The World's Most Expensive Summer Nights Out

Switzerland is the world's most expensive party destination this summer, according to a Casino.com July 2026 study. With millions of travellers booking their summer vacations, the study reveals the top countries where going out eats into the holiday budget the most.

The research examined the cost of a night out across 31 countries to find where summer evenings are the most expensive. For each destination, the study collected average prices for common drinks, food, and taxi fares, alongside the number of nightlife activities, casinos, and bars available. Countries were then ranked from most to least expensive based on the total average cost of a night out.

Switzerland's Clean Sweep: Priciest Drinks, Food, and Entertainment

Switzerland doesn't just top the overall ranking, it's the only country in the study to record the single highest price in every individual cost category. Its average drink price ($13.20) beats Norway's runner-up figure ($11.90), its food price ($32.63) is nearly $6 clear of second-placed USA ($26.50), and its entertainment price ($63) is the highest recorded anywhere, ahead of the USA's $56. No other country in the top 10 leads in more than one category at a time.

Singapore's Nightlife Density Is in a League of Its Own

Singapore doesn't crack the top 10 for overall cost ($57, tied for 12th), but its nightlife infrastructure is unmatched anywhere in the study. Its nightlife density of 300.00 venues per 1,000 km² is more than nine times higher than second-placed Italy (33.00). Its bar and club density (176.1 per 1,000 km²) is more than four times the United Kingdom's runner-up figure (40.9), and its casino density (8.45 per 1,000 km²) is more than three times the UK's second-place figure (2.80). Singapore proves that a small footprint packed tight with venues doesn't necessarily mean a pricier night out.

1. Switzerland

Switzerland is the most expensive place to party this summer, with a typical night out costing tourists nearly $120. Drinks alone average over $13 per round, and cocktails go for close to $20 each. Dinner before heading out adds another $33, and concert and stand-up tickets can cost more than $60 on top of that. Even the cab home runs $8, so travelers coming here need to plan for a big holiday budget.

• Average drink price: $13.20
• Food price: $32.63
• Taxi (standard tariff): $7.65
• Entertainment price: $63.00
• Average night out cost: $116.43
• Nightlife activities per 1,000 km²: 14.32
• Bars and clubs per 1,000 km²: 10.1

2. USA

The US is the second most expensive country for a summer night out, where tourists typically spend $95+ in an evening. A big chunk of that goes on entertainment: concerts, clubs, and live shows passes can exceed $55, which is more than an entire night out costs in most other countries. Drinks run about $9 per round, and dinner for two can add another $50. Plus, if traveling to states like Nevada, thrill-seeking tourists should budget for casino entertainment too.

The United States has more raw nightlife venues, bars, and casinos than any other country in the study (10,000+ nightlife activities, 10,000+ bars and clubs, and 2,014 casinos). Yet spread across 9.5 million km² of land, that translates to a nightlife density of just 1.05 venues per 1,000 km², one of the lowest figures recorded. The US ranks second overall not because of how packed its cities are with nightlife options, but almost entirely because of its entertainment price ($56), the second-highest in the study.

3. Denmark

Denmark is where drink prices will surprise tourists the most. A typical cocktail here averages over $17, and a simple gin and tonic costs $18. Even a local beer in bars across Copenhagen is nearly $7, so many travelers actually prefer to grab drinks at their Airbnbs before hitting the town. With restaurants also charging $23 for dinner, the full evening comes to around $87 here.

4. United Kingdom

Tourists heading to the UK this summer should budget nearly $80 for every night out. A typical dinner in tourist spots like London and Edinburgh costs over $25, while a cocktail or glass of wine goes for around $10. The prices are steep, but the nightlife scene here is one of the biggest in the world. The UK has over 10,000 bars and clubs across its cities, plus nearly 700 casinos.

5. France

France rounds out the top five most expensive summer party destinations. Those wanting to try the famous French cuisine are looking at $17 per meal, while a glass of local wine costs around $9. Taxi fares average $9 as well, making getting around after dark one of the pricier aspects of a French night out. On top of that, concert and show tickets in cities like Paris average around $36.

The Real Bargain Destinations, and What Actually Drives the Cost

Indonesia is the true budget destination of the study, with an average night out costing just $14, the lowest figure of any of the 31 countries measured and over $4 cheaper than Egypt's $18. Both benefit from the same effect working in reverse of Switzerland's: low drink, food, and entertainment prices combined with a vast land area that keeps nightlife density minimal.

Among the top 5 most expensive countries, entertainment price is consistently the single largest line item, outweighing food in Switzerland ($63 vs $32.63), the USA ($56 vs $26.50), Denmark ($47 vs $22.79), the UK ($36 vs $26.33), and France ($36 vs $17.04). That pattern breaks at 6th place, where Norway's food price ($24.36) actually exceeds its entertainment price ($15), suggesting entertainment costs are what push a destination from merely expensive into the most expensive tier.

If you've already booked a trip to Switzerland or Denmark, the best way to keep nightlife costs down is to eat before heading to the bar district. Restaurants in tourist areas charge a significant premium, so locals tend to eat earlier and closer to residential neighbourhoods. For drinks, hotel, and supermarket prices are a fraction of what bars charge, so pre-gaming before a night out is genuinely common practice among frequent travelers to expensive destinations.

Jack Garry, Casino.com's Lead Analyst

The Complete Field: All 31 Countries Ranked

The countdown above covers the top 10, but the underlying study measured 31 countries in total. Here's the full field, from Sweden just outside the top 10 down to Indonesia at the very bottom.

Here's the category breakdown converted to percentages of each country's total night-out cost, using the drink, food, and entertainment figures from the table plus taxi calculated as the remainder (since taxi wasn't broken out in the top 10 table itself, only total cost):

You can access the complete research findings here.