Even for experienced festival goers, budgeting for the weekend can be tough, with higher than expected food & drink costs. Work out how much £££ you’ll need to budget for the five day festival.
How much is a ticket for Glastonbury Festival? And what does that include?
For 2024’s Glastonbury Festival, the ticket cost is £355 + £5 booking fee. The ticket price covers entry to the Festival with over 3,000 performances across more than 100 stages, five night’s free camping on site, free programme, free mobile phone charging, free on-site newspaper, free mobile app, free firewood, free entertainment at Kidzfield, support for Oxfam, Greenpeace, WaterAid and hundreds of other worthy causes (£2m given annually in recent years) as well as funding to improve the Festival’s infrastructure and environmental impact.
When you compare the ticket price to the cost of just one top name act in concert at Wembley, it actually works out as pretty good value.
How much is food at Glastonbury?
Glastonbury Festival has a reputation for having some of the best food at any festival. There are over 400 different food stalls on site, so you can bet there’s something for everyone. From Vietnamese to Italian to Indian to Turkish to less exotic pies, burgers or bacon baps, there’s loads to choose from.
That’s not to say that you have to splash the cash to eat well. The Festival runs a ‘£6 Meal Deal’ scheme which is offered by 300 stallholders. If you keep an eye out for the £6 meal deal, you’ll be able to sample a huge range of delicious world cuisine without breaking the bank. And don’t forget to take a reusable water bottle so you can fill up from the free taps on site at the Festival.
Over the five days of the Festival, you should allow at least £25 a day for food and snacks depending on how many meals you’re having at the Hotel versus at the Festival.
The Pop-Up Hotel’s Restaurant and Origin Deli will be open and serving from 7am until 11pm, and our all day menu is inspired by the landscape and history around us, it celebrates produce grown and reared locally – a true taste of the South-West. The Pop-Up Hotel Lounge and Bar will be open 24 hours, so matter when you come back in from the festival we will be able to rustle you up something warm, healthy and nourishing.
How much is alcohol at Glastonbury?
With pints starting from £6, drinking at Glastonbury can end up pricier than you’d expect. You can get around this by taking in drinks, but do bear in mind that you’ll have to carry them with you. It’s also a great way to avoid the long bar queues!
The Pop-Up Hotel’s Restaurant and Origin Deli will be open and serving from 7am until 11pm and the Hotel Lounge and Bar will be open 24 hours, so matter when you come back in from the festival we will be able to serve drinks and rustle you up something warm, healthy and nourishing.
How much is merchandise at Glastonbury?
The official Glastonbury Festival merchandise starts from around £10 for posters and around £25 for T-shirts and £45 for hoodies, all available to buy online as well as at the Festival.
You’ll be able to get a free programme and the free on-site newspaper as part of your ticket price so that’s two mementos that won’t cost you any more.
The markets at the Festival make the experience all the more unique and you’ll find all sorts of weird and wonderful stalls ranging from British crafts to artisan creations from all around the world. One of our favourites is the Antiques Shop which is normally tucked away near the Bandstand, we guarantee you’ll find the perfect gilt-framed, antique map of Shropshire that you’ve always wanted to hang above the demi-lune in your hallway.
Are there any other unexpected things to account for when budgeting for Glastonbury?
If you’re camping on site at the Festival, don’t forget to budget for car parking if you’re not coming by public transport, a parking pass costs £55.
And if you find that you’re desperate for a shower, there are a small number of showers in the Kidzfield and in the Greenpeace field but both come with very long queues. Or for those who aren’t shy, there’s a naked sauna and campfire on site where you can pay £15 to have a shower.
How much money should I budget each day for Glastonbury?
This is one of those ‘how long is a piece of string’ questions. It really depends on what you want to do and what you’re going to be eating and drinking. We’d suggest allowing £100 a day for each day you’re at the Festival.
And do bear in mind that many traders accept cards but not all of them, so do remember to take some cash as well as cards. Cash Machines (ATMs) are spread across five locations around the Festival site, are open 24 hours a day and accept all UK and International cards.
Any tips to save money attending Glastonbury?
There’s all sorts of ways you can avoid spending cash while you’re at the Festival. You’re allowed to take in food and drink, including alcohol, with you. If you’re camping on the Festival site, it’s worth making sure you’ve planned out all your meals and have the appropriate equipment to store and prepare them. Or make the most of the Festival’s £6 Meal Deal and choose wisely.
Make sure that you’ve packed enough clothing. The great British weather in June can be anything from ‘heatwave’ to ‘downpours’ and everything in between. Never pack according to the day you leave as things can change pretty quickly and you don’t want to be freezing in a field having to buy something to keep you warm.
And while we think of it, we’d really recommend packing some nourishing energy snacks, a refillable water bottle, sunscreen, pain killers, ear plugs and plasters for each day of the Festival.
Finally, if you’ve been lucky enough to get tickets you’ll need to plan ahead on where you’ll stay. Either camping on site where you need to take everything with you or if you want to push the boat out on a Festival experience to remember, we’d love to see you at The Pop-Up Hotel. For our full accommodation line up and information about our site (do read our Glastonbury blogs) then visit us here.
Or if we’re already fully-booked or you want to look at some other options, we’d recommend taking a look at Camp Crossway which is a chilled, quiet camp ideal for families and groups looking to escape the chaos of the Festival just a short shuttle bus ride away from Glastonbury’s Bronze Gate.
