What's the budget for a trip to United Kingdom?

Lodging is the dominant line, and it holds a surprise. London is not the country's priciest city: its three-star costs €96 while Edinburgh's reaches €151. The capital has thousands of establishments, and that competition crushes rates, an advantage the Scottish capital, smaller and heavily in demand, lacks.

Free national museums change the structure of a London budget. British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, Victoria and Albert, Natural History: no admission ticket. These are exactly the visits you would pay €15 to €25 for in another capital. Three days of first-rank culture with no entry spending is rare.

The flight does not count, from €21 to Edinburgh and €31 to London. The Channel train is comfortable but markedly pricier, except when booked far ahead.

The real variable is food. A pub meal runs €15 to €22, a central restaurant climbs well beyond. The country pays in pounds, so a card with no foreign transaction fee avoids losing 2 to 3% on each payment.

May to September is the most pleasant period, at 13 to 18°C in London and 10 to 15°C in Edinburgh. Days are long, particularly in Scotland where light stretches late in June.

The climate is mild but wet year-round, with no dry season. London gets between 43 and 64mm a month, very evenly. Edinburgh is markedly wetter, between 55 and 81mm, peaking in autumn. There is therefore no month where you can do without a raincoat.

Edinburgh has a violent rate peak in August, during its festival, when lodging can more than double and books months ahead. It is the one moment of the year when avoiding the city has a genuine budget return.

Winter is cool without being harsh, around 4 to 5°C in both cities, with short days. London rates fall, the free museums stay open, and it is an underrated season for the capital.

The flight stays in the same range year-round, between €21 and €31.

Eating. The pub meal, €15 to €22, remains the safe and often most interesting bet. Covered markets, in London as in Edinburgh, offer quality at street prices on weekdays, weekends being pricier and busier. Sandwich chains allow lunch under €10. One detail that counts: tipping is moderate in custom, often already included as service in restaurants.

Getting around. London runs on contactless payment with an automatic daily cap: once you hit the cost of a pass, the rest of the day's rides are free, with nothing bought in advance. Buses are cheaper than the tube and cap lower. Edinburgh is compact and walkable. Between the two cities, a train booked weeks ahead costs a fraction of the last-minute fare.

Sightseeing. In London, the five major national museums are permanently free, which is the trip's main budget lever. In Edinburgh, the castle charges admission and is the standout expense, but the old town, Arthur's Seat and several Scottish museums stay free.

Currency. Pound sterling, not the euro. Contactless payment is universal, including for very small amounts and on transport. A card with no foreign transaction fee avoids losing 2 to 3% on each payment.

Language. English, with marked regional accents in Scotland that can surprise the ear.

London transport. The automatic daily cap is the mechanism to know: pay each ride contactless with the same card, and the system stops charging once you reach the price of a day pass. No advance purchase is needed.

Entry. Since leaving the European Union, entry conditions have changed and a travel authorization may be required depending on nationality. Check the rules in force before booking; they cannot be obtained on arrival.

Edinburgh Festival. It fills August and completely transforms the city, in crowds as in rates. To be targeted deliberately or avoided, but never discovered by accident.