Najtańsze miejsca do podróżowania w Europie latem 2026: Ceny jedzenia, hoteli i alkoholu porównane

Ceny wakacji w popularnych europejskich destynacjach znacznie różnią się w zależności od kategorii wydatków w 2026 roku. Dowiedz się, który kraj jest najtańszy pod względem jedzenia, hoteli i alkoholu oraz gdzie szukać tańszych alternatyw wśród destynacji bałkańskich

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When planning a summer vacation, most tourists first think about the route and attractions, and the cost of the "basket" - food, accommodation, transport - is found out on the spot, when it is too late to change the direction. Euronews Business analysts have compared Eurostat data on prices in seven popular European destinations, and the result is indicative: the cheapest European destinations 2026 unites countries with very different cost profiles, and a "cheap" country in general does not necessarily remain cheap in each individual category.

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General price level in tourist destinations in Europe

According to the Household Final Consumer Expenditure Index (HFCE), which takes into account more than two thousand goods and services, Turkey turned out to be the cheapest among seven countries: a basket that costs 100 euros on average in the EU costs only 59.6 euros there. This is almost 40% lower than the average European level.

At the opposite end of the scale is France with an indicator of 100.3 euros, that is, slightly above the EU average. Italy (97.1 euros), Spain (91.6 euros), Greece (87.4 euros), Portugal (86.6 euros) and Croatia (78.4 euros) are located between these two poles. However, it should be remembered that these are averages for the country as a whole, and not for a specific resort - a hotel in Athens and a hotel on the island of Kos can easily differ in price by half, although both fall into the same statistical basket.

Photo – Euronews

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Which countries have the cheapest restaurants and hotels?

The category “restaurants and hotels” is the most indicative for travelers, as it directly reflects the costs of eating out and staying in paid establishments. Here, France turned out to be the most expensive with an index of 116, while Italy lags behind with an index of 110.8.

The most beautiful cities in Europe for travel in 2026 at the link.

The most favorable conditions are in Portugal, where a similar basket costs only 73.6 euros, that is, 26.4% cheaper than the average European level. Turkey is also holding its own here (78.3 euros), while Croatia (89.6), Greece (86.1) and Spain (85.4) were at about the same level.

Photo – Euronews

The difference in the cost of food, alcohol and cigarettes

Food prices in the seven countries do not differ as dramatically as in other categories, with one exception – Turkey, where a basket of food costs 75.6 euros compared to 107.9 euros in France, the most expensive among the countries considered. Spain is the only other country with prices lower than the European average (94.6 euros).

Photo – Euronews

But with alcohol, the situation is paradoxical: despite the general cheapness, it is Turkey that becomes the most expensive for those who like a glass of wine or beer in the evening – the price level index here reaches 210.2, that is, more than twice the EU average. The second most expensive alcohol is Greece (154), the third is Croatia (133.9). The most affordable alcohol is in Italy (81.9) and Spain (90.1).

The picture is the opposite with tobacco: Turkey, on the contrary, is the cheapest here (25.4 euros versus 191.1 euros in France), and the tourist budget in Turkey for smokers and alcohol lovers should be planned separately, because what is saved on food is easily "eaten up" on bar bills.

We tell you where to go on vacation in August 2026 here.

What changed in the summer of 2026: the Balkan factor and the rise in hotel prices?

Compared to previous seasons, the picture in the summer of 2026 has become more complicated. According to industry analysts, average hotel rates in popular Mediterranean resorts increased by 8-14% back in 2025, and hotel occupancy rates remained above 75% even in the off-season "shoulders". This trend continues this summer, so destinations with large charter capacity and strong competition among hotels - Turkey, Egypt, Bulgaria, Albania - turn out to be more profitable in price than intimate "boutique" destinations.

Read also, 13 little-known places for a summer vacation in Europe in 2026.

At the same time, destinations in the Balkan Peninsula and Eastern Europe, which previously remained in the shadow of classic Mediterranean resorts, are actively gaining popularity:

- Bulgaria - the coast outside the large resorts like Sunny Beach offers one of the best value for money in the region;

- Albania - increasingly called the "Croatia of a decade ago" due to the clean sea and fairly low prices for accommodation and food;

- Romania - an underrated destination, where the Black Sea coast is cheaper than the Bulgarian one, and cities like Brasov or Sibiu offer an interesting cultural program for a moderate budget;

- Bosnia and Herzegovina - according to the latest ratings of budget city trips, Sarajevo topped the list of the most profitable cities in Europe for a short trip thanks to affordable accommodation, transport and entertainment.

This adds an important nuance to the overall picture of Euronews: affordable hotels in Europe today should be sought not only among the traditional "big seven" destinations, but also among neighboring Balkan countries, which so far remain outside the mainstream tourist flow.

Seafood and transport: where the difference is almost imperceptible

Not all categories of expenses show such a spread. Seafood prices turned out to be relatively stable - from 95.4 euros in Portugal to 112.7 euros in Greece, so fish and shellfish lovers should not focus on the price of seafood when choosing a country.

Public transport is also cheaper than the European average almost everywhere, except for France (112.8 euros). Turkey again leads in terms of affordability (68.3 euros), while Portugal, Spain and Croatia are around 80 euros.

A selection of the cheapest cities in Europe for a weekend in 2026 can be found at the link.

Important! All of these figures are average prices by country, not the cost of a specific holiday, and they do not take into account the income level of the tourist’s country of origin. Therefore, for travelers from wealthier countries, the difference in prices is not as acute as for those coming from lower-income countries - it is worth considering this context when comparing the cost of traveling in Europe with your own budget, and not just with abstract indices.

However, even with these caveats, the trend is clear: if you are looking for budget travel in Europe in the summer of 2026, you should look towards Turkey for overall savings, Portugal for the best value for money in hotels and restaurants, and the Balkan countries for those willing to explore less "promoted" destinations for significant savings.

When choosing among the most budget-friendly destinations in Europe – whether it’s Turkey or Balkan countries like Albania and Bosnia – it’s easy to focus only on the prices and forget about the legal side of the trip. Visa requirements, permitted periods of stay and entry rules vary significantly even for neighboring countries and depend on your citizenship.

The “Travel Guide” from Visit World collects all this information in one step-by-step document: what documents are required for a particular country, whether a visa-free regime is in effect and for how long, as well as other nuances that you should know before departure. This is especially convenient if you are considering several budget destinations at once and want to quickly compare the entry conditions for each of them. The guide is individually created for your citizenship and destination country and arrives in PDF format to your email within a few minutes.

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Reminder! The summer heat in Europe is becoming more intense, but there are still destinations on the continent with a comfortable temperature of +10-17°C even in August. Among them are the Scandinavian countries, the Baltics and the cool coasts of France, Spain and Portugal. We have already talked about the most passable European destinations for summer vacations in 2026.

Photo - generated by Gemini

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