- Dundee ranks as the most expensive city to stay in on Halloween, with Airbnb prices reaching an average of £235.63 on the night.
- Cambridge and York also rank highly among England’s priciest Halloween getaway destinations.
- Affordable options for the holiday include Liverpool and Manchester, both with average prices of under £95 per night.
The research ranks cities across Scotland, England, and Wales by giving each a score out of ten, based on two key factors: the average cost of an Airbnb stay on the night of October 31st, and the availability of accommodation on this date.
While some cities offer a spooky stay on a budget, others will make your wallet scream in terror.
The research reveals that Scotland is the most expensive country to visit for Halloween, with Dundee taking the top spot as the priciest city for a spooky staycation on the 31st of October.
The average cost of an Airbnb in Dundee on Halloween is £235.63 per night with only 267 Airbnb listings currently available. This earns the city a low score of 0.57 out of 10 when considering both price and availability.
Scottish cities dominate the list of the priciest Halloween destinations, with Edinburgh right behind Dundee, offering an average nightly price of £167.62. This gives Edinburgh a low score of 4.76 out of 10, thanks to its high prices and lack of options.
Glasgow’s Airbnb rates sit at a costly £159.95 per night, with only 372 Airbnb listings available. This gives the city a score of 4.42 out of 10 for price and availability.
Aberdeen also commands a hefty nightly rate, coming in at an average of £151.60 per night for a Halloween stay. The city scores a measly 3.58 out of 10, reflecting the high accommodation costs and lack of Airbnb options.
But it’s not just Scotland feeling the pinch—England’s university cities are also seeing a frightening surge in prices.
The most expensive city to visit in England and Wales this Halloween is Cambridge, where the average Airbnb price for the 31st of October reaches £146.78.
With only 346 Airbnbs available that night, Cambridge scores a mere one out of 10 for price and availability.
Following Cambridge, the next most expensive city to visit in England and Wales is York. With an average price of £145.99 and a near rock-bottom score of 0.93 out of 10, York is not a budget-friendly destination for Halloween visitors.
The third most expensive English city for a Halloween stay is Peterborough, with an average price of £133.80 and a low score of 1.67 out of 10.
While the city may not typically get as many visitors as Cambridge or York, it has limited Airbnb availability and relatively high prices.
Oxford is the fourth most expensive English city to visit for Halloween, where you’ll need to shell out £132.99 per night.
It fares slightly better on the availability front, scoring 3.25 out of 10, meaning there are more Airbnb options compared to Cambridge and York.
However, the cheapest listing in Oxford is £50 per night, so travellers hoping to save will still find their budgets tested.
The 10 worst cities to visit on Halloween based on Airbnb price and availability
|
|
City |
Average Airbnb Nightly Price on the 31st of October |
Number of Available Airbnbs on the 31st of October |
Score (Out of 10) |
|
1 |
Dundee |
£235.63 |
267 |
0.57 |
|
2 |
York |
£145.99 |
324 |
0.93 |
|
3 |
Cambridge |
£146.78 |
347 |
1.00 |
|
4 |
Peterborough |
£133.80 |
274 |
1.67 |
|
5 |
Hull |
£117.93 |
183 |
2.47 |
|
6 |
Oxford |
£132.99 |
521 |
3.25 |
|
7 |
Aberdeen |
£151.60 |
173 |
3.58 |
|
8 |
Southampton |
£118.81 |
419 |
3.84 |
|
9 |
Glasgow |
£159.95 |
372 |
4.42 |
|
10 |
Edinburgh |
£167.62 |
482 |
4.76 |
Meanwhile, Northern England makes for a cheaper trip, with Liverpool ranking as the most affordable and highest scoring city in Scotland, England and Wales.
With an average Airbnb price of only £88.30 per night, there are still over 1,000 Liverpool Airbnb listings available.
When considering both cost and availability, Liverpool earns the highest possible score of 10 out of 10, making it the best option for budget travellers looking for a Halloween getaway.
Manchester is the second most affordable and highest–scoring destination this Halloween, with an average price of £94.21 per night and over 1000 Airbnb listings still available on the 31st of October.
This gives Manchester a score of 9.49 out of 10, just shy of a perfect score.
Wakefield gets the third highest score for a stay on Halloween night, with an average Airbnb price of £100.76 and over 944 Airbnb listings to choose from. The city scores a respectable 8.59 out of 10 for price and availability.
The fourth highest scoring city for a Halloween getaway is Wolverhampton, where visitors can enjoy an average nightly price of £107.72 and over 1,000 Airbnb listings to choose from on Halloween.
While not as budget friendly as Liverpool or Manchester, Wolverhampton still earns a high score of 8.59 out of 10 when considering the relatively low average price and high number of Airbnb listings.
Coventry is the fifth best-scoring city, where a one-night stay on Halloween will cost an average of £108.48. Coventry has over 1000 Airbnb listings still available, giving it a score of 8.27 out of 10 for both affordability and availability.
The 10 best cities to visit on Halloween based on Airbnb price and availability
|
|
City |
Average Airbnb Nightly Price on the 31st of October |
Number of Available Airbnbs on the 31st of October |
Score (Out of 10) |
|
1 |
Liverpool |
£88.30 |
1,000+ |
10.00 |
|
2 |
Manchester |
£94.21 |
1,000+ |
9.49 |
|
3 |
Wakefield |
£100.76 |
944 |
8.59 |
|
4 |
Wolverhampton |
£107.72 |
1,000+ |
8.34 |
|
5 |
Coventry |
£108.48 |
1,000+ |
8.27 |
|
6 |
Birmingham |
£114.39 |
1,000+ |
7.77 |
|
7 |
Leeds |
£107.32 |
849 |
7.45 |
|
8 |
Derby |
£98.61 |
724 |
7.43 |
|
9 |
City of London |
£118.51 |
1,000+ |
7.42 |
|
10 |
Cardiff |
£111.48 |
866 |
7.20 |
A spokesperson of the study commented on the findings: “It’s clear that the cost of enjoying a Halloween night away varies wildly depending on where you want to stay. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly trip to celebrate the holiday, it’s best to steer clear of places like Dundee and Cambridge.
“For those really set on a Scottish getaway, be prepared to fork out a bit more for your accommodation because it’s the most expensive destination in the UK this midterm.
“Scotland’s higher Airbnb prices probably have a lot to do with lower availability. There are simply not as many properties available in Scotland as there are in England, so naturally, prices are going to be higher due to demand.”