The online bank Monzo has analysed UK festivals with a capacity of over 20,000 to calculate which offer the best value for money this summer – with Boomtown Fair coming out on top.
The research was pulled from a sample of 1,000 UK Respondents who have visited a festival in 2025 or plan to attend one in 2026, and the study was focused on “multi-day camping festivals with a capacity of over 20,000 people,” says Monzo.
Based on Monzo’s research, comparing the cheapest standard camping ticket prices with the number of artists performing to calculate how much attendees pay per performer. Boomtown Fair in Hampshire offers the best value for money overall. Tickets cost around £360 for five days of camping, with attendees able to enjoy 435 artists across more than 12 stages. Working out at 83p per performer.
This was followed by Creamfields at £1.12 per artist. Truck Festival ranked third at £1.79 per artist, while Boardmasters Festival in Cornwall came in at £1.88 per performer.
Monzo also analysed value per headliner by dividing ticket prices by the number of lead acts. Truck Festival ranked first at £52 per headliner.
Through transaction and savings data, Monzo also found that people save for an average of 4.8 months for festivals, with November emerging as the most popular month to purchase tickets.
Monzo’s internal data showed that festival spending typically peaks on day two or three of a festival, and in terms of spending split, 60% goes on food and drink, followed by entertainment (13%) and merchandise (12%).
Chris Mucklow-Norell, Head of Brand Marketing at Monzo, said: “Despite rising costs, we don’t want music lovers to miss out on festival season this summer, so we conducted this research to help people look beyond the usual headline festivals and make their money go further.
“Setting a budget early, tracking spending, and keeping an eye out for the best-value tickets can help people enjoy the events they love without overspending. It’s not always the biggest or most well-known festivals that offer the best value. For those willing to explore, there are huge line-ups and unforgettable weekends available at a fraction of the expected cost.”
