The cheapest holiday resorts

A new survey finds Sunny Beach is the cheapest of the major resorts many of us will be heading to this summer.

Bulgaria’s Sunny Beach is the cheapest major holiday resort for UK holidaymakers, according to new research by Post Office Travel Money.

It’s taken the top spot from Portugal’s Algarve, which has dropped to fifth place in the annual Holiday Costs Barometer survey.

The Post Office says a powerful pound coupled with falling resort prices in two thirds of European destination means Europe is a bargain hunter’s dream this year.

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Comparing prices

The Post Office’s Holiday Costs Barometer compares prices across 20 major holiday resorts each summer to find the best value destination for holidaymakers.

Prices are compared using a basket of 10 typical holiday purchases, which include:

• A cup of coffee
• A bottle of local beer/lager
• A bottle/can of Coca-Cola
• A glass of wine
• 1.5 litre bottle of mineral water
• Suncream (200ml SPF 15)
• Insect repellent
• English tabloid newspaper
• Two-course lunch for two (excluding drinks)
• Three-course evening meal for two, with a bottle of wine

It’s a pretty clichéd list but it gives a ballpark figure of how cheap or expensive a resort will be.

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The cheapest major holiday resorts

The table below shows reveals the top 20 major resorts in order of the total cost of a typical holiday basket.

Source: Post Office (data relates to exchange rates on 17th April 2014)

The cheapest destination for a summer break this year is Sunny Beach in Bulgaria, where the total cost of a typical holiday basket comes to just £43.26. That's more than £10 cheaper than the nearest competitor.

Prices in Sunny Beach fell 16% compared to last year, most notably in the cost of eating out, which means the Bulgarian resort has overtaken destinations in Spain and Portugal to claim the top spot in 2014.

Marmaris in Turkey has moved five places since 2013 to become the second most affordable destination for UK tourists this year.

Despite a 13% increase in local prices, a 31% surge in sterling’s value against the Turkish lira means Marmaris is 14% cheaper than in 2013. A typical holiday basket here costs £54.11. However Bodrum, another Turkish resort, will set you back nearly £96 - 76% more for the same items.

The Spanish resorts of Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca follow close behind Marmaris, costing just under £1 more for the staple holiday purchases at around £55 in either area. The resorts are now over a third cheaper than they were five summers ago in 2009.

The only destination in the top ten outside of Europe was Orlando in the USA, a popular theme park resort, which managed to retain its ninth position with a basket cost of £76.21.

For the second year running Italy was found to be the priciest of the top 20 hotspots with typical holiday goods purchased in Tuscany (£100.52) and Sorrento (£102) nearly twice as much as the Costas, Marmaris and the Algarve and 135% more than Bulgaria's Sunny Beach.

Getting the cheapest holiday

The Post Office figures provide a good picture of how far your pound can stretch on holiday.

But you should also compare the prices of other elements of your trip like flights and accommodation to ensure you are creating the best value deal before booking.

As many of the cheapest destinations are located in Europe, flights should be easy to find and relatively affordable.

I was able to find a return flight from London Luton to Burgas Airport in Bulgaria for £178 in June with Wizz Air.

But a return flight from London Luton to Malaga Airport in Spain around the same time was much more affordable at £100 per person with EasyJet.

For ways to cut the cost of going on holiday, take a look at the likes of How to get a cheap flight, How to get a bargain hotel room, and The best websites for bargain holidays.

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