The cost of everything seems to be climbing this year from gas prices to taxes – and holidays are no different.
Countries in Europe are likely to feel more expensive to Brits this year especially as we’re all trying to save money where we can.
But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t bargains to be found.
And, some countries are much cheaper than others when it comes to “hidden” costs of food and drink that we often overlook when searching for cheap accommodation.
After all, you won’t save much if you find a cheap Airbnb somewhere only to find out it costs £6 a pint and £100 for every dinner.
The Post Office released its latest Holiday Money Report in March that looks at the differing cost of common tourist items.
And, the cheapest locations for Brits to enjoy were the stunning sunny countries of Turkey and Bulgaria.
The report noted that the cost of eight items in Marmaris Turkey added up to £26.13 while the same in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria would set you back just £26.19.
That’s a massive drop from the third cheapest destination the Algarve, in Portugal, which cost £44.39 for the same items.
And, it’s a monumental difference from the most expensive locations Reykjavik, Iceland, which cost £158.16, and Bridgetown, Barbados, which cost £156.74!
The cost of a Turkey holiday has also dropped since 2021 by a sizeable 36.8% while costs in Bulgaria have lowered by 22.4% since 2020.
The items looked at included the following:
- Cup of filter coffee
- Bottle of local beer/lager
- Bottle/can of Coca-cola/Pepsi
- Glass of wine
- 1.5bottle of mineral water
- Suncream
- Insect repellant
- Three course evening meal for two
And, some of the results are surprising.
For example, you can snap up a bottle of beer for just 45p in Bulgaria while it’s a little pricier at £1.54 and wine cost £1.12 in Sunny beach compared to £1.84 in Marmaris.
Meanwhile a cup of coffee will set you back 59p in Turkey and 58p in Bulgaria meaning they’re roughly the same.
A can of coke in Marmaris, Turkey will cost 61p and it’s 58p in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria.
But, mineral water was much cheaper in Turkey at just 8p versus 36p in Bulgaria.
Some of the pricier items on the list included sun cream at an average of £4.21 in Turkey and £2.24 in Bulgaria.
Though most of us tend to take sun cream and insect repellant – which was £1.14 in Turkey and £1.35 in Bulgaria – from home.
The biggest difference to the cost of a holiday though is bound to be the food.
And, you can chow down on a three course evening meal for two including a bottle of wine for a minuscule £16.02 in Turkey.
That’s less than the cost of the same at a Wetherspoons in the UK!
In Bulgaria you could get the same meal for £19.51 which is still impressive, especially when compared to popular destinations like the Costa Del Sol where it costs £41.90 or Corfu where the total was £48.08.
So, if you’re looking to jet off somewhere cheap this year check out what’s on offer in sunny Beach or Marmaris for a budget-friendly vaycay.
The average high temperature reaches a pleasant 29 degrees in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria, during July while in Marmaris, Turkey it skyrockets to 35 degrees in both July and August.
And, flights won’t break the bank either as flights from London to Bourgas (near Sunny Beach) can be found on Skyscanner for as little as £33 in July.
While one from London to Dalaman (near Marmaris) in the same month cost from £63.
Source: Read Full Article