10 most expensive holiday destinations

Updated
Beautiful sunset over the sea with a view at palms on the white beach on a Caribbean island of Barbados
Beautiful sunset over the sea with a view at palms on the white beach on a Caribbean island of Barbados



Next week sees the busiest week for British holidays. And while we pack our bags and frantically hunt for our passport, researchers have been busy calculating the most expensive places for a break. So have you made a mistake? Are you visiting one of the priciest this summer?

The researchers, from Santander, calculated the average spending money you would need to take to some of the most popular destinations. It didn't include flights and accommodation but added in everything else from meals to car hire, attractions and souvenirs.

Matt Hall, Director of Banking at Santander, said: "Flights and hotels are a major expense on their own, particularly for families travelling in the peak school holiday period, and that's even before you get to your destination and have to pay for meals out and so on. Depending on where you're going daily costs could vary significantly, so bear this in mind when budgeting for your holiday."

Its top ten most expensive places emerged as:

Barbados
Here the average daily spend was calculated as £109 - up 38% in the past four years. The researchers pointed out that this is going to feel particularly painful given the fact that flights and accommodation for two people at the height of the summer is likely to have set them back well over £12,000 before they even start thinking about their spending money.

United Arab Emirates
The average daily spend was £101 - up 35% in the past four years. The high prices are likely to be because touristy areas tend to charge more for the basics, and tourists tend to factor in at least some alcohol - which can be pricey. Research from Expatisan found that typically a coffee in a nice part of town will set you back £3.02, dinner for two £48 and a beer in a pub £5.75.

Austria
The daily spend was calculated at £92. Expatisan figures show that cultural attractions can be particularly pricey in Austria, and touristy parts of cities like Vienna can be eye-wateringly expensive.

Czech Republic
The fact that daily costs reached £92 in a city known for being a bargain is something of a surprise, but it reflects the impact of places like Prague becoming international tourist destinations. Prices have risen a quarter in four years.

Switzerland
The cost of living in Switzerland will come as no surprise to anyone who has seen Zurich, Geneva or Bern at the top of league tables of priciest cities for years. The study found daily costs reached £91.

Belgium
Daily costs in Belgium have reached £88 a day - up 12% in the past four years. The Expatisan figures show that meals out are responsible for much of this, as most of the other basics are relatively affordable.

USA
The daily spend in the US is said to be £87, and up a fifth in four years. Of course with a country this diverse it's impossible to isolate any particular cost as being responsible for this relatively high spend, but the strong dollar must shoulder its share of the blame.

Luxembourg
The daily spend here is £87, reflecting the fact that prices are a little on the steep side across the board. The Expatisan figures show the average pint costs £3 and dinner for two will set you back £50, which is a big chunk of that spending.

Netherlands
The Netherlands will set you back £81 a day. Prices from Expatisan show that this is roughly on a par with what you would spend in the UK, but normally we wouldn't rack up the expenses seeing the sights and eating out like we do on holiday.

Hong Kong
The daily spend here is £78, which is up a shocking 113% in four years. The cost of eating and drinking is relatively affordable, it's the price of tourist attractions that causes much of the damage.

If you're yet to book your holiday, and you're after a bargain, the same study identified the cheapest places to visit. The joint cheapest were Poland and India, where you can do everything you need to for £30 a day. Lithuania was in third place at £31, Slovakia in fourth at £32 and Romania in fifth at £36.

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