car park

Parking Price Index

Helping to make drivers' MOT, car service and repairs easier is what we're all about at Fixter. We began a study earlier this year to look into one of the most frustrating issues for drivers in the UK and around the world: high parking costs. the COVID-19 crisis unfolded, however, it became clear that practices like remote working and social distancing would mean far fewer cars on the road. While a marked reduction in pollution has been a huge boon for the environment, many city councils face a great loss of income from the reduction in parking revenue. Major hubs like London who rely on this revenue to fund public services stand to lose an estimated 449 million pounds due to the pandemic.*

As restrictions ease and movements increase, cities and drivers everywhere now have an opportunity reassess how things have been done in the past. With many countries already having considered car bans in major city centres before the pandemic, and alternative means of transport like cycling becoming increasingly popular, city councils around the world will need to re-think their parking cost strategies. While these developments are a positive trend for commuters, it is reasonable to believe that parking costs will remain high for the foreseeable future. With this in mind, we decided to release our 2020 Parking Price Index which reveals the differences in the cost of parking around the world.

We began the index by first considering all of the major locations from our first-hand experience that charge the highest parking prices, as well as those which we regularly drive to. The sites which first came to mind are the places where you drop loved ones off or pick them up, namely airports. Next, we considered shopping districts looking at both car parks and street parking, as well as sporting stadiums.

Finally, we found the parking cost at each location's city hall, as they are generally located the centre of town, where parking costs can be at a premium. Recording the average price per hour to park in each of these spots for 65 locations, we were then able to see which cities pay the most and least for parking, as well as how high or low the price is compared to the global median. The final index is ranked by the average deviation of the price to park in all of these locations across a city, from highest to lowest.

Below you can find the full results. Each column is filterable from highest to lowest. The complete methodology can be found at the bottom of the page.

*The Greater London boroughs collected a total of £727,960,000 in parking revenue in 2019, with a surplus of £454,417,000 after expenses. With an expected 61.67% reduction in revenue due to the COVID19 lockdown, the total surplus for 2020 is estimated to be £5,508,333. A shortfall of £448,908,667.

The expected shortfall for parking income among metropolitan areas in the UK:

  • Manchester £18,021,000
  • Edinburgh £22,647,371
  • Birmingham £13,586,000
  • Glasgow £14,931,536
  • Liverpool £7,119,000
  • Cardiff £7,691,000
  • Leeds £6,488,000
  • Sheffield £3,623,000
  • Belfast £1,014,445

Parking Price Index

Parking costs (GBP)

AirportShopping District
(Car park)
Shopping District
(Street parking)
StadiumCity Hall
#
City
Country
Price
(1 hour)
% Deviation from median
Price
(1 hour)
% Deviation from median
Price
(1 hour)
% Deviation from median
Price (3 hours/flat rate)
% Deviation from median
Price
(1 hour)
% Deviation from median
Average % Deviation
1New YorkUS£6.1534.28%£23.06822.40%£3.4649.78%£25.37198.47%£19.22668.80%354.75%
2BostonUS£6.1534.28%£19.22668.80%£2.8824.68%£23.06171.29%£15.38515.20%282.85%
3SydneyAustralia£10.00118.34%£14.95498.00%£3.8164.94%£15.4782.00%£9.79291.60%210.98%
4LondonUK£7.8070.31%£8.00220.00%£4.90112.12%£30.00252.94%£10.00300.00%191.07%
5BrisbaneAustralia£9.79113.76%£9.28271.20%£2.5811.69%£25.52200.24%£9.28271.20%173.62%
6PhiladelphiaUS£4.610.66%£9.23269.20%£1.54-33.33%£30.75261.76%£9.23269.20%153.50%
7ChicagoUS£2.31-49.56%£7.69207.60%£3.4649.78%£26.91216.59%£7.69207.60%126.40%
8MinneapolisUS£3.84-16.16%£8.46238.40%£2.310.00%£19.22126.12%£9.23269.20%123.51%
9San FranciscoUS£6.1534.28%£7.69207.60%£2.8824.68%£26.91216.59%£4.6184.40%113.51%
10WashingtonUS£4.610.66%£6.92176.80%£1.77-23.38%£23.06171.29%£7.69207.60%106.59%
11MiamiUS£4.610.66%£11.53361.20%£2.310.00%£19.22126.12%£3.0823.20%102.23%
12SeattleUS£3.84-16.16%£6.15146.00%£2.6916.45%£23.06171.29%£5.38115.20%86.56%
13LeedsUK£10.00118.34%£6.60164.00%£2.8021.21%£18.00111.76%£2.500.00%83.06%
14DetroitUS£4.610.66%£5.38115.20%£1.54-33.33%£25.37198.47%£4.6184.40%73.08%
15OsloNorway£4.580.00%£6.08143.20%£2.25-2.60%£11.2432.24%£6.66166.40%67.85%
16AmsterdamNetherlands£5.0510.26%£5.55122.00%£6.31173.16%£13.8863.29%£1.68-32.80%67.18%
17Los AngelesUS£3.84-16.16%£0.00-100.00%£1.54-33.33%£19.22126.12%£10.76330.40%61.41%
18MelbourneAustralia£7.7368.78%£4.1264.80%£3.6156.28%£5.16-39.29%£6.19147.60%59.63%
19LiverpoolUK£7.5063.76%£1.00-60.00%£2.00-13.42%£30.00252.94%£3.0020.00%52.66%
20ManchesterUK£7.0052.84%£3.2028.00%£3.0029.87%£21.00147.06%£2.00-20.00%47.55%
21MontrealCanada£4.38-4.37%£4.6485.60%£1.89-18.18%£11.6136.59%£5.80132.00%46.33%
22San DiegoUS£4.610.66%£1.92-23.20%£0.96-58.44%£15.3880.94%£8.06222.40%44.47%
23EdinburghUK£7.0052.84%£2.708.00%£4.6099.13%£14.0064.71%£2.00-20.00%40.94%
24BirminghamUK£5.7024.45%£2.00-20.00%£3.5051.52%£15.0076.47%£4.0060.00%38.49%
25TorontoCanada£5.2213.97%£3.4839.20%£2.320.43%£14.5170.71%£4.0662.40%37.34%
26AtlantaUS£2.31-49.56%£5.38115.20%£1.54-33.33%£15.3880.94%£3.8453.60%33.37%
27CalgaryCanada£4.937.64%£5.80132.00%£2.6112.99%£4.64-45.41%£3.4839.20%29.28%
28StockholmSweden£7.9673.80%£6.76170.40%£2.07-10.39%£1.99-76.59%£1.59-36.40%24.16%
29GlasgowUK£5.9930.79%£2.00-20.00%£4.0073.16%£8.500.00%£3.0020.00%20.79%
30CopenhagenDenmark£5.6322.93%£2.25-10.00%£2.9326.84%£4.05-52.35%£5.06102.40%17.96%
31UtrechtNetherlands£5.0510.26%£1.47-41.20%£4.65101.30%£12.6148.35%£1.68-32.80%17.18%
32ParisFrance£6.7346.94%£3.7048.00%£2.02-12.55%£7.32-13.88%£2.520.80%13.86%
33OttawaCanada£5.8026.64%£1.45-42.00%£4.0675.76%£6.96-18.12%£2.32-7.20%7.02%
34CardiffUK£3.00-34.50%£2.00-20.00%£2.10-9.09%£10.0017.65%£4.5080.00%6.81%
35TokyoJapan£3.64-20.52%£4.2068.00%£2.10-9.09%£8.41-1.06%£2.10-16.00%4.27%
36VancouverCanada£2.47-46.07%£3.4839.20%£2.320.43%£11.6136.59%£1.89-24.40%1.15%
37SheffieldUK£5.009.17%£2.500.00%£2.6012.55%£7.00-17.65%£2.500.00%0.82%
38ZurichSwitzerland£4.733.28%£3.1526.00%£2.372.60%£3.55-58.24%£3.1526.00%-0.07%
39PerthAustralia£7.2257.64%£1.55-38.00%£2.5811.69%£4.64-45.41%£2.583.20%-2.18%
40DublinIreland£2.52-44.98%£2.520.80%£2.6916.45%£5.89-30.71%£3.3634.40%-4.81%
41Sao PauloBrazil£4.11-10.26%£3.2228.80%£0.89-61.47%£10.7326.24%£1.79-28.40%-9.02%
42FrankfurtGermany£4.20-8.30%£2.10-16.00%£3.3645.45%£5.05-40.59%£1.68-32.80%-10.45%
43RomeItaly£3.36-26.64%£2.520.80%£1.01-56.28%£5.05-40.59%£4.2068.00%-10.94%
44MoscowRussia£1.21-73.58%£2.42-3.20%£4.6099.13%£2.42-71.53%£2.18-12.80%-12.40%
45DallasUS£2.31-49.56%£1.54-38.40%£1.15-50.22%£15.3880.94%£2.31-7.60%-12.97%
46HonululuUS£2.31-49.56%£2.31-7.60%£2.310.00%£13.0753.76%£0.77-69.20%-14.52%
47BaselSwitzerland£5.0510.26%£1.97-21.20%£2.372.60%£7.88-7.29%£0.79-68.40%-16.81%
48GenevaSwitzerland£3.94-13.97%£2.37-5.20%£2.21-4.33%£2.37-72.12%£2.37-5.20%-20.16%
49AucklandNew Zealand£3.47-24.24%£1.98-20.80%£1.98-14.29%£5.95-30.00%£1.98-20.80%-22.02%
50MadridSpain£2.84-37.99%£1.68-32.80%£0.97-58.01%£9.9917.53%£2.10-16.00%-25.45%
51Hong KongHong Kong£1.98-56.77%£2.08-16.80%£1.58-31.60%£7.12-16.24%£2.28-8.80%-26.04%
52BerlinGermany£4.20-8.30%£1.68-32.80%£2.529.09%£4.20-50.59%£0.84-66.40%-29.80%
53BelfastUK£5.009.17%£2.500.00%£1.20-48.05%£2.30-72.94%£0.60-76.00%-37.56%
54WarsawPoland£5.9129.04%£0.98-60.80%£0.59-74.46%£4.92-42.12%£1.18-52.80%-40.23%
55IstanbulTurkey£2.68-41.48%£1.15-54.00%£1.15-50.22%£1.79-78.94%£1.15-54.00%-55.73%
56BogotaColombia£1.05-77.07%£1.09-56.40%£1.29-44.16%£2.04-76.00%£1.09-56.40%-62.01%
57SingaporeSingapore£1.17-74.45%£0.78-68.80%£1.34-41.99%£2.14-74.82%£1.23-50.80%-62.17%
58DubaiUAE£1.05-77.07%£2.09-16.40%£0.84-63.64%£0.00-100.00%£0.42-83.20%-68.06%
59Mexico cityMexico£1.81-60.48%£0.82-67.20%£0.40-82.68%£4.10-51.76%£0.21-91.60%-70.75%
60ShanghaiChina£1.10-75.98%£0.55-78.00%£0.33-85.71%£2.98-64.94%£1.10-56.00%-72.13%
61BeijingChina£0.66-85.59%£0.66-73.60%£1.10-52.38%£0.66-92.24%£0.66-73.60%-75.48%
62MumbaiIndia£2.47-46.07%£0.16-93.60%n/an/a£2.15-74.71%£0.27-89.20%-75.89%
63Cape TownSouth Africa£0.78-82.97%£0.52-79.20%£0.91-60.61%£2.07-75.65%£0.26-89.60%-77.60%
64Buenos airesArgentina£1.07-76.64%£0.45-82.00%£0.04-98.27%£2.27-73.29%£0.76-69.60%-79.96%
65DelhiIndia£1.61-64.85%£0.21-91.60%n/an/a£1.07-87.41%£0.54-78.40%-80.56%

Methodology

The 2020 Parking Price Index shows the cost of parking in 65 cities around the world. The cities were selected based on their availability of comparable parking data. The default ranking for index is based on the average deviation of the price to park in various locations in each city, most to least expensive.

Prices were taken from the following locations in each city:

  • Airport
  • Shopping District (Car Park)
  • Shopping District (Street Parking)
  • Stadium
  • City Hall

The prices show both the raw price per hour (with the exception of Stadiums, which show the price for 3 hours or the flat rate) and as an expression of the percentage deviation from the median.


Airport

  • For each location, a representative airport was chosen (i.e. one that makes sense for local residents).
  • The price shown is the cost of parking for 1 hour in short-term parking.
  • As much as possible, prices were taken from the official airport car park.
  • Where possible, prices were collected for a Monday between 14:00-15:00 o'clock.

Shopping District (Street Parking)

  • For each location, a representative shopping district was chosen (i.e. one that makes sense for local residents).
  • The price shown is the cost of parking for 1 hour in short-term street parking.
  • Where possible, prices were collected for a Monday between 14:00-15:00 o'clock.
  • Prices collected were for the closest* available street parking. Mostly, the price for street parking is divided in zones, but sometimes direct parking metre prices were available.

Shopping District (Car Park)

  • For each location, a representative shopping district was chosen (i.e. one that makes sense for local residents).
  • The price shown is the cost of parking for 1 hour in short-term street parking.
  • Where possible, prices were collected for a Monday between 14:00-15:00 o'clock.
  • Prices were collected for the closest* car park.

Stadium

  • For each location, a representative stadium was chosen (i.e. one that makes sense for local residents, and should also host sporting events on a regular basis).
  • Some stadiums are found outside of the city, for example in Dallas, the AT&T Stadium is located in Arlington, not in Dallas, but since it is the home stadium of the Dallas Cowboys and in very close proximity to Dallas, this stadium was utilised for the Dallas Stadium price.
  • Prices were collected for the Home Team's matchday across various sports (such as Football/Soccer, American Football, Baseball, etc.)
  • Prices were mostly a flat rate per car per day. If not, the price collected was for 3 hours.
  • Prices were collected for the closest* car park, or in rare cases street parking.

City Hall

  • For each location, the main city hall was chosen.
  • The price shown is the cost of parking for 1 hour in short-term street parking.
  • Where possible, prices were collected for a Monday between 14:00-15:00 o'clock.
  • Prices were collected for the closest* car park.

*Closest means that a parking location should be within 500 metres walking distance to the venue, maximum. Obvious distortions were avoided where possible by comparing the price to other parking spaces at a similar distance.


% Deviation from Median

  • In order to determine the deviation from the median price, the price for each location was compared to the median price of each location. The deviation from the median is calculated using the following formula:
    (Xi - Median of location prices)Median of location prices
    For example, the deviation of the parking price of Heathrow Airport (London):(Airport Price London - Median Price all Airports)Median Price all Airports

Average Deviation

  • The average of all available location deviations (Airport, Shopping District (Street Parking), Shopping District (Car Park), Stadium, City Hall) in a city.

Currency exchange rates correct the average exchange rate between 01.02.2020 and 24.02.2020.