London · Backpacking
ON A BUDGET
The beds cost a fortune and the museums cost nothing — plan your day around that trade.
King's Cross to Shoreditch
The hostel belt runs from King's Cross and Camden across to Shoreditch and Whitechapel; east is cheaper and just as well connected.
What a day costs
Roughly £55–90 a day, about $70–115: dorm £25–45, supermarket meal deals and market food £15–25, transport capped near £9.
Getting around cheap
Tap in with a contactless card — daily and Monday-to-Sunday caps apply automatically. Night tubes run Fridays and Saturdays; Santander Cycles cover short hops.
Free by day
The British Museum, Tate Modern, the National Gallery and the V&A charge nothing for permanent collections. Sky Garden's viewing deck is free with a booking.
Where travellers meet
Free walking tours muster around Covent Garden and the South Bank; Camden's hostel bars and Brick Lane on a Sunday do the rest.