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In this money-saving age, self-catering breaks are an increasingly attractive option for holidaymakers, allowing them to trim their travel budget.

Eating out can be one of the most expensive aspects of a holiday, so it’s little wonder so many are choosing to rustle up their own means while away.

If you’re thinking of taking a holiday with DIY meals this year, the Post Office has revealed the best destinations for self-catering on a shoestring.

The Post Office’s Self-Catering on a Shoestring report compared 20 typical food and drink staples across resorts in Europe, to find the best destinations for holidaymakers.

Majorca and Portugal’s Algarve emerged as the cheapest destinations for a one-week holiday, costing £57.67 and £57.78 respectively for a week. In contrast, prices in Italy, Crete, Corfu and Cyprus were found to be between 70 per cent and 80 per cent  more expensive.

The Spanish region of Costa Blanca placed third in the ranking, setting you back £65.31 for a week’s food shopping, while the Balearic island of Menorca also proved to be an ideal place to self-cater at £66.71.

A self-catering holiday in Cyprus came in at a less wallet-friendly price of £104.29. Corfu also tipped over the £100 mark, with prices 44.7 per cent higher than in 2011. Those countries that came in just under £100 were Crete (£99.18) and Italy (£98.09).

The research also highlighted that prices had fallen at some resorts in a year-on-year comparison including Menorca, Kephalonia, and Gozo in Malta.

“Although self-catering can be a great way for families to save money, they should choose their destination carefully. Majorca and Portugal are great value options but Greece is looking more expensive,” said Andrew Brown, Post Office Head of Travel Money.

“Another thing to consider when budgeting for a self-catering holiday is how much drinks will cost. Our research shows that families could pay just over £5 for a coffee, a soft drink, a glass of wine and a beer in Gozo or Majorca but £10 or more in Brighton, Crete and Lanzarote.”

(Images: Had01)

About the author

Oonagh ShielContent Manager at Cheapflights whose travel life can be best summed up as BC (before children) and PC (post children). We only travel during the school holidays so short-haul trips and staycations are our specialities!

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