And it’s a very fair question, too. Now, there are some places where it makes total sense that it’s going to be expensive no matter how hard you just try and budget, a great example would be Las Vegas, LA, and even NYC, you just can’t get around those, same for Dubai and London too. But outside of these places, nightlife shouldn’t be so horribly expensive, right?
Well, just in general, nightlife just drains money, traveling drains money; regardless, some money is going to be spent. A couple of drinks, a bit of food, maybe a cover charge, nothing outrageous, but the next day, you’re still going to be shocked about how much you spent. And yeah, sure, travelling is expensive anyway, but there’s a difference between spending money on a fun night and accidentally bleeding cash on stuff that wasn’t even worth it.
But it still helps to ask the question, though, how is it still so expensive?
It Might be the Currency Confusion
This one is so common. The prices are in a different currency, the brain does lazy math, and well, you’re not doing real math. So your brain thinks, “Oh, this is only a certain amount, that’s not so bad,” or maybe you’re not converting it correctly, that’s a problem too.
Plus, in the moment when you’re having fun, it’s just hard to really do that math too. Honestly, this can happen anywhere, be it a VIP strip club where you’re just enjoying the moment, shouting to a bartender at a very loud pub just trying to get a drink, or even at a restaurant where you’re wanting a nice wine to go with your steak. Basically, it can happen anywhere when you’re just wanting to enjoy the moment.
The “One More Stop” Problem
So, what does this even mean here? Well, a lot of money gets lost in transport, especially when the plan is bouncing all over the city. One place isn’t fun enough, so it’s another bar, then another, then someone wants a club, then someone wants food across town.
Sure, that’s fun and all, honestly, it is. But transport is expensive, especially if you’re using an Uber or taxi. If you’re walking, that’s fine, then there’s no harm there, especially if your hotel is walking distance from the nightlife district.
Surprise Charges and Mandatory Tips
Yep, you read that right! Keep in mind here that tourist-heavy nightlife areas love vague pricing, especially if you’re in the US, then it’s horrendously bad. Really, don’t be surprised here if a menu with no prices is there or , a “service charge” nobody mentioned, a cover fee that appears at the door, or that fun moment when someone taps a card and doesn’t realize the machine defaulted to a big tip (and then it’s on the receipt and it’s too late).
Thankfully, this only happens in tourist traps, and you can at least see people remark on these awful things on Google reviews. But you still want to be aware that this can literally happen to you.
The Late-Night Hunger
This includes the food in the mini bar at your hotel, which is horribly expensive, sketchy places open a little too late at night, vending machines, you get the idea, but food gets pretty pricey at night, and the quality is horrible too.