New data has revealed the UK's most and least expensive locations for a restaurant meal, delivering a surprise: London has been pipped to the post. The title for the priciest place to dine out nationally goes to Lancaster, where a meal for two averages £90.
London's Position in the National Picture
While not the overall national leader, dining in the capital remains significantly more costly than the UK average. The price of a restaurant meal in London is 30.4% higher than the country's mean, totalling £85 for two people. This information stems from the official dining-out index, which measures expenditure on eating out against average local income, and was collated by Casino.org.
Across the United Kingdom, the average cost for a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant stands at £65. This represents 2.65% of the national average monthly wage after tax. At the other end of the scale, the cheapest place for such a meal is Andover, where the average cost is just £30.
The Capital's Top Five Most Expensive Boroughs
Within London, the index has identified the five boroughs where the average meal cost is highest. The ranking considers not just the absolute price but also the percentage of the local average monthly salary it consumes.
- Lambeth: An average meal costs £69.99, consuming 5.83% of the local average salary.
- Wandsworth: An average meal costs £70.00, representing 3.89% of the average salary.
- Bexley: An average meal costs £69.00, equating to 3.82% of the average salary.
- Greenwich: An average meal costs £69.00, which is 3.33% of the average salary.
- Barnet: An average meal costs £70.00, accounting for 3.26% of the average salary.
What the Data Means for Diners
The figures highlight a crucial distinction between absolute cost and relative affordability. While Wandsworth and Barnet share the highest absolute meal cost in London at £70, it is in Lambeth where dining out takes the largest proportional chunk from monthly earnings, at nearly 6%. This demonstrates how local wage levels dramatically affect the real-world impact of restaurant pricing.
The data, originally reported in December 2024 and updated in January 2026, provides a clear snapshot of the UK's dining-out landscape. It confirms that while London commands premium prices, value for money is significantly influenced by where you live and work within the vast capital.
