Ask anyone about St Patrick’s Day, and they’ll start talking about Guinness. It was estimated that over 4.5 million pints of stout went down over the 2024 St Patrick’s Day weekend.
The thick, dark, ruby-coloured magic in a glass is revered across the globe, and it remains one of the most popular pints in the world.
But if you’ve been keeping a keen eye on the taps, you might have noticed that your pennies don’t pour as many pints as they used to. Yes, the cost of living crisis and inflation have pushed up the price of Guinness over the last few years.
Not to worry, though, because the team at UK Debt Expert have toured the nation in search of that perfectly priced pint. We searched across some of the most popular chains in each city in the UK to look at the average cost of a Guinness across the UK – and it turns out, no two cities are the same.
Has the price of Guinness changed over the past year?
According to our data from last year, the average price of a pint of Guinness stood at around £4.48, but this year, St Patrick’s Day punters will have to stomach handing over more for their pints.
Our research has found that overall, the average cost for a pint of Guinness has risen by 5% since 2024, meaning those celebrating this year will need to pay £4.71 per pint. Looking back to 2023, the price of Guinness has jumped by a staggering 13.5%, from £4.15.
But there are some bargains to be found if you’re lucky enough to be living in one of these cities.
Guinness lovers in Bolton will be particularly happy as it remains the cheapest place in the UK for a pint of the black stuff. Another newcomer to the top five is Stockport as it moved up six places to become the second cheapest place in the UK for a pint of Guinness.
Cheapest pints in the UK
| City | Average cost of a pint of Guinness |
| Bolton | £4.17 |
| Stockport | £4.27 |
| Swindon | £4.28 |
| Gloucester | £4.30 |
| Derby | £4.35 |
| Stoke on Trent | £4.36 |
| Rotherham | £4.37 |
| Sunderland | £4.38 |
| Hull | £4.40 |
| Nottingham | £4.42 |
Most expensive pints in the UK
Unfortunately, not all people will be so lucky when they’re handed a cold stout this 17 March.
Londoners in particular are spending up to 36% more than the national average, seeing average prices surpass over £6 per pint for the first time ever. The capital is joined by Edinburgh, York, Cambridge and Oxford as the most expensive places to knock back a pint of Guinness.
While Edinburgh and Glasgow featured in the list of the most expensive, some might be more surprised to see cities in the north of England on the list – with York moving up six places on the list to become the third priciest for a pint of Guinness across the UK.
| City | Average cost of a pint of Guinness |
| London | £6.42 |
| Edinburgh | £5.66 |
| York | £5.43 |
| Cambridge | £5.36 |
| Oxford | £5.08 |
| Reading | £5.05 |
| Brighton | £4.99 |
| Watford | £4.97 |
| Glasgow | £4.93 |
| Portsmouth | £4.91 |
How expensive is a pint of Guinness in my city?
| City | Average cost of a pint of Guinness |
| London | £6.42 |
| Edinburgh | £5.66 |
| York | £5.43 |
| Cambridge | £5.36 |
| Oxford | £5.08 |
| Reading | £5.05 |
| Brighton | £4.99 |
| Watford | £4.97 |
| Glasgow | £4.93 |
| Portsmouth | £4.91 |
| Northampton | £4.82 |
| Leeds | £4.82 |
| Norwich | £4.78 |
| Bristol | £4.78 |
| Liverpool | £4.78 |
| Newcastle | £4.70 |
| Southampton | £4.68 |
| Leicester | £4.68 |
| Middlesborough | £4.68 |
| Aberdeen | £4.67 |
| Plymouth | £4.65 |
| Poole | £4.65 |
| Peterborough | £4.65 |
| Ipswich | £4.62 |
| Cardiff | £4.61 |
| Birmingham | £4.60 |
| Lincoln | £4.60 |
| Dundee | £4.60 |
| Manchester | £4.57 |
| Swansea | £4.55 |
| Bournemouth | £4.53 |
| Blackpool | £4.53 |
| Sheffield | £4.52 |
| Southend-on-Sea | £4.50 |
| Milton Keynes | £4.50 |
| Coventry | £4.46 |
| Nottingham | £4.42 |
| Hull | £4.40 |
| Sunderland | £4.38 |
| Rotherham | £4.37 |
| Stoke on Trent | £4.36 |
| Derby | £4.35 |
| Gloucester | £4.30 |
| Swindon | £4.28 |
| Stockport | £4.27 |
| Bolton | £4.17 |
How expensive is a sober St Patrick’s Day with Guinness 0.0?
For the one in five Brits wanting to reduce how much alcohol they consume in 2025, you can still celebrate St Patrick’s Day with a can of the alcohol-fee alternative to Guinness – Guinness 0.0.
Although it’s becoming more common to see alcohol free beers on tap, we’ve compared prices for a pint (538ml) can of the sober stout.
According to our research, the average price for a pint can of Guinness 0.0 in the UK stands at around £3.89. However, sober St Patrick’s Day revellers in London could pay up to 26.4% more than the national average, with prices nearing £5 for a pint can of the alcohol-free Guinness alternative in the city.
Most expensive Guinness 0.0 pints in the UK
| City | Average cost of a pint of Guinness 0.0 |
| London | £4.92 |
| York | £4.66 |
| Edinburgh | £4.58 |
| Cambridge | £4.56 |
| Oxford | £4.43 |
| Northampton | £4.29 |
| Bristol | £4.21 |
| Swansea | £4.14 |
| Plymouth | £4.12 |
| Liverpool | £4.11 |
Cheapest Guinness 0.0 pints in the UK
However, Guinness 0.0 lovers in Stoke-on-Trent will be happy as it’s the cheapest place in the UK for a pint can of the sober stout. The city is joined by Nottingham, Bolton, Sheffield and Rotherham in the top five cheapest places to grab a pint can of alcohol-free Guinness this St Patrick’s Day.
| City | Average cost of a pint of Guinness 0.0 |
| Stoke on Trent | £3.48 |
| Nottingham | £3.48 |
| Bolton | £3.49 |
| Sheffield | £3.51 |
| Rotherham | £3.54 |
| Stockport | £3.56 |
| Reading | £3.57 |
| Norwich | £3.58 |
| Aberdeen | £3.61 |
| Gloucester | £3.63 |
How expensive is a pint of Guinness 0.0 in my city?
| City | Average cost of a pint of Guinness 0.0 |
| London | £4.92 |
| York | £4.66 |
| Edinburgh | £4.58 |
| Cambridge | £4.56 |
| Oxford | £4.43 |
| Northampton | £4.29 |
| Bristol | £4.21 |
| Swansea | £4.14 |
| Plymouth | £4.12 |
| Liverpool | £4.11 |
| Hull | £4.08 |
| Glasgow | £4.06 |
| Brighton | £4.05 |
| Watford | £3.98 |
| Dundee | £3.93 |
| Leeds | £3.93 |
| Derby | £3.93 |
| Peterborough | £3.86 |
| Middlesborough | £3.84 |
| Birmingham | £3.84 |
| Southend-on-Sea | £3.83 |
| Leicester | £3.82 |
| Milton Keynes | £3.82 |
| Ipswich | £3.81 |
| Portsmouth | £3.81 |
| Blackpool | £3.80 |
| Lincoln | £3.76 |
| Swindon | £3.73 |
| Sunderland | £3.73 |
| Bournemouth | £3.73 |
| Newcastle | £3.73 |
| Poole | £3.71 |
| Coventry | £3.67 |
| Manchester | £3.66 |
| Southampton | £3.66 |
| Cardiff | £3.64 |
| Gloucester | £3.63 |
| Aberdeen | £3.61 |
| Norwich | £3.58 |
| Reading | £3.57 |
| Stockport | £3.56 |
| Rotherham | £3.54 |
| Sheffield | £3.51 |
| Bolton | £3.49 |
| Stoke on Trent | £3.48 |
| Nottingham | £3.48 |
It’s easy for big holidays and celebrations often associated with drinking alcohol to end up costing a lot more than anticipated – especially amidst the cost of living crisis. Even when opting for alcohol-free options, the price can rack up quickly.
If you don’t properly budget for socialising, some people can rack up debt to fund their lifestyle, repeatedly using overdrafts or credit cards until they’re trapped in a never-ending cycle of spending more than they can afford just to have fun.
Tackling credit card debt can be daunting, especially if you feel like you’re unsure where to start to clear your debts. Our own professional advisors support people on a daily basis to help them with the best debt solutions to help people regain control of their finances. Find out more here.
Methodology
UK Debt Expert looked at three pub chains in each of the biggest cities in the UK – including Wetherspoons, O’Neills, Hungry Horse and Greene King. Data correct as of March 2025.
Using the apps of each pub chain, we discovered how much they’re currently charging for a pint of Guinness, and a 538ml (pint) can of Guinness 0.0, in three pubs in each city, to establish a national and regional average.
UK Debt Expert compared this year’s prices to costs they analysed in 2024, to show how the cost of a Guinness in UK pubs has increased over the last twelve months.
Data correct as of March 2025.
