Most popular cities for a short breaks cost in excess of $500 per day

Most popular cities to take a short break in cost in excess of $500 per day. Photo / Getty Images

A new study from a student travel company, Rustic Pathways, has revealed the 10 most popular cities for a short break, with an insight as to how much it could cost you.

City breaks can be more affordable if you already know someone who lives there, such as a friend who can lend a sofa for the night, but they get expensive when you have to cover everything required for a weekend away.

For many of us, travelling to a new city is just that. New. We don’t have the insight to navigate the city like a savvy local and we must pay for accommodation, meals, sightseeing and more.

As inflation continues to rise, the cost of living has continued to increase too - and it’s taking a toll on how we holiday.

Rustic Pathways chief executive Shayne Fitz-Coy says: “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.”

Their study provides a comprehensive view of the most sought-after cities for travellers and ranks the cities with affordable options.

The rankings were based on the median cost of a room in a mid-range hotel, the average price of three meals at a budget restaurant, the cost of alcoholic beverages, local transportation fares and tips.

After calculating these expenses, the cities were ranked from the least to the most expensive.

For Kiwis, these key findings could help towards budgeting for your next holiday, particularly if you’re looking to travel overseas and want to include a few city stays in your itinerary.

Berlin is the cheapest on the list, for $445 a night. Photo / 123rf

10 cities for a mini-break, from least to most expensive

The following prices take into account the average cost of one day in the city, including a room in a mid-range hotel, three meals at budget restaurants, alcoholic beverages, local transport and tips.

10. Berlin: $445

The least expensive city on the list is the beautiful German capital. Explore the city for about $445 for a one-day budget. You might think that’s a lot of money, but in comparison, three nights in Berlin is nearly three times as much. However, Berlin does have the most expensive food costs on the list; an estimated whopping $92 a day.

9. Madrid: $500

Explore the beautiful landmarks of Spain’s largest city, such as the Plaza Mayor, the Royal Palace of Madrid; the Royal Theatre, the Buen Retiro Park, and Spain’s historical archives and spend about $500 for a day. Madrid is also inexpensive compared to others on the list, with hotel rooms at just $278 and average meals at $62.

8. Tokyo: $560

Tokyo is the only Asian city on the list, and it proves to be one of the best, but for a price. For a $560-a-day budget, you can explore the city of anime, electronics, and video games - a jungle of all things innovative and electric. Not wonder it costs a dime.

Explore the innovative city of Tokyo, for $560 per night. Photo / 123rf

7. Barcelona: $565

Barcelona is a sure-fire hit with tourists, even to the point locals and the government have purposely hidden a bus route to let the locals commute in peace. At a $565-a-day budget, you can see Barcelona’s most beautiful landmarks and architecture, from Sagrada Familia to Park Guell to the infamous Picasso Museum. The accommodation makes it more expensive, but the good news is the city has the cheapest food for a budget traveller, with an average of $58.

6. Amsterdam: $621

At the midpoint of the list, it gets progressively more expensive. A trip to the set of the infamous John Green book, The Fault in Our Stars, will cost you $621 a day. More than half of that budget is just for accommodation since a room in the Dutch capital is about $366 on average. Make the most of your visit to Amsterdam by checking out free attractions in the area, such as The Vondelpark, the iconic Jordaan, and local museums and galleries.

One of the most sought-after cities in Europe, Amsterdam. Photo / 123rf

5. Rome: $635

It doesn’t come as a shock that The Eternal City is included in the list, since it is one of the places on most travellers’ bucket lists. It might be expensive, but the Italian capital does offer a lot of amazing experiences for tourists, from historic trips to the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine, visits to the museums and the Sistine Chapel, and of course a day’s trip to the much-loved Amalfi Coast and Pompeii. Like Amsterdam, the accommodation takes a big chunk out of the budget, but the other costs balance it out as food and transportation are more affordable.

4. London: $765

It’s no surprise that The Big Smoke sits on the more expensive half of the list since it’s very hard to find cheap accommodation options and attractions in London. An average tourist will spend about $800 a day, and it still doesn’t cover the costs of forking out for tourist attractions.

3. Dubai: $775

Are we even surprised Dubai sits in the top three? Branded as The Las Vegas of the Middle East, Dubai is undeniably one of the most expensive cities to visit. Even if you’re not going all-out, you’re still going to spend almost $800 on accommodation, transportation, and food alone. However, the good thing about Dubai is a lot of tourists who love sightseeing can enjoy the country’s most popular tourist hotspots for free, such as The Dubai Fountain and Marina Beach.

The city of Dubai is top three, with a $775 budget a night. Photo / 123rf

2. Paris: $925

Oh, City of Love, why do you have to be so hard on our wallets? The backdrop of countless romantic novels, films, songs, and the greatest tourist destination for romantics is not so loving when it comes to affordability. For an almost $1000 a day, Paris is the second-most expensive country to visit. You can only imagine the budget you’ll need for a week’s stay since the thousand-dollar budget is just for accommodation, food, and transportation and still doesn’t include the entrance fees at the city’s most famous attractions.

The city of love is too expensive, as Paris is the second-most expensive city to visit at $925 a night. Photo / 123rf

1. New York: $1140

When you think about a city, you think about New York. The Big Apple is home to corporate dreamers, broadway performers, and exceptional artists and fashionistas who aim to make a name for themselves. However, it could cost you over $1000 a day to make the most of it.

Unsurprisingly, the busy city of New York is the most expensive city to visit in a short break, with a $1140 a night budget. Photo / 123rf