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Travelogues
London: The Most
Expensive City
in Europe
by
Rajesh Talwar
'This city is too too expensive!!’
This outburst is from Francoise Simard, a Canadian tourist who came in
to London for a week’s holiday directly after a four-day stay in Paris.
'Paris is the city in the world that has the most tourists every year,
but I found it much cheaper than London.’ Her tone is authoritative as
if there is no doubt whatsoever in her mind.
Asked for specifics, she points to the hotel rates. 'What you pay in
Euros in Paris, you have to pay in pounds in London.' And it’s not only
the boarding. 'They provide a continental breakfast for seven pounds and
it is only a three star hotel. In Paris they are much more reasonable.'
Did she take up the issue with the management of the hotel? The hotel
has an impressive façade and lobby and is well located being just off
Belgrave Road within walking distance from Victoria tube station. ‘As a
matter of fact, I did,’ she said. ‘I told them the breakfast was too
expensive and I would eat out.’ And their reaction? ‘They just shrugged.
“It’s only seven pounds!” they said.’
Karen Laljani, a visitor from Brussels agrees with Francoise.
'I went to see a movie in Leicester Square,’ she says. ‘I could not
believe the price of the ticket. Nine pounds for a movie!! I have to
compare it with Brussels where I go to see movies at the Heysel the
biggest movie complex in Europe. I pay only five and a half euros over
there.'
Nasser Zakr came into London from Milan. He had contracted an eye
infection and went across to a clinic in Victoria Station. He was
shocked when he was asked to pay 69 pounds for an examination that took
barely three minutes.
'The doctor felt there was no need to see a specialist, but I still had
the problem after four days and when I went to see him the next time
there was no discount. Another 69 pounds. I ended up paying 138 pounds
for a routine examination and I'm not sure if there have actually been
any benefits, come to think of it.'
But Medicare is expensive all over Europe. Not so much, claims Nasser, a
seasoned traveler whose work takes him to different European cities. He
explains: ‘I flew in from Paris actually where I had some work and the
examination at the De Gaulle airport cost me only thirty-two Euros.’
According to a survey done by Merer Human Resources Consulting in
December 2005 Tokyo and London are the most expensive cities in the
world. The survey measures the comparative cost of 200 items in various
cities chosen for the survey.
Whatever the truth of these claims be that London is currently the most
expensive city in Europe, the crowds at peak tourist areas would seem to
suggest that it doesn't deter any one from coming here.
August 13, 2006
Image under license with Gettyimages.com
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