Asian cities cheapest for a night out

After a day spent taking in the local sites or soaking up the culture in a bustling foreign city, many of those on an overland adventure trip might want to let off a little steam and enjoy the local nightlife.

And according to research by TripAdvisor, those who choose travelling around Asia for their overland experience will benefit from being able to do this at minimal expense.

The review site's TripIndex 2012 comparison survey shows that cities in Asia are among the cheapest worldwide in which to enjoy a night out.

The study was based on the combined cost for two in pounds sterling of one night in a four-star hotel, cocktails, a two-course dinner with a bottle of wine, and return taxi transportation (two journeys of two miles each).

Hanoi in Vietnam was found to offer the most affordable night out for British travellers with a total cost of £89.93, followed by Beijing at £101.37.

Bangkok (£103.38), Kuala Lumpur (£123.86), Taipei (£129.70) and Jakarta (£136.02) all also made it onto the list of the ten cheapest cities for a night out.

In comparison, the most expensive cities were mainly those in western Europe, with London topping the list at £330.45.

Of course, those on an overland adventure will have already paid for their accommodation, so the inclusion of the cost of a hotel in the study won't apply to them.

But even once the cost of the hotel is factored out, Asian cities still perform strongly.

For example, the average cost of cocktails for two in Bangkok is just £6.05, the study found, compared to £36.75 in Paris, while an average meal for two in Beijing will set you back just £17.48, considerably cheaper than the £122.46 you would pay in Oslo.

"TripIndex helps travellers to see where their pound goes the furthest," commented Emma Shaw, TripAdvisor spokesperson. 

"The list shows that many Asian cities, along with some European cities - like Warsaw and Sofia - are very affordable once you're on the ground."