Asian cities have become more affordable with room rates falling over the last year compared to 2012, according to HRS Hotel Rate Development 2013 price comparison.

Indian cities saw a substantial drop on average room rates last year compared to 2012, with New Delhi with the largest fall of 26.6% to 43.21 euros (US$58.90) and Mumbai 12.43% to 92.24 euros.

Bangkok and Taipei, however, bucked the trend with increase of +11.03% to 64.90 euros and ++3.66% to 111.80 euros respectively.

The hotel portal noted that price competitiveness and differentiation have led to a price war in cities frequented by tourists such as Singapore (144.53 euros), Tokyo (134.35 euros) and Seoul (136.24 euros).

The report revealed that globally New York is the frontrunner in room rates with a 8.9% hike in average rate per night, bringing it to 187 euros.

Rio de Janeiro follows at 179 euro despite a 3.6% drop in rate, while Sydney takes third place with 174 euros after a 1.1% drop. According to HRS, for that price one could have booked nearly three nights in Kuala Lumpur (58 euros), Shanghai (64 euros) or Bangkok (65 euros).

In Europe, Germany is the most affordable as the average price for hotel room nights in many cities remained stable in 2013. Only Cologne, Munich, Hamburg and Frankfurt saw a slight increase in the average room rates.

Hotels in the trade fair city of Cologne saw the most significant increase in price with an average of 3% more for a hotel room to 97.60 euros.

Munich, the Bavarian capital, remains to the most expensive city in Germany with an average room rate of 109 euros (+2.9%), and is the only city progress beyond the 100-euro threshold.

The most inexpensive hotel rooms are in the east of the republic, with a night’s stay in Dresden costing an average of 82 euros. Despite the increasing number of visitors, the rates in Berlin remained moderate at an average of 85 euros for a room.

The rest of Europe is patchy. Zurich remains the most expensive city to stay with an average of 145 euros per room, followed by London at142 euros and Moscow at 141 euros.

The most inexpensive room rates are in Prague, at 70 euros per night despite a 4% increase in price

Room rates in Budapest, Warsaw, Lisbon and Athens remain moderate. The rates in Warsaw decreased the most at 9% to 74 euros.

Madrid also saw a decrease of 7% to 82 euros,  a noticeable effect of the economic crisis in Spain.

Zurich remains the frontrunner of the comparison of the top destinations with an average of 145 euros despite a decrease of 3% on the average room rates.

Vienna, Moscow and Amsterdam also had slightly less expensive room rates than a year before, with a drop of 4%.

The largest increase in the room rates was seen in the major Scandinavian cities — Stockholm 138 euros, Oslo 133 euros and Copenhagen 129 euros, where the room rates increased by about 5%.