A trip to the United Kingdom is a rite of passage for any Kiwi traveller. Between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Island, the UK has plenty for you to spend your newly acquired Pounds on that’s for sure. Whether you want to have a bath in Bath or watch an Ashes game at Lords, the UK has plenty enough for the discerning Kiwi traveller.

But how does one begin planning a trip to the old motherland?

If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve got the method right here for you so you can spend more time planning the fun stuff than worrying about your bank balance.

What goes into a travel budget?

Transport

The big Kahuna for any trip to the UK are the flights. We couldn’t be any further from the UK if we tried, and the result is a painstaking process of multiple flights, tallying up to at least 24 hours and close to $2000 of precious NZD. Spare a though for travellers in the 50’s when it sometimes took up to 2 weeks to reach old Blighty!

Getting around the UK can eat into the travel kitty a bit too, the London taxis don’t go easy on the hip pocket and if you’re doing any longer legs on the trains they can add up pretty quickly too. Make sure you research the places you want to go and how to get there to avoid transport bill shock when you arrive.

Accommodation

You’re going to need a place to crash, and while couch surfing is a great way to meet people and wake up on a stranger’s couch a few thousand miles from home, it’s not the most comfortable way of travelling. Whether you’re looking to cut costs by staying in backpacker hostels or you’re going to be living large in one of the many palaces, don’t forget to write it all down and plan, plan, plan.

Food

I can already taste that Sunday roast with all the trimmings. Comfort food galore abounds in the UK and there’s no shortage of food to blow your newly acquired Pounds on, that’s for sure. We’re not here to judge, so if you plan on eating 2 pies and chips for breakfast every morning that’s your decision, we’re just here to make sure you budget for it.

Activities

You’re not flying across the world to sit in your hotel room scrolling through Instagram all day are you? How are you supposed to make everyone stuck at work jealous doing that? Think of any entrance fees to attractions, museums or parks you’re thinking of visiting and add it all up.

Other pre-departure budget expenses

You’re going on holiday, so it’s totally ok to have a splurge too. Just make sure you leave spare room in the budget for any off the cuff spending sprees or souvenir shopping for your favourite Uncle. Don’t forget your travel insurance as well, if you can’t afford insurance, you can’t afford to travel.

How much does a UK trip cost?

Don’t you wish there was a magical holiday planning fairy that would take your NZD and convert it to how much you’ll need for your UK adventure? It’s more robot than fairy, but we put a bunch of them together and created the Holiday Budget Calculator. Using a super complex algorithm combining Numbeo data and our exchange rates, we can translate your budget into any currency with the click of a button.

Strap yourself in for our super easy 5 step program to getting your budget ready!

Step 1

Begin by filling out some quick details:

1. Enter in where you’re off to
2. Pick your travel style
3. Put in your length of trip
4. Choose your currency NZD/GBP

Step 2

is where you let the holiday planning robots know just how many coffees you plan on having, how many warm beers you desire and how often you plan on eating out. Nobody is judging you here, this is all about putting everything down that you can think of so there’s no surprises.

Step 3

is perfect if you’re planning on doing a bit of shopping with your newly acquired Pounds and I’m sure there are a few people at home expecting a souvenir. Add it all in, the magical budget planner knows how much clothes cost and there’s even a handy little spot for you to add in some emergency funds just in case.

Step 4

now we know you’re probably just getting over forking out the big bucks for your flight, but the smaller transport on the ground can still add up very quickly, especially if you spend any amount of time in a London cab.

Step 5

now you’ve done all the hard stuff it’s time for the calculator to do it’s thing. This is where you relax and the budget planner tool spits out the estimated cost of all the travel related items you put in. Doesn’t look right? Have another go. Keep in mind that these are the most basic expenses. Don’t forget to add in travel insurance, other daily expenses like food and drinks, sightseeing, activities and leave some extra room in the kitty for any shopping sprees and emergencies too!

UK Holiday Examples

The couples retreat

Transport	$1500pp flights, $515 car hire	Auckland to Manchester return flights + 7 days of compact car hire
Accommodation	$1850 twin share for 9 nights	Mid range hotel
Food	$1300 for both	All meals out and a few fancy dinner dates
Activities	$515 each	You'll want to check our the Harry Potteer Universal Tour
Total	$7180

The family getaway

Transport	$4700 for 2 adults, 2 kids	Auckland to London return
Accommodation	$2060 for 13 nights	Self contained apartment to save on meals out
Food	$100 a day for food & drink
Activities	From $800 for a 6 day London explorer pass	Save on taxis with a hop on hop off pass
Total	$8960

The solo wanderer

Transport	$1350pp	Auckland to London return
Accommodation	$1530pp	For a 7 day UK Topdeck tour
Food	$515pp	For meals not included
Activities	$205pp	For any activities not included
Total	$3600pp

Some final tips for the road

• Budgeting doesn’t have to be a dirty word. It might not be the most fun part of your holiday, but it is one of the most important parts.
• Research your ‘per day’ budget and include the things you really want to do. Once you know the costs, you have a goal to save for and some flexibility to work with
• Most things are cheaper to book in advance (especially if you’re going near peak times) but some things can be cheaper to purchase in the US
• Don’t forget to factor in your pre-travel costs (e.g. travel insurance, immunisations and visas).
• Budget for cheap eats some days so you can treat yourself on others.
• Don’t forget other cheeky costs like airport transfers, tours and tipping

Flight costs based on search from www.flightcentre.co.nz and are indicative costs only, based on prices available on 02 September 2019. ^Accommodation costs are based on an average per night price for budget, moderate or luxury hotels, as indicated in the table. ~Food based on the average cost of 1 coffee, 1 fast food meal and 1restaurant meal per person, per day. 
COST COMPARISON TABLE: All costs are based on estimated approximate costs from major metropolitan cities. “From” costs indicate costs that start from the indicated price and may be higher than shown. Average prices indicate a typical estimated cost you would pay for the indicated item. Prices may vary from time to time, and in different cities and towns within the UK.

This blog is provided for information only and does not take into consideration your objectives, financial situation or needs.  You should consider whether the information and suggestions contained in any blog entry are appropriate for you, having regard to your own objectives, financial situation and needs.  While we take reasonable care in providing the blog, we give no warranties or representations that it is complete or accurate, or is appropriate for you.  We are not liable for any loss caused, whether due to negligence or otherwise, arising from use of, or reliance on, the information and/or suggestions contained in this blog.