It’s that time of the year again when Australia’s winter weather is dragging you down and you can practically hear the European summer sun calling your name. But before you rule out a trip to the northern hemisphere, or throw away your life savings to get some sun on your bones, make sure you read this.
Doing everyone a massive favour, Post Office Travel Money recently released its annual report. The City Costs Barometer compares prices across 36 cities to reveal the best value places to visit. It looks at 10 typical purchases while travelling including coffee, beer, wine, a travel card, airport transfers and a hotel for a couple for two nights. This year’s results revealed that the sunny cities are among the best value – breaking the previous stranglehold of Europe’s historic eastern capitals.
So which European cities can you visit without breaking the bank?
1. Paphos, Cyprus
With the 10 typical costs coming in at $232. Two nights in this sunny city was the cheapest you’ll find in Europe.
Coffee: $4.31
Beer: $3.85
Wine: $4.74
Cola: $3.12
Meal for two with a bottle of wine: $56.39
Return airport transfer: $4.46
48-hour travel card: $14.83
Sightseeing city bus tour: $25.23
Top tourist heritage attraction: $6.67
Top museum: $4.46
Top art gallery: Free
Hotel stay for two-night stay for two adults: $103.93
2. Vilnius, Lithuania
Hot on the heels of Paphos, two nights in Vilnius will only set you back $234.
Coffee: $2.23
Beer: $3.12
Cola: $2.66
Wine: $3.55
Meal for two with a bottle of wine: $72.72
Return airport transfer: $1.96
48-hour travel card: $10.33
Sightseeing city bus tour: $17.80
Top tourist heritage attraction: Free
Top museum: $5.20
Top art gallery: $2.66
Hotel stay for two-night stay for two adults: $112.31
3. Riga, Latvia
Described as the ‘Paris of the North’ at $252 Riga was the third cheapest European city to visit.
Coffee: $4.46
Beer: $3.70
Cola: $3.55
Wine: $5.20
Meal for two with a bottle of wine: $89.04
Return airport transfer: $3.42
48-hour travel card: $14.83
Sightseeing city bus tour: $22.26
Top tourist heritage attraction: $4.46
- Top museum: $5.20
Top art gallery: $5.20
Hotel stay for two-night stay for two adults: $90.52
4. Warsaw, Poland
Two nights in the Polish capital will only cost you $257.
Coffee: $3.60
Beer: $2.88
Cola: $2.16
Wine: $5.40
Meal for two with a bottle of wine: $54.04
Return airport transfer: $3.17
48-hour travel card: $8.65
Sightseeing city bus tour: $21.62
- Top tourist heritage attraction: $10.81
Top museum: $7.21
Top art gallery: $5.40
Hotel stay for two-night stay for two adults: $132.43
5. Budapest, Hungary
Arguably one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, Budapest is the fifth least expensive choice coming in at a total of $263.
Coffee: $2.78
Beer: $3.81
Cola: $2.28
Wine: $6.08
Meal for two with a bottle of wine: $58.33
Return airport transfer: $3.55
48-hour travel card: $16.75
Sightseeing city bus tour: $30.44
Top tourist heritage attraction: $7.61
Top museum: $8.11
Top art gallery: $9.14
Hotel stay for two-night stay for two adults: $114
Rounding out the top 10 were Krakow, Poland ($269), Lisbon, Portugal ($271), Prague, Czech Republic ($305), Athens, Greece ($321) and Palma on Majorca, Spain ($329).
And if it’s beaches you’re after, Post Office Travel Money also release an annual Holiday Costs Barometer – focusing on the cheapest beach resorts in Europe. Similar to the City Costs Barometer, the report uses 10 holiday essentials usually purchased at resorts to group 18 European beach resorts into three price categories; budget (up to $134), medium price ($134-$168) and expensive ($168+).
Spoiler alert; The Black Sea resort in Bulgaria’s Sunny Beach is the best value destination for the fourth year in a row. And, in terms of regions, the Algarve in Portugal has the lowest prices in Europe, with beach resorts in these areas less than half the price of those in the south of France, southern Italy and the Spanish isle of Ibiza.
Forget researching your vacation plans and look up the full City Costs Barometer and Holiday Costs Barometer at Post Office Travel Money.
Do these results surprise you? Would this research impact on where you travelled to in Europe?
