As families prepare for the half-term exodus, new research reveals that winter sun family holidays are cheaper in Europe than in many long-haul destinations.
The research by Post Office Travel Money shows that the pound is on a six-year high against the euro, making Eurozone winter sun resorts cheaper than some popular destinations further afield.
The Winter Sunshine Barometer of 18 key holiday destinations, which looks at the cost of a basket of eight tourist staples, including a family meal, drinks, sun cream and insect repellent, found that the Costa Del Sol offered the cheapest break at £44, followed, with Bali (£47) just pipping the Algarve (£48) into second place.
Holidaymakers looking for more guaranteed winter sun in Europe will also find great value in Tenerife at £58 for the eight items and Ayia Napa in Cyprus at £60. Local prices in the four European destinations surveyed are either level with last year or slightly cheaper. However, an eight per cent rise in the value of the pound against the euro means these popular hotspots cost up to 11 per cent less.
In sharp contrast, the two most popular Middle East sunspots look decidedly pricey. For example, the Post Office basket of goods in the most expensive destination, Jumeirah Beach, Dubai (£159), costs almost three times as much as in Tenerife. The barometer basket in Sharm-el-Sheikh was also expensive at almost £115. Compared with five years ago, costs have mushroomed by two-thirds in the Egyptian resort and are 56 per cent higher in Dubai.
However, there is better news for holidaymakers who pick a destination where the pound has risen in value and where resort prices are low. Those planning long-haul trips to Sri Lanka (£55) and Thailand (£63), destinations long regarded as good value, will benefit from barometer falls of 19 per cent in resorts like Negombo and eight per cent in Phuket.
The Thai resort was much cheaper than two other Far Eastern resorts. In Vietnam, local prices have risen over a third in Hoi An (£85) while they have mushroomed by 60 per cent in Penang (£124). Even though the impact was cushioned by the strength of sterling against the Malaysian ringgit, reducing the amount extra UK visitors will pay to 55 per cent, this made Penang the survey’s second most expensive resort.
Tobago (£68) is another place for bargain hunters – the lowest-priced of four Caribbean destinations surveyed by Post Office Travel Money and 18 per cent cheaper than a year ago.
Barometer costs in this lesser known Caribbean island were 36 per cent lower than in Rodney Bay, St Lucia (£106), 39 per cent cheaper than in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and almost 40 per cent down on those in Montego Bay, Jamaica (£113).
Barometer costs have also moved up 16 per cent to £93 in Cancun since last year but, to put this into context, they are 25 per cent lower than five years ago before Mexico began to attract significantly more UK visitors.
The same trend applies to Orlando (£72). Costs for UK visitors have risen 17 per cent since last autumn, despite a stronger pound, but the long-term trend shows that holidaymakers will be 28 per cent better off in the theme park capital than they were five years ago.
Andrew Brown of Post Office Travel Money said: “While prices have fallen quite significantly in some resorts and there are great savings to be made for canny travellers, we found evidence of big increases in some of the most popular resorts. That’s why it will pay dividends to do some holiday homework by keeping an eye on exchange rates and checking prices for tourist staples on our website.”
| ITEMS | SPAIN | INDONESIA | PORTUGAL |
| Costa del Sol | Bali | Algarve | |
| Cup of filter coffee | £0.97 | £1.11 | £0.57 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Bottle of local lager | £1.62 | £1.03 | £0.81 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Bottle/can of Coca-Cola | £0.97 | £0.50 | £0.81 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Glass of wine | £1.42 | £2.23 | £1.22 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Bottle of mineral water (1.5l) Supermarket | £0.31 | £0.28 | £0.20 |
| Suncream | £4.02 | £3.90 | £7.31 |
| Supermarket | |||
| Insect repellent | £2.23 | £0.56 | £4.05 |
| Supermarket | |||
| 3 course evening meal for 2 incl. bottle of wine | £32.49 | £37.60 | £32.90 |
| TOTAL COSTS | £44.03 | £47.21 | £47.87 |
| % rise/fall over 2013 prices | -7% | -12% | -11% |
| ITEMS | SRI LANKA | SPAIN | CYPRUS |
| Various | Tenerife | Ayia Napa | |
| Cup of filter coffee | £1.03 | £1.22 | £2.40 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Bottle of local lager | £1.24 | £2.03 | £1.83 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Bottle/can of Coca-Cola | £0.71 | £1.46 | £1.62 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Glass of wine | £2.94 | £2.03 | £2.44 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Bottle of mineral water (1.5l) Supermarket | £0.52 | £0.45 | £0.31 |
| Suncream | £4.07 | £6.09 | £11.33 |
| Supermarket | |||
| Insect repellent | £2.97 | £2.23 | £2.68 |
| Supermarket | |||
| 3 course evening meal for 2 incl. bottle of wine | £41.78 | £42.49 | £37.61 |
| TOTAL COSTS | £55.26 | £58.00 | £60.22 |
| % rise/fall over 2013 prices | -19% | -6% | -8% |
| ITEMS | THAILAND | TOBAGO | VIETNAM |
| Phuket | Various | Hoi An | |
| Cup of filter coffee | £1.02 | £0.85 | £2.05 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Bottle of local lager | £1.42 | £1.06 | £2.44 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Bottle/can of Coca-Cola | £0.55 | £0.74 | £1.69 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Glass of wine | £3.05 | £2.64 | £3.90 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Bottle of mineral water (1.5l) Supermarket | £0.39 | £1.59 | £0.49 |
| Suncream | £2.54 | £7.93 | £4.87 |
| Supermarket | |||
| Insect repellent | £1.68 | £1.69 | £3.25 |
| Supermarket | |||
| 3 course evening meal for 2 incl. bottle of wine | £52.44 | £51.31 | £66.63 |
| TOTAL COSTS | £63.09 | £67.88 | £85.32 |
| % rise/fall over 2013 prices | -8% | -18% | 32% |
| ITEMS | MEXICO | USA | MAURITIUS |
| Cancun | Orlando | Grand Baie | |
| Cup of filter coffee | £1.73 | £1.28 | £1.54 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Bottle of local lager | £1.97 | £3.20 | £2.13 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Bottle/can of Coca-Cola | £1.48 | £1.92 | £0.85 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Glass of wine | £4.93 | £4.48 | £3.08 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Bottle of mineral water (1.5l) Supermarket | £0.44 | £1.28 | £0.53 |
| Suncream | £6.90 | £5.12 | £11.69 |
| Supermarket | |||
| Insect repellent | £2.71 | £3.20 | £2.66 |
| Supermarket | |||
| 3 course evening meal for 2 incl. bottle of wine | £72.98 | £51.22 | £81.83 |
| TOTAL COSTS | £93.14 | £71.70 | £104.31 |
| % rise/fall over 2013 prices | 16% | 17% | -15% |
| ITEMS | ST LUCIA | DOMINICAN REP | JAMAICA |
| Rodney Bay | Punta Cana | Montego Bay | |
| Cup of filter coffee | £1.62 | £0.99 | £1.93 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Bottle of local lager | £2.25 | £1.91 | £2.22 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Bottle/can of Coca-Cola | £1.00 | £0.76 | £1.36 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Glass of wine | £4.24 | £6.12 | £4.63 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Bottle of mineral water (1.5l) Supermarket | £2.06 | £0.34 | £0.56 |
| Suncream | £5.74 | £6.88 | £8.01 |
| Supermarket | |||
| Insect repellent | £2.87 | £4.97 | £5.90 |
| Supermarket | |||
| 3 course evening meal for 2 incl. bottle of wine | £86.10 | £88.62 | £87.78 |
| TOTAL COSTS | £105.88 | £110.59 | £112.39 |
| % rise/fall over 2013 prices | -12% | -3% | 30% |
| ITEMS | EGYPT | MALAYSIA | DUBAI |
| Sharm | Penang | Jumeirah | |
| Cup of filter coffee | £1.24 | £2.80 | £4.41 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Bottle of local lager | £2.66 | £9.17 | £7.94 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Bottle/can of Coca-Cola | £0.76 | £1.22 | £2.65 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Glass of wine | £3.80 | £6.88 | £8.82 |
| Café/bar | |||
| Bottle of mineral water (1.5l) Supermarket | £0.67 | £0.75 | £2.65 |
| Suncream | £8.08 | £11.97 | £8.82 |
| Supermarket | |||
| Insect repellent | £1.24 | £4.59 | £8.82 |
| Supermarket | |||
| 3 course evening meal for 2 incl. bottle of wine | £96.35 | £86.62 | £115.23 |
| TOTAL COSTS | £114.80 | £124.00 | £159.34 |
| % rise/fall over 2013 prices | N/A | 55% | 8% |
