I went to Liverpool's Christmas Markets with £20 and totally wasted £5

As the festive season kicks off, there aren't many places in Liverpool that feel more magical than the city's Christmas Market. The annual event is based across St George's Plateau and William Brown Street with food and drink stalls, plus rides and vendors selling their crafts and gifts. The cost of food and drink at UK Christmas markets has proven a contentious point this year, as the cost of living crisis continues to hit many families' budgets.

Vendors set their own prices and can therefore charge what they deem appropriate in order to ensure they make a profit once business costs have been evaluated. Liverpool Christmas Markets include food and drink vendors from around the world offering everything from Yorkshire pudding wraps to mulled wine. With that in mind, we sent ECHO reporter Kayleigh Cantrell down to the markets with £20 in her pocket to see just how much she would be able to get for her money. Here's how far it stretched...

It was 1:00 pm and the market was quiet and easy to navigate, unlike during the evenings when it's bustling with visitors. I was surrounded by rows of wooden chalets with fairy lights lining the cobbled street, and the stalls were offering food options, Christmas ornaments, and seasonal treats. I was tempted to splurge immediately, but I was determined to make every penny count, and so I took some time to assess my options.

READ MORE: HMS Prince of Wales: What is the Royal Navy ship set to visit Liverpool?

READ MORE: The Wombats to headline On the Waterfront festival 2025

I started with a cup of hot chocolate because no Christmas market is complete without one. I couldn’t forget the whipped cream and marshmallows. But at £5 a cup, this was the only purchase of the day that shocked me when it came to the price point. There’s no doubt that it warmed me up during last week's cold snap, but I felt that for a small cup of hot chocolate, it was not worth a fiver.

I was also a bit disappointed to see a lack of dairy-free options for hot drinks and sweet treats. There was one small vendor that did a Biscoff oat milk hot chocolate, but otherwise there weren't many options.

Budget Remaining: £15

The main reason people visit Christmas Markets is for the food and Liverpool does not lack variety. Kebabs, Greek pittas, chips, curries, jacket potatoes, burgers, hot dogs, and the beloved Christmas dinner wrap can all be purchased at the market. A Yorkshire pudding filled with roast turkey, stuffing, roast potatoes, vegetables, cranberry sauce, and gravy, all wrapped together and served with a (much needed) napkin was my lunch of choice. It was very messy to eat on-the-go, but it was also warm, filling, and flavourful. At £12, I think it was pretty reasonable for such a large portion.

Budget Remaining: £3

With £3 left in my pocket, I splurged on a shot of melted chocolate with some mini dipping marshmallows. I was still stuffed from the Christmas dinner wrap and this small chocolate treat was just enough. It wasn’t too sickly - it was just a moment of chocolatey goodness. It was £2.50 for a shot glass of warm chocolate and marshmallows, which I thought was a decent price compared to some of the options on the market.

Some dessert options were too expensive for my budget, including six churros for £6 or 10 small Dutch pancakes for £12.

Budget Remaining: 50p

I left the markets with 50p and a little bit of Christmas spirit. Watching everyone walking around with their hats and scarves on, gripping their hot drinks, whilst bopping along to the Christmas music, it’s safe to say that the Liverpool Christmas market is full of festive magic.

The £5 hot chocolate is the item that shocked me most but the item that took the biggest bite out of my budget was the Christmas dinner wrap at £12. While I felt it was reasonably priced for a main dish, there were plenty of cheaper options to indulge in, such as mac and cheese for £7, bratwursts at £8 and burgers at £10.

Overall, I had a great experience and the walk around the market lifted my spirits, even on a rainy Friday afternoon. While £20 doesn’t stretch far, it’s enough to soak in the atmosphere and indulge in some classic Christmas festivities.