Spain and Sri Lanka are cheapest breaks, shows survey

Britons looking for winter sun will find their spending money going considerably further in Spain and Sri Lanka than the Caribbean or Australia, a cost comparison survey showed today.

A basket of typical holiday items, including drinks and suntan lotion, was less than £28 in Sri Lanka and just under £38 on Spain's Costa del Sol, the survey by Post Office Travel Money found.

The same eight items, including a three-course evening meal for two, were as much as £113 in Barbados and £115.69 in the Australia city of Brisbane - the most expensive of the 40 destinations surveyed.

Other value-for-money destinations included Prague, where the eight items cost £39.57, Bulgaria (£39.65), Cancun in Mexico (£44.03) and Budapest (£45.57).

In contrast, the items were as much £113.03 in Singapore, £108.29 in Auckland and £108.07 in Costa Rica.

Post Office Travel Money said resort prices on the Costa del Sol were 40% lower than five years ago.

It added that the pound was stronger against 29 major currencies than a year ago.

Although the pound is stronger against the euro, the only eurozone destination surveyed which showed a clear fall in resort costs was Cyprus - down 8%.

Turkey, once regarded as one of Europe's cheapest destinations, is now 60% more expensive than Spain.

Post Office Travel Money head Sarah Munro said: "The message that came out clearly from our holiday budgeting research was that 2012 will be all about affordability. Holidays may still be a priority but they are not a necessity and people will not knowingly get into debt to fund them.

"That means that holidaymakers will be looking very carefully at their own finances before committing to a holiday and eagle-eyed in searching out trips that represent genuine good value.

"The winning destinations will be those that offer good value, not just for flights and accommodation, but for tourist staples like meals out and drinks."

PA