the best destination for your next evening on the town, we investigated the price of a cute new dress, haircut, cocktail, club ticket, taxi ride and a hotel room for the night in UK cities and abroad.
We’ll reveal just how expensive a night out in your city is compared to the rest of the nation, so you can see how much you could save by partying in a different place.
We’ll also give you the rundown on how your hometown compares to top overseas nightlife destinations like Spain and the USA.
the UK’s cheapest city for a night out: Stoke-on-Trent
Our research reveals that club-goers in Stoke-on-Trent get the most bang for their buck. This city ranked not only as the UK’s cheapest destination for nightlife, but beat budget party-destinations like Thailand and Brazil!
We found the cost of a new outfit in Stoke will only set you back £16 while you can get a cut and blow dry for just £27.50.
The prices even stay low once you’re ready to go out – at an average £35 for 5 cocktails you’ll be paying below the national average for an evening of making memories.
With one of the lowest priced taxi fares across the UK, you could get to the nightclub and back for under £10! While some clubs charge just £5.50 for entry on a saturday, Stoke-on-Trent is the top destination for anyone who enjoys a night out for less.
However, if you’re not local to Staffordshire you shouldn’t be put off, as it would only cost £98 to stay the night – the third cheapest in the UK!
the UK’s most expensive city for a night out: London
If anywhere in the UK is clubbing heaven, it’s London. with world-class massive nightclubs and underground basement venues there’s no shortage of music and dancing in England’s capital.
Yet, variety comes at a price – it’s probably equally unsurprising that London ranked as the most expensive UK city to party. A club-ready outfit will cost Londoners around £29, and it’s an extra £65 if you’re considering getting a new trim. That’s a whopping £94 before the night has even begun!
The numbers keep racking up – 5 cocktails to keep you going all night can cost around £55.
The real kicker, however, is at the club door, where you could end up forking out £29 just to get in! We found the taxi fare into the city and back could cost around £17.
Crashing overnight is a cost best shared with friends – we found an overnight stay in a hotel would cost £213, the most expensive in the country!
the cheapest country for a night out in the world: Thailand
Although there’s no shortage of perks to nightclubs at home, are Brits paying more than the rest of the globe to have a good time?
Our data reveals that the world’s cheapest clubbing destination overall is Thailand. from the world-famous beach bars to drunken full moon parties – Thai nightlife undoubtedly has a reputation for being wild.
Though, it’s just as cheap as it is memorable. we found that a new dress in Thailand would cost around £20 (฿932.43 | $27.53 | €23.84) and it’s just £14 (฿658.16 | $19.43 | €16.83) if you’re looking to refresh your hairstyle.
As the night goes on, the numbers stay low. in most bars, you can find 5 cocktails for under £25 (฿1,141.82 | $33.70 | €29.18) – making Britain’s prices look extortionate in comparison!
The average taxi ride to a club and home would cost holiday-goers around £8.
For those considering taking a trip, Thailand has the second most affordable hotel prices. a room in Thailand would cost around £84 per night, beaten only by Czechia.
The world’s most expensive country for a night out: USA
Known for being a paradise of arts, foods and music, each city across the States takes on a totally different atmosphere at night, leaving little to be desired by club-goers.
If you’re in search of variety then look no further, however budget-conscious partiers may choose to avoid this nightlife destination as it is ranked as the most expensive in the world!
A new dress costs on average £27, while a haircut could add an astonishing £88 to your bill!
The prices of drinks and taxis match up to what Brits are paying, costing around £44 for a night of cocktails and £12 for a taxi to the bar and home.
The average double hotel room in the US costs just under £190, the most dear out of all our overseas destinations! The only cities with higher priced hotel rooms were London and Glasgow, where staying overnight could cost £200 and £300!
the cheapest UK cities in each category
the cheapest city for a dress: Stoke-on-Trent
A night out is not complete without a stunning new outfit to help you feel your best, so for many this is a deciding factor on where to party for less. In Stoke-on-Trent you can look amazing without breaking the bank, costing on average £16 for a dress.
the cheapest city for a haircut: Stoke-on-Trent
it’s essential to tidy up before a night on the town – in Stoke-on-Trent you can find a women’s cut and blow-dry for as little as £27.50!
the cheapest city for cocktails: Coventry
At £30 for an evening of cocktails, Coventry is officially one of the UK’s best cities to ball on a budget. In the third spot on our UK list, this city is one of the nation’s cheapest night-out destinations.
the cheapest city for a club entry: Edinburgh
An evening on the town is not complete without a trip to a nightclub. When club entry in some cities can cost almost £30, this expense can put a dent in your purse. in Edinburgh you can find a Saturday night ticket for just £4.90.
the cheapest city for a hotel room: Hull
For those considering travelling for their next weekend out, it’s crucial to consider how much it will cost to stay the night. An overnight stay in a double hotel room is cheapest in Hull at just £90 on average.
the cheapest city for a taxi: Stoke-on-Trent, Kingston Upon Hull, Leeds and Liverpool
These northern cities have the cheapest taxi fares across the nation, which could save your feet from an agonising walk home at the end of the night!
the cheapest countries in each category
the cheapest country for a dress: Thailand
When choosing where to plan a night-out, your outfit is one of the top priorities. The cheapest party-destination in the world also has the most affordable average dress price.
the cheapest country for a haircut: Argentina
Argentina is the clear winner in this category, where a women’s cut and blow-dry can cost as little as £9.70. as the fourth-cheapest country for a night-out, you might consider booking a trip!
the cheapest country for a hotel room: Thailand
If you’re travelling abroad for your night-out, you will need a place to stay. The average double hotel room in Thailand costs just under £84 leaving you more money to spend on having fun.
the cheapest country for a taxi: Brazil
Known for dancing and carnivals, this country has been dubbed Latin America’s nightlife capital. Brazil has the cheapest taxi fares out of all the party-loving countries we studied. A 10km trip would cost only £4.80, saving you a walk home in heels!
methodology
We took a list of the UK’s top clubbing and student cities, and the world’s top party countries.
We used Expatisan to discover the average price of a cocktail in a downtown bar, and Numbeo to find the cost of a 1km taxi ride and price of a summer dress. With these costs, we then multiplied them to account for a night on the town, with 5 cocktails and a 10km taxi journey to account for a trip there and back.
To find the price of a haircut, we used the search term “hairdresser (city)” and took the price of a women’s cut and blow dry by the cheapest stylist, from the highest rated salon in each city and country.
To determine the price of nightclub entry tickets, we used the search term “nightclub (city)” to find the highest rated club in each UK city. We then took the price of a final release ticket, including booking fees, for a Saturday event.
We found the average price of a double room for one night in a hotel from Kayak, for each city and country.