2 Days in London with Kids Budget: Honest Breakdown of Every Dollar

“How much did you spend in London?” It’s the question I get asked most when people find out we lived near London for years, and the honest answer? Our London budget for 2 days with kids came to £1,454.66 (about $1,847). But here’s what really matters: what that money actually bought us.

And the answer everyone wants? A number.

Want More Honest London Tips?

Join our email list for real itineraries, budget breakdowns, and honest stories about what actually works when traveling with kids.

Submit

However, the problem with that number: our “budget” London weekend looks nothing like someone else’s luxury trip. The family eating at Pret A Manger every meal spends differently than the family hitting Michelin-recommended restaurants (guilty). The people staying in a hostel have different costs than those booking a family room at a hotel.

So instead of giving you a useless average, I’m giving you exactly what we spent on our last London trip.

This is our complete 2 days in London with kids budget breakdown.

Every. Single. Expense.

Hotel, transport, attractions, food (including that £131 dinner at a Michelin-recommended restaurant), coffee, ice cream, souvenirs. All of it.

You can see what we prioritized, where we splurged, where we saved, and decide what works for YOUR family.

Want the full experience? This post covers the money. For the stories, the mishaps, and what we actually thought of everything, read our complete 48-hour London guide with age-specific recommendations, realistic time estimates, and honest reviews of every attraction.

📍 Quick Navigation

• Planning Your Trip:
  • Trip Overview – Quick stats on our trip
  • Budget Summary – Where the money went (with percentages)
  • Lodging Breakdown – £469 (32% of budget)
  • Attractions Breakdown – £331 (23% of budget)
  • Transport Breakdown – £193 (13% of budget)
  • Food Breakdown – £462 (32% of budget)
  • 2 Days in London with Kids Budget Comparison – How we stack up
  • Real Cost Per Person – What £121/person/day actually gets you
• Our Experience:
  • Day-by-Day Itinerary – Where we went, what we spent each day
  • What We Splurged On – Where the money went (and if it was worth it)
  • What We’d Do Differently – Lessons learned for next time
• Tips & Advice:
  • Money-Saving Tips – Strategies that actually worked
  • Restaurant Reviews – Honest reviews from Michelin to casual dining
  • FAQ – Your budget questions answered
  • The Bottom Line – Is London worth this cost?

Before we dive into the detailed breakdown, keep this in mind: our London budget reflects a mid-range travel style. We weren’t staying in hostels or eating at McDonald’s every meal, but we also weren’t dropping £500/night on hotels or taking taxis everywhere. This is what a realistic London budget looks like when you want real experiences without going broke.

Quick Trip Overview

London Budget Summary: Where the Money Went

Here’s the big picture before we get into every receipt. This is where our £1,454.66 actually went:

Key Takeaways from Our London Budget

The biggest surprise? Food and lodging tied for our largest expenses at 32% each. Attractions (which included the London Eye, Royal Observatory, and two palaces) was only 23% of our total budget. Transport was the smallest category at just 13% – proof that London’s Oyster Card system really works.

Now let’s break down each category so you can see exactly where the money went:

Lodging: £468.77 Total (32% of Our London Budget)

The single biggest line item, but strategically chosen to save money overall.

Complete Breakdown:

How We Kept Our London Budget Low: The Greenwich Strategy

In fact, this was our biggest money-saving decision. Hotels in Zone 1 (central London) were running £450-600/night for a family room during peak season. Meanwhile, Greenwich (Zone 2) saved us roughly £900-1,350 over 3 nights.

The trade-off: Extra 15-20 minutes on the DLR to get to central London attractions. However, the DLR runs frequently, kids ride free, and honestly? Greenwich itself became one of our favorite parts of the trip.

Worth it? 100% yes. The location trade-off was minimal, and we saw everything we wanted to see.

Would we do it again? Absolutely. We’d book the same area (Greenwich or nearby) every time.

Attractions: £331.20 Total (23% of Our London Budget)

Four paid attractions plus souvenirs – and honestly, we could’ve spent way more here.

Complete Breakdown:

Historic Royal Palaces Membership: The Smart Buy

In hindsight, this was one of our best money decisions. For £125, we got access to both Tower of London (normally ~£75 for a family of 4) and Kensington Palace (normally ~£70 for a family of 4). That’s £145 worth of tickets for £125, plus we got open entry (no timed slots).

Furthermore, the open entry saved us when we stayed at Kensington Palace for 3 hours instead of our planned 90 minutes. The kids loved the Victorian dress-up experience and we didn’t have to rush.

London Eye: Worth It (Once)

£118 for 30 minutes. Let that sink in.

That said, our 9-year-olds loved it. The views are incredible. Additionally, it’s iconic. And doing it with friends made it special.

Would we do it again? Probably not. After all, we’ve done it twice now with kids (plus once before kids). Next trip, that £118 goes toward another Michelin dinner or a different attraction.

Budget alternative: Sky Garden is FREE with advance booking and has similar (arguably better) views.

What We Skipped (And Don’t Regret)

We could’ve easily spent another £200-300 on attractions. Here’s what we skipped:

• London Dungeon, Madame Tussauds, Shrek’s Adventure: Tourist traps that add up fast. Not our style.
• Thames River Cruise: Looked nice, but we chose the London Eye for views instead.
• Churchill War Rooms: On the list for next time when the boys are older.

What we did instead: British Museum, Science Museum, Natural History Museum – all completely FREE. We only spent 1 hour at the British Museum on this trip, but it’s world-class and didn’t cost us a penny.

Transport: £192.70 Total (13% of Our London Budget)

The smallest category, and proof that London’s public transport system really is efficient and affordable.

Complete Breakdown:

London Budget Transport: How Oyster Cards Saved Us Money

Oyster Card: The Transport MVP

For £64.40 total over 4 days, we had unlimited access to the Tube, DLR, and buses for our family. In other words, that’s roughly £16/day for a family of 4.

Moreover, the Oyster Card caps your daily spending (currently around £8-9/adult for Zones 1-3), which means after a few trips, the rest are free. Kids under 11 travel FREE with a paying adult.

The Black Cab “Experience”

£34.60 from Shadwell to the British Museum. We took it specifically so the kids could experience a classic London black cab.

Worth it? Unfortunately, the kids forgot about it five minutes later.

In contrast, the Tube would’ve been £0 (covered by our Oyster Card daily cap), taken 15 minutes longer, and gotten us there just fine.

Would we do it again? Nope. Instead, that £35 goes toward ice cream next time.

Stansted Express: The Necessary Splurge

£93.70 for a family of 4 round-trip from Stansted Airport to Stratford (where we connected to the DLR).

Is there a cheaper option? Yes. National Express coach is about £40 total. However, it takes 1.5-2 hours vs. 47 minutes on the train, and with jet-lagged kids, the extra £50 was worth it.

Budget alternative: On the other hand, if you’re flying into Gatwick or Heathrow instead of Stansted, transport to central London is actually cheaper (£10-25/person depending on method).

Food: £461.99 Total (32% of Our London Budget)

Tied with lodging as our biggest expense – and worth every penny.

Here’s where we splurged, and honestly? This was intentional. We’re a foodie family. Consequently, two Michelin-recommended restaurants plus one Netflix “Chef’s Table: Noodles” spot was non-negotiable.

Nevertheless, we also balanced it with casual lunches, chain restaurants, and strategic coffee/ice cream stops.

London Budget Food Costs: Day-by-Day Breakdown

Day 1 (July 16): Arrival Evening

Day 2 (July 17): Full Day in London

Day 3 (July 18): Final Full Day

Food Total & Analysis:

London Food Budget: Breaking Down the £462 We Spent

The Michelin Strategy: Worth It?

Two Michelin-recommended dinners (Hoppers £131.22 + Bancone £78.19) = £209.41 of our food budget. In fact, that’s 45% of our food spending on just 2 meals.

Worth it? For us, absolutely. We’re a foodie family who plan trips around restaurant reservations. Furthermore, both were excellent, and at these price points, WAY cheaper than comparable restaurants in the US.

However, having adventurous eaters for kids is a must. Otherwise, if your kids only eat plain pasta and chicken fingers, save your money and hit UK chains like Pizza Express, Wagamama, or Nando’s.

Where We Saved on Food:

• Hotel breakfast included: Saved £30-60 over 3 days vs. eating out every morning
• Strategic chain lunches: Pizza Express (£35.70) and Bao Spot (£37.40) kept lunch costs reasonable
• One splurge meal per day: Never did expensive lunch AND dinner on the same day

What We’d Do Differently:

✅ Keep the Michelin dinners – Both Hoppers and Bancone were excellent value compared to US prices.

❌ Skip one ice cream stop – Three ice cream purchases in 3 days (£13.50 + £8.00 + £26.90 = £48.40) added up. We could’ve cut one.

✅ Grocery store snacks – We didn’t do this on this trip either, but hitting Tesco or Waitrose for portable snacks (£20-30) would’ve prevented some of the “I’m hungry NOW” purchases.

Our London Budget in Action: 2-Day Itinerary & What We Spent

Here’s exactly how we spent our 3 days in London – the good, the chaotic, and the “why did we think we could fit that in?” moments.

Day 1 (July 16): Evening Arrival

Arrived: Evening (flight from elsewhere in Europe – Stansted Airport)

Transportation:

• Stansted Express to Stratford
• Tube to Greenwich (DLR)

What We Did:

• Checked into Novotel Greenwich
• Took Tube from hotel to Master Wei (Holborn location) for dinner

Dinner: Master Wei (£70)

Evening: Settled in, prepped for the next day

Time to bed: Early (travel exhaustion)

Day 2 (July 17): Greenwich + Tower of London

Breakfast: Hotel (included in room costs – 1 adult, and kids eat free)

Morning: Greenwich Exploration

• Royal Observatory Greenwich (£72 for family of 4)
  • Saw the Prime Meridian
  • Boys loved standing on the distance to the city they were born in
  • Didn’t see the Planetarium show (included but not showing that day)
  • Time spent: Overall about 2.5 hours
• Amazing Playground at the Maritime Museum
  • Free!
  • Giant play structure
  • Boys burned off energy before lunch
  • Spent about 30 min in the museum
  • Super cool ocean map you can walk on on the top floor
  • Time spent: 1 hour

Lunch: Pizza Express (£35.70)

Afternoon: Tower of London

• Champagne and Fromage (£37.13) – champagne flight for adults because why not?
• Coffee and cake at Artfix (£12.50)
• Tube to Tower of London area
• Tower Bridge – walked across, took photos
• Tower of London (covered by Historic Royal Palaces membership – £125)
  • Crown Jewels
  • The murder of King Edward V and his brother
  • Sir Walter Raleigh
  • Time spent: 2.5 hours

Evening: Dinner at Hoppers

Dinner: Hoppers – Sri Lankan cuisine (£131.22)

Dessert: Dark Sugars for the BEST chocolate ice cream ever (£13.50)

Evening: Walked back to hotel via Tube/DLR, boys crashed early

Day 3 (July 18): British Museum + Kensington + London Eye

Breakfast: Hotel (included in room costs)

Morning: Black Cab + British Museum

Morning Coffee: 18 Grams near Greenwich DLR exit (£7.80)

Mid-Morning:

• Tube to Shadwell Station
• London black cab to British Museum
• British Museum (FREE!)
  • Egyptian galleries
  • Rosetta Stone
  • Boys explored ancient Greek artifacts
  • Time spent: ~1 hour

Lunch: Bao Spot (£37.40)

Afternoon: London Eye + Kensington

• Pre-London Eye Snack: Mr. Whippy ice cream (£8) – British soft-serve staple
• London Eye (£118 for family of 4)
  • 1pm time slot
  • 30-minute ride
  • Boys loved it
• Coffee Break: Caffè Nero (£3.65)
• Walked past Westminster, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey
• Tube to Kensington
• Kensington Palace (covered by Historic Royal Palaces membership)
  • Royal clothing exhibits
  • Victoria exhibition
  • Gardens
  • Bought souvenirs (£16.20)
  • Time spent: 3 hours

Evening: Dinner at Bancone

Dinner: Bancone – fresh pasta (£78.19)

Dessert: Amorino gelato (£26.90)

Evening: Tube/DLR back to hotel, boys crashed early

Late night: Packed for morning departure

Day 4 (July 19): Departure Morning

Breakfast: Hotel (included in room costs)

Morning:

• Checked out
• Stansted Express back to airport
• Flight out

London Budget Reality Check: What We Splurged On vs. Where We Saved

Let’s talk about where the money went. And whether it was worth it.

Where We Splurged (And Why)

🍽️ Michelin-Recommended Restaurants (£209.41 total for 2 dinners)

Worth it? Absolutely.

We’re a self-proclaimed foodie family who have been known to plan entire trips around restaurant reservations (don’t judge). Hoppers and Bancone were both excellent, and at these price points, they’re WAY cheaper than comparable restaurants in the US. However, having adventurous eaters for kids is a must.

Would we do it again? Yes. But if your kids only eat plain pasta and chicken fingers? Save your money and hit the UK chains.

🎡 London Eye (£118)

Worth it? For our family, yes.

Our 9-year-olds loved it. The views are incredible. It’s iconic. But £118 for 30 minutes, it’s not cheap.

Would we do it again? Probably not. We’ve done it twice now with kids (plus once before kids). It was great, and doing it with friends made it special. But for next trip? That money will go elsewhere.

Alternative: Sky Garden is FREE with advance booking and has similar views.

🏰 Historic Royal Palaces Membership (£125)

Worth it? 100% yes.

This covered Tower of London AND Kensington Palace. If you’re visiting both (which we recommend), the membership is cheaper than individual tickets. Better yet, you get to skip some lines.

Would we do it again? Our membership is good for the year, so yes. We’re already planning the next trip.

Where We Saved

🏨 Hotel with Breakfast Included

The Novotel Greenwich family room (£468.77) included breakfast for 1 adult, even better, kids eat free. As a result this saved us roughly £30-60 on breakfasts over 3 days. Not fancy, but filling and convenient.

The hotel isn’t in central London (Zone 2, not Zone 1). Other options were 3x more expensive during peak season. Even with the extra transit time, overall we saw everything we wanted.

🚇 Oyster Card vs. Contactless

We used an Oyster Card (£64.40 total) instead of paying per ride. For families making multiple Tube/bus trips per day, this caps your daily spending. Worth it.

🎟️ Free Attractions We Enjoyed

• Playground at the Maritime Museum (boys played for an hour)
• Walking around Westminster
• The British Museum (could’ve spent all day here)
• Parks everywhere

💰 Total Saved: Roughly £1000 by being strategic about hotel location. Not central, but close enough.

London Budget Per Person: The Real Cost Breakdown

Want to know how much this trip cost per person?

That includes:

• 3 nights in a family hotel room with breakfast
• 4 major paid attractions (London Eye, Royal Observatory, Tower of London, Kensington Palace)
• All transport (airport express train, Tube, DLR, buses, one cab)
• 3 dinners (2 Michelin-recommended + 1 Netflix “Chef’s Table: Noodles” restaurant)
• 2 lunches
• Coffee, ice cream, snacks
• Souvenirs

Not included:

• Flights to/from London (this varies wildly based on where you’re coming from)
• Travel insurance
• Shopping beyond souvenirs

London Budget Comparison: How Our 2 Days with Kids Stacks Up

Let me be clear: there’s no such thing as an “average” London trip. However, here’s how our spending compares to what you might see in other guides:

What This Means for You

Understanding where your London budget falls on this spectrum can help you plan realistically. We landed squarely in the “Mid-Range Budget” category – comfortable but not extravagant, strategic but not depriving ourselves of experiences we really wanted. Here’s what we prioritized:

• Good food experiences (2 Michelin-recommended + 1 Netflix “Chef’s Table” restaurant)
• Comfortable but not luxurious accommodation (Greenwich vs. central London)
• Major attractions our kids would remember
• Public transport (efficient and affordable)
• Mix of paid and free activities

If you copy our itinerary exactly, expect to spend £1,400-1,600 for a family of 4 for 3 nights.

Want to spend LESS?

• Skip the expensive dinners (save £200-250)
• Skip the London Eye (save £118)
• Stay in a hostel or budget hotel in Zone 2-3 (save £150-200)
• Add more free museums instead of paid attractions

Want to spend MORE?

• Upgrade to a central London hotel (add £500-1,000)
• Add more paid attractions (add £100-300)
• Take cabs instead of the Tube (add £100-200)
• Book private tours or experiences (add £200+)

What We’d Do Differently Next Time

Looking back at our London budget, these are the adjustments we’d make next time to either save money or get more value:

Skip Next Time

❌ The black cab ride (£34.60) – We took a cab from Shadwell Station to the British Museum. It was for the experience (and to show our kids how cool London cabbies are). Worth it? The kids forgot about it five minutes later. Ultimately, the Tube would’ve been fine. (Read the full story in our 48-hour London guide – it’s worth a laugh.)

❌ London Eye – It was great, but £118 for 30 minutes? We’ve done it 2 (and now 3) times total. Next trip, we’d use that money for another attraction or save it for more Michelin meals.

Do More Of

✅ Free museums – We only had 1 hour at the British Museum, but it was incredible and FREE. Next time we’d dedicate more time to this and other free museums. (See our complete museum guide with age-specific recommendations in our London itinerary post.)

✅ Free playgrounds – The playground at the Maritime Museum in Greenwich was AMAZING and totally free. In fact, our boys played there for over an hour. Next time we’d seek out more of these.

✅ Michelin-recommended restaurants – Notably both Hoppers and Bancone were excellent value compared to US prices. We’d absolutely do this again. (Read our detailed reviews and what the kids actually thought in our London with kids guide.)

✅ Grocery store snacks – We didn’t do this on this trip (big mistake). Next time: hit Tesco day one for snacks to prevent hanger meltdowns.

Add Next Time

Science Museum or Natural History Museum – Both free, both excellent for kids. Although, we focused on paid attractions this trip, we wish we’d made time for at least one.

More time in Greenwich – The playground, the observatory, the maritime museum, the park. We could’ve spent a full day here.

Money-Saving Tips We Actually Used

These aren’t theoretical – we actually did these things and saved money:

✅ Historic Royal Palaces Membership – If you’re visiting 2+ Historic Royal Palaces sites (Tower of London, Kensington Palace, Hampton Court, etc.), buy the membership instead of individual tickets. Overall, we saved about £40-50.

✅ Hotel Breakfast – Book a hotel with breakfast included where kids eat free. We paid for 1 adult breakfast (included in our room rate), but the kids ate free. As a result, this saved us significantly vs. eating breakfast out every morning with a family of 4.

✅ Oyster Card vs. Travel Card – The Oyster Card has a daily cap on transport spending (great for families making 4+ Tube/bus trips per day), but there’s a £7 deposit. Obviously, it’s good if you’re planning to return to London and can reuse it. Otherwise, consider a Travel Card – it’s a flat fee for the whole day, week, or longer, with unlimited transport. Both save significant money vs. contactless or paper tickets.

✅ Lunch > Dinner for Nice Restaurants – If you want to eat at expensive restaurants, go for lunch instead of dinner. Same chef, same food, sometimes cheaper prices. (Ultimately we didn’t do this on this trip, but we do this quite often)

✅ Free Museums Are Actually Free – British Museum, Science Museum, Natural History Museum – all FREE. No tickets needed. Just walk in. This is huge for families.

✅ Grocery Store Snacks – We didn’t do this on this trip either, but on our first trip with kids we hit a Waitrose for snacks, fruit pouches, and high quality reusable grocery bags (for mama). Meltdown prevention kit stocked 🙌

London Restaurant Costs: From Michelin to Casual Dining with Kids

Let’s talk food. Here’s every place we ate, with honest assessments:

Michelin-Recommended & High-End

Hoppers (Dinner – £131.22)

• Cuisine: Sri Lankan
• Kid-friendly: Yes, with caveats. They have a few non-spicy options, but if your kids only eat chicken nuggets, go elsewhere.
• Reservation: Highly recommended, especially for dinner
• What we ordered: The “Hopper’s Experience” (tasting menu) plus signature dishes add-on. Although, the menu says the experience must be consumed by everyone at the table, but they make exceptions for young children. Kids had milder, non-spicy dishes.
• Worth it? Yes, but only if your family likes adventurous food.
• Would we return? Absolutely.

Bancone (Dinner – £78.19)

• Cuisine: Italian – fresh pasta
• Kid-friendly: Yes. Unwritten kids’ menu (pasta with butter or marinara).
• Reservation: Recommended
• What we ordered: 4 adult pasta dishes, drinks, desserts
• Worth it? 100% yes. This was our LEAST expensive nice dinner and the food was incredible.
• Would we return? Already planning it.

Master Wei (Dinner – £70)

• Cuisine: Xi’an Chinese (featured on Netflix “Chef’s Table: Noodles”)
• Kid-friendly: Very. As it happens, we love Chinese food, and our boys speak Mandarin so it’s great for language practice.
• Reservation: We walked in (waited 30 min in line), but it’s getting popular – book ahead
• What we ordered: Mix of noodles and dumplings
• Worth it? Yes. Great food, reasonable price.
• Would we return? Yes.

Casual & Chains

Pizza Express (Lunch – £35.70)

• What it is: Standard UK chain pizza
• Kid-friendly: Very – it’s designed for families
• Worth it? It’s Pizza Express. You know exactly what you’re getting, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need.
• Would we return? For a quick, no-stress lunch? Sure.

Bao Spot (Lunch – £37.40)

• What it is: Casual Asian spot near the British Museum
• Kid-friendly: Yes
• Worth it? Good bao, fair prices. Also another chance for the boys to practice their Mandarin.
• Would we return? If we’re in the area, yes.

Coffee & Treats

18 Grams (Coffee – £7.80)

• Excellent coffee, tiny shop right by Greenwich DLR exit
• Worth it? If you’re in Greenwich, absolutely
• Would we return? Every time we’re in the area

Champagne and Fromage (Champagne + snacks – £37.13)

• Champagne flight for adults (cause why not?), boys waited patiently
• Worth it? Fun mid-afternoon splurge
• Would we return? Maybe – it was fun, but there are other places we’d try first

Ice Cream (Because Vacation)

Dark Sugars (£13.50)

• The BEST chocolate ice cream ever
• Worth it? Absolutely
• Would we return? Already planning when we go back

Mr. Whippy (£8)

• British soft-serve staple, classic experience
• Worth it? Boys loved the novelty
• Would we return? For the nostalgia factor, yes

Amorino (£26.90)

• Gelato shaped like a flower, Instagram-worthy
• Worth it? Delicious and fun
• Would we return? Probably – the kids thought it was cool

Frequently Asked Questions

Want More Honest Budget Breakdowns?

Join our email list for more detailed budget breakdowns, honest trip reports, and practical money advice for family travel.Plus get my complete money-saving guide with booking windows, comparison tables, and the multi-city secret. Plus, you’ll be first to know when we publish new travel tips & guides.

Submit

The Bottom Line: Is London Worth This Cost?

Short answer: Yes.

Longer answer: London is one of the few major world cities where you can do an incredible family trip on a reasonable budget IF you’re strategic. The free museums alone are worth the flight.

Our trip cost £1,454.66 for 3 nights. That’s roughly £121 per person per day.

What does that get you?

• Comfortable hotel with breakfast
• 4 major paid attractions (plus free museums)
• Excellent food, including Michelin-recommended restaurants
• All transport (even that unnecessary black cab ride)
• Ice cream stops, coffee shops, souvenirs
• Memories the kids won’t stop talking about

Could we have done it cheaper? Yes.

Could we have spent more? Easily.

But this? This felt like the sweet spot. Good food, real experiences, happy kids. And we didn’t have to skip the things we actually wanted to do.

Planning your own London budget? Start with our numbers as a baseline. Our £1,454.66 for 2 days (about £121 per person per day) represents a comfortable middle ground between backpacker bare-bones and luxury excess. Adjust up or down based on your priorities, but know that this London budget gave us incredible experiences, happy kids, and zero regrets about what we spent read our complete 48-hour London guide here.

Remember: You won’t remember the spreadsheet. You’ll remember the experiences.

Like watching your kids try Sri Lankan food for the first time. Or standing at the prime meridian. Or watching your kids dress up in Victorian clothing in an English Castle. Completely worth it.

Got a longer UK trip and kids who’ve caught the castle bug? North Wales is about five hours from London, with bigger castles and a lot less elbowing. Here’s our Wales in 48 Hours plan, and what we actually spent in Wales, down to the last pound.

Related Posts

• 48 Hours in London with Kids: Your Complete Guide – What to see, where to stay, age-specific recommendations
• Military Family Europe Travel Guide – How to maximize short trips across Europe

Have questions about London costs or our itinerary? Drop them in the comments below!

Planning your London trip? Save this post and share it with anyone heading to London with kids!