Sofia, Hanoi, and Warsaw have become the cheapest cities for Indian travellers while Paris, Zurich and Oslo are the most expensive, a study by travel site TripAdvisor has revealed.

The compilation TripIndex Cities 2013 is the third annual cost comparison of an evening out and overnight stay for two people in key tourist cities across the world.

Tracked against how far the Indian rupee can go, the index is based on the combined costs for two people for one night in a four-star hotel, cocktails, a two-course dinner with a bottle of wine, and return taxi transportation.

According to it, Bulgarian capital Sofia offers the most affordable evening out for Indian travellers with a total cost of Rs 8,562, while in Vietnamese capital Hanoi it costs Rs 9,470. Cost of the same in Oslo would cost Rs 31,423 closely followed by Zurich at Rs 28,293.

“TripIndex serves as a good indicator for the globetrotting Indian to know where he can get the most value for his travel budget. The list this year highlights Asia as the most pocket-friendly continent for Indians, while Europe is expectedly the most expensive,” says Nikhil Ganju, Country Manager, TripAdvisor India.

“We also see Mumbai falling from being the 14{+t}{+h}{+ }most affordable city last year to 16th spot this year on increase in the average cost of wining, dining and commute,” he adds.

Biggest cost disparity

While hotel stays account for the most expensive item in the TripIndex basket, the biggest cost disparity between the cheapest and most expensive destinations lies in the cost of commuting from the airport.

At Rs 2,239.42, London is almost 20 costlier for taxi transportation than Kuala Lumpur where the two-way ride will cost Rs 115. Mumbai ranks eighth as the city with the most affordable taxi ride.

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