Research & Analysis

The Most Expensive European Capital Cities for New Year’s Eve

What to do on New Year’s Eve: it’s a question that comes around every year. It’s tempting to stay home and enjoy a cozy evening in with a glass of champagne, but when you’ve spent Christmas being lazy on the couch, an adventure is also tempting! A great alternative is a city break with friends, where you can discover how other cultures celebrate while getting out on the streets and joining the party.

Whether you’re watching the fireworks at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, or on the banks of the River Thames in London, Europe’s capital cities offer a diverse range of options for short holidays, taking advantage of the New Year’s Day public holiday. Short breaks between Christmas and New Year’s Day are getting more popular every year, so we thought we’d find out which cities in Europe are the most expensive on New Year’s Eve by gathering information about the cost of visiting 49 capital cities in Europe.

It’s no surprise that Monaco, well-known for its luxury yachts, casinos, and exclusive parties, tops the list as the most expensive destination on New Year’s Eve. The cheapest price for a room in a 3-star hotel on the 31st December is a pricey £272.39, while a 3-course dinner for two in a mid-range restaurant will set you back £85.42 on average.

On the other end of the scale, Georgian capital Tbilisi is the cheapest city for a New Year’s trip. With the lowest prices for a 3-star hotel averaging only £14.01 and the average room price only £40.49 on New Year’s Eve, you’re sure to find a bargain. Meanwhile, you can forget any worries about transportation: it only costs £0.45 per kilometre to take a taxi on New Year’s Eve.

# Rank | City | Meal 3-course meal for 2 people
Wine Bottle of Wine | Champ. Average Champagne Price
Beer Domestic Beer | Softd. Softdrink
Taxi Price for 1km | Taxi NYE Estimated Price for 1km on NYE
Hotel NYE Average 3 Star Hotel Price on NYE | Score

Food and Drink | Transportation | Accommodation

Downloads: Table (including USD & GBP), Full Methodology

The 10 Most Expensive Cities on NYE

Monaco Marina
Monaco Marina

1. Monaco, Monaco

This exclusive spot on the French Riviera is a favorite with the rich and famous and is a stylish place to ring in the New Year.

New Years at the Perlan | Flickr: Martyn Smith CC BY 2.0
New Years at the Perlan | Flickr: Martyn Smith CC BY 2.0

2. Reykjavik, Iceland

Iceland is famous for its intense amateur firework displays, found in almost every neighborhood on NYE.

Enjoy a glass of champagne in Bern.
Enjoy a glass of champagne in Bern.

3. Bern, Switzerland

Bern is a sleepy city, but you can join residents on the Münsterplatz to welcome the New Year with a glass of champagne.

Fireworks behind the London Eye
Fireworks behind the London Eye | Flickr: Yann Caradec CC BY-SA 2.0

4. London, United Kingdom

The capital of the UK hosts hundreds of parties, or you can enjoy a view of the central firework display from a rooftop bar.

Tivoli Gardens Fireworks
Tivoli Gardens Fireworks | Flickr: Stig Nygaard CC BY 2.0

5. Copenhagen, Denmark

Tivoli Gardens hosts an iconic fireworks display in Copenhagen, and there are several places to join the party, from the Town Hall Square to Queen Louise’s Bridge.

Oslo Opera House
Oslo Opera House

6. Oslo, Norway

Only a select number of clubs and restaurants are open for New Year’s in Oslo, but each of those is worth going out in the cold for.

Dublin New Year's Festival
Dublin New Year’s Festival | Flickr: Mobilus In Mobili CC BY-SA 2.0

7. Dublin, Ireland

Dublin is always a great choice if you love to party, with hundreds of pubs and bars, but the craic is especially good on New Year’s Eve.

The welcoming lights of the houses facing Amsterdam's canals.
The welcoming lights of the houses facing Amsterdam’s canals.

8. Amsterdam, Netherlands

One of the party capitals of Europe, you can definitely find something to suit your taste in Amsterdam, from warehouse parties to elegant black-tie events.

Fireworks and sparklers will light your way into 2020.
Fireworks and sparklers will light your way into 2020.

9. Vaduz, Liechtenstein

Visit one of the smallest countries in Europe for a New Year’s Eve experience that few ever get to enjoy.

The centre of Vienna, featuring St. Stephen's Cathedral.
The centre of Vienna, featuring St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

10. Vienna, Austria

Vienna celebrates on the streets with the New Year’s Eve Trail (Sylvesterpfad). Enjoy concerts and local delicacies on the streets as you explore the city.

Methodology

The study analyzed price data from 49 European capital cities in three categories: food & drink, transport, and accommodation.

Within each category, several price factors were researched and, where appropriate, an average price was found. The results of each factor were ranked and assigned a value from 0 to 100. The resulting rankings from all factors were added together and assigned a value on a scale of 0 to 100, for easier comprehension. The final ranking shows the most expensive cities in Europe to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

About author

The TicketLens Research Team tracks down interesting trends in the tourism industry. Each publication is a collaboration between researchers, our Content team, and our Design team.
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