Currency converters: xe.com FXConverter Average costs in London of some everyday things  as of April 22, 2004
		Conversion rate as of April 22, 2004: 1 British Pound Sterling (£) = $1.7759 Note: as of Dec. 5, 2004: 1 British Pound Sterling (£)  = $1.93849  And, as of Tuesday, April 19, 2005: 1 British Pound = 1.90320 US Dollar (prices below NOT updated)
Item			Cost in £	=	Cost in $
Newspaper 0.50			£        0.50		$       0.89
Magazine	(average)		£        2.50		$       4.44
Financial Times newspaper			£        1.00		$       1.78
Meals/day			£      25.00	and up	$     44.40	and up
can of soda (Coke etc.)			£        0.50		$       0.89
sandwich			£        2.00		$       3.55
McDonald's extra value meal			£        3.89		$       6.91
Three-course meal + wine/beer			£      20.00	and up	$     35.52	and up
Pub meal			£        6.00	and up	$     10.66	and up
Pint of beer			£        2.50		$       4.44
Bottle of wine			£        8.00		$     14.21
Candy bar			£        0.40		$       0.71
Cinema			£        7.00	and up	$     12.43	and up
Theatre			£      25.00	and up	$     44.40	and up	(students less)
Adult football (=soccer) ticket			£      20.00	and up	$     35.52	and up
Nightclub admission			£        6.00		$     10.66
Music CD			£      15.00		$     26.64
Roll colour film			£        5.00		$       8.88
Develop film			£        5.00		$       8.88
Roundtrip train to Cambridge			£      20.00		$     35.52
Roundtrip train to Paris			£    110.00		$   195.35
Haircut (men)			£      20.00		$     35.52
T-shirts, underwear (men)			£      10.00		$     17.76
Jean & casual pants			£      30.00		$     53.28
Shirts, light sweaters (women)			£      20.00		$     35.52
Small appliances (e.g. hairdryer)			£      20.00		$     35.52
If you eat in an English restaurant you should leave a tip of at least 10% unless the service was unsatisfactory.
Some restaurants include a service charge on the bill, in which case a gratuity is unnecessary.
Taxi drivers expect to be tipped about 10%, especially in London.
You never tip to have a pint poured in a pub. However, at swank cocktail bars a 10% tip is expected.

The cost of a month's tube pass for zones one and two is £77.60. This allows travel between hostel in Fulham and downtown London where the theatres and sights are.