With the rise of ride-hailing apps like Uber, getting a taxi has never been easier, especially in major cities. But where in the world is taking a taxi the most affordable? And which city has the highest fares during rush hour?
Using data from Uber and Numbeo, we analyzed 38 major cities based on five critical factors, scoring each on a 50-point system to determine the best taxi services globally.
How We Ranked Taxi Services
Each city was scored based on five key factors:
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Average Taxi Cost – The price of a standard 3km journey.
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Uber Vehicle Options – The variety of car types available.
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Rush Hour Price Increase – How much fares surge during peak times.
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Luxury Taxi Cost – The price of an Uber Exec or equivalent ride.
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Tourist Attraction Uber Availability – Average wait time for an Uber at major attractions.
These factors were combined to create an overall ranking of the best and worst cities for taking a taxi.
Cities with the Most Expensive and Cheapest Taxi Fares
Using UK currency, the data found that the cheapest capital city for cab riding is Cairo in Egypt, with a 3km journey costing as little as 93p (21 Egyptian Pounds), helping it climb to third place in the overall list. The only cities which outranked Cairo were New Delhi in India (which came second) and Washington D.C. in the USA (which placed first).Although a 3km taxi ride in Washington D.C. costs £5.99 ($8.27), catching a daily cab in the US capital only eats up less than 1% of the average salary in that city.
While in New Delhi, travelling by cab for the same distance only sets you back by £1.07 (103 Indian Rupees), representing 26.7% of the average Indian salary. However, Uber does benefit New Delhi residents, with the taxi service pledging not to increase fares during the city’s ‘odd-even’ windows that have been implemented to deal with the excessive smog currently plaguing the city.
Bern in Switzerland was found to be the most expensive city to take a taxi in at £14.78 (18.75 Swiss Francs). The Swiss capital finishes in last place, even despite the price of Bern’s Ubers staying generally consistent throughout the day.
Cities with the Most Expensive Taxi Fares
We worked out how the price of an Uber ride during the morning ‘rush hour’ (between 8am-10am) in 38 cities around the globe compared to the cost of the same journey during the rest of the day.
The worst place to be stuck needing a taxi at rush hour is Auckland in New Zealand, which saw the biggest rush hour price surge of any city. During peak hours, the number on the meter can shoot up by a whopping 392% (£3.33 to £16.39 / $6.40 to $31.50 NZD).
However, data also shows that New Zealand has the highest percentage (83.7%) of vehicles per capita, with 837 motors on the road for every 1,000 people, implying a general lower demand for taxis. This means fewer cabs on the road and longer waiting times for passengers - especially at rush hour.
Surprisingly, several cities actually saw a decrease in taxi fares during rush hour. Washington D.C.’s taxi rides are 48% cheaper (£9.87 down from £18.98) during peak times, meaning it places the top of our list and is the world’s No. 1 city for taxi services.
Cities with the Worst Rush Hour Fare Increases
Most Expensive Luxury Uber Services
So what about those of us who like to arrive in style? Uber offers a range of premium travel services such as Uber XL, Uber Exec and Uber Black (you can even get Uber-Copters in the US) in 30 out of 38 cities we studied.
The most expensive of the classy cabs can be found in Los Angeles, USA where the cost of an Exec car can reach an 118% price increase on a standard L.A. Uber (£42.28 / $58.30), but it is still not the most costly city to travel by luxury taxi. Travelling by Uber Exec in Warsaw, Poland will cost you 276% more (£1.47 to £5.53 / 8.01 to 30.11 Polish Zloty) than it would in a standard cab.
Madrid in Spain is the only capital city where the average cost of travelling by Uber Exec worked out a whole 16% cheaper (£5.58 down from £6.61) than riding in a standard Uber, making Madrid the ideal city for those who enjoy the finer things in life to travel by taxi.
Best Cities for Uber Availability at Tourist Attractions
Based on information from Uber, we have found the best and worst cities for tourists to take taxis to see the sights. We calculated how quickly you can get an Uber to come and collect you from the main tourist attraction in 38 different cities around the world.
Our data shows that an incredible five cities, including Vienna, Toronto, Sydney, Abuja and New Delhi, all managed to get a perfect score of 10, with it taking only 3 minutes for an Uber to turn up to the major tourist attraction in each of these cities.
Rio de Janeiro in Brazil came out bottom of the list, with taxis taking an excruciating waiting time of 43 minutes.
Final Thoughts: Where’s the Best Place to Get a Taxi?
If you’re looking for cheap fares, head to Cairo or New Delhi. If you want to avoid rush hour price surges, Washington D.C. is your best bet. For luxury travel, Madrid offers the best value.
Taking 38 countries around the world, we found out which countries have the best taxi services.
We tested each city against five factors each scoring between 1-10 for a total of 50 points, for the following factors:
- Average taxi cost
- Uber vehicle options
- Rush hour price increase
- Luxury taxi cost
- Tourist attraction Uber availability
* For cities that did not have taxi average cost available, surrounding cities were used.
Freuently Asked Question
Which city has the cheapest taxi fares in 2025?
Cairo, Egypt, offers the cheapest taxi fares, with a 3km journey costing just 93p (£0.93).
What is the most expensive city for taxi travel?
Bern, Switzerland, has the highest fares, where a 3km taxi ride costs £14.78.
Where do taxi fares surge the most during rush hour?
Auckland, New Zealand, sees the biggest fare increase, with prices surging by 392% during peak hours.
Which city is the best for luxury taxi travel?
Madrid, Spain, is the best city for luxury taxi rides, as Uber Exec fares are 16% cheaper than standard rides.
Which city has the fastest Uber wait time for tourists?
Vienna, Toronto, Sydney, Abuja, and New Delhi all have the fastest Uber response time, averaging 3 minutes.
Which city is the worst for getting an Uber at tourist attractions?
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has the slowest Uber wait time, with taxis taking an average of 43 minutes to arrive.
How do rush hour prices compare worldwide?
While most cities see an increase, Washington D.C. is unique because its taxi fares drop by 48% during peak hours.
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