Holiday Cost Calculator UK 2026
Planning a getaway in 2026? Whether it is a week in the Algarve, a fortnight in Florida or a first-time trip to Thailand, knowing the true cost of a holiday before you book is the single most important step in avoiding financial stress. Our Holiday Cost Calculator breaks down every expense category — flights, accommodation, food, activities, travel insurance, airport transfers and spending money — into one honest total.
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UK Average Holiday Costs 2026 at a Glance
Based on data from ABTA, ONS and UK travel operators, here are the benchmark averages for British holidaymakers in 2026.
Holiday Cost by Destination: Full Comparison Table (2026)
The table below shows typical total costs for a couple travelling for 7 nights at mid-range standards, including flights from a major UK airport, accommodation, food and basic activities. Prices exclude travel insurance and airport costs.
| Destination | Return Flights (pp) | Hotel/Night | Food/Day (pp) | 7 Nights Total (2 people) | Budget Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain (Costa del Sol) | £130 | £90 | £45 | £1,520 | Very Affordable |
| Portugal (Algarve) | £140 | £95 | £40 | £1,535 | Very Affordable |
| Greece (Rhodes / Crete) | £220 | £100 | £45 | £1,875 | Affordable |
| Turkey (Antalya) | £230 | £80 | £30 | £1,630 | Very Affordable |
| France (Paris) | £120 | £160 | £70 | £2,460 | Moderate |
| Italy (Rome/Amalfi) | £160 | £150 | £65 | £2,470 | Moderate |
| USA (New York) | £550 | £200 | £90 | £4,760 | Expensive |
| USA (Florida) | £530 | £170 | £80 | £4,230 | Expensive |
| Thailand (Bangkok/Phuket) | £600 | £70 | £25 | £2,145 | Moderate |
| Bali, Indonesia | £650 | £65 | £20 | £2,065 | Moderate |
| Caribbean (Barbados) | £750 | £250 | £80 | £5,060 | Expensive |
| Mexico (Cancun) | £680 | £150 | £50 | £3,410 | Expensive |
| UK Domestic (Cornwall) | £0 (drive) | £120 | £55 | £1,610 | Moderate |
| UK Domestic (Scottish Highlands) | £0 (drive) | £100 | £50 | £1,400 | Affordable |
All prices are estimates for February 2026 based on mid-range standards. Actual costs vary significantly by season, booking time, and personal preferences.
Understanding the Full Cost of a UK Holiday
Flights: The Biggest Variable
For most British holidaymakers, flights represent the single largest expense, often accounting for 30 to 50 percent of the total holiday budget. In 2026, demand for air travel has returned well above pre-pandemic levels, and prices have not come back down to 2019 levels. Budget airlines such as Ryanair, easyJet and Jet2 remain the most popular choice for European travel, with fares from regional airports often cheaper than those from Heathrow. However, the quoted price rarely includes checked luggage (typically £25 to £55 per bag each way), priority boarding (£6 to £18) or seat selection (£8 to £35).
The single most powerful factor in reducing flight costs is flexibility. Flights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are consistently 15 to 25 percent cheaper than peak travel days (Friday outbound, Sunday return). Flying from a less popular airport — Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds Bradford or Manchester — can also save considerably compared to Heathrow or Gatwick, though you need to factor in the cost of getting to that airport.
Accommodation: Hotel, Airbnb or All-Inclusive?
Accommodation is the second largest cost. In 2026, the average hotel room in a European beach resort costs £80 to £130 per night for a mid-range double. In major cities like Paris, Rome or New York, expect to pay £140 to £300. All-inclusive resorts command a premium on the room rate but can dramatically reduce food and drink costs — often making them better value for families or those who enjoy eating and drinking freely without budget anxiety.
Airbnb and similar platforms can offer savings for groups or families who book an entire apartment or villa, particularly for stays of one week or more. A villa sleeping six in the Algarve might cost £1,200 to £2,500 per week, which works out at just £33 to £70 per person per night — substantially cheaper than equivalent hotel rooms.
Food and Drink: Budget Smart Without Missing Out
Food budgets vary enormously by destination and personal style. In Spain or Portugal, eating lunch at a local restaurant (menú del día) for €10 to €14 per person is commonplace and entirely satisfying. In Thailand, street food and local restaurants offer extraordinary quality for £3 to £8 per meal. In contrast, the USA and Caribbean are expensive for dining out, with even a casual restaurant dinner for two costing £50 to £80 including drinks and tip.
A practical rule of thumb is to allow around 30 percent of your daily food budget for breakfast, 35 percent for lunch and 35 percent for dinner. If you have self-catering accommodation, preparing your own breakfasts can cut food costs by 20 to 25 percent over the course of a week.
Activities and Entertainment: Where Money Disappears Fast
It is easy to underestimate activity costs. A day trip to a major theme park in Orlando (Walt Disney World, Universal) costs £100 to £130 per person in 2026 for a single-day ticket, with multi-day passes proportionally better value. A boat trip in Greece or a snorkelling excursion in the Caribbean costs £40 to £90 per person. Even simple pleasures like a day at a water park, a cooking class in Tuscany or a sunset cruise add up quickly.
For beach destinations, many activities are free — swimming, sunbathing, coastal walks. Allocating £15 to £30 per person per day for activities gives a good buffer for spontaneous extras without overspending.
Travel Insurance: Do Not Skimp
Travel insurance is the most commonly skipped budget item and the most costly mistake. A comprehensive single-trip European policy for two adults costs £20 to £50 in 2026. Worldwide cover (essential for the USA, where a medical evacuation alone can cost over £100,000) ranges from £40 to £120 for two adults. Family policies covering two adults and two children for a two-week European trip typically cost £35 to £75.
Key cover to check: medical and repatriation (minimum £2 million for Europe, £5 million for USA), trip cancellation and curtailment, delayed or missed departure, lost or stolen baggage, and personal liability. Always declare pre-existing medical conditions or your policy may be invalid. The GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card) provides some NHS-equivalent care across Europe but is not a substitute for proper insurance.
Airport Transfers and Getting There
The cost of getting to and from the airport — including taxi, train, airport parking, or shuttle — is often forgotten entirely. A return taxi from a suburban home to a major UK airport can cost £60 to £150 depending on distance. Airport parking for a week at Heathrow costs £80 to £160 depending on the car park. At the destination, a taxi from Malaga airport to the Costa del Sol resorts costs £30 to £50; in Bangkok, the airport rail link into the city centre costs approximately £2 per person.
Coach transfers booked in advance through tour operators or services like National Express are usually the cheapest option for UK airports, often costing £10 to £25 per person each way. Booking a private transfer in advance at your destination is nearly always cheaper than taking a taxi on arrival.
Package Holiday vs DIY: Which Saves More Money?
The package holiday vs DIY debate has no universal answer — it depends entirely on your destination, travel style and how early you book. For mainstream Mediterranean destinations (Spain, Greece, Turkey) in peak school holiday periods, package deals from operators like Jet2 Holidays, TUI and easyJet Holidays are often 10 to 20 percent cheaper than booking the same hotel and flights separately, because operators secure bulk inventory at lower prices. They also offer ATOL protection, meaning if the operator collapses, you are protected.
For shoulder season European travel, city breaks, or long-haul destinations, DIY booking via Skyscanner, Google Flights, Booking.com and Airbnb frequently wins. The key advantages are flexibility on dates (often saving 20 to 30 percent vs school holiday dates) and the ability to mix and match airports, accommodation tiers and stay durations that no package can offer.
25 Money-Saving Tips for UK Holidaymakers in 2026
Book Flights Early
The optimal window for European flights is 6 to 10 weeks ahead. For long-haul, 3 to 6 months ahead. Prices typically rise sharply in the final 3 weeks before departure.
Travel Mid-Week
Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest days to fly. Avoid Friday outbound and Sunday return if at all possible to save 15 to 25 percent on fares.
Use a Travel Credit Card
A fee-free travel card like Halifax Clarity or Chase UK eliminates foreign transaction fees (typically 2.99%) and gives near-perfect exchange rates on every purchase abroad.
Annual Multi-Trip Insurance
If you take more than two holidays per year, an annual policy almost always costs less than two single-trip policies. Families save most with this approach.
Pre-Book Airport Transfers
Booking airport shuttles or hotel transfers 48+ hours in advance typically saves 20 to 40 percent compared to arriving and negotiating on the spot.
Avoid Dynamic Currency Conversion
Always pay in local currency when using a card abroad. Choosing to pay in pounds (DCC) typically adds 3 to 8 percent to the cost of each transaction.
Eat Where the Locals Eat
Walking two or three streets back from the tourist promenade typically halves food costs while improving quality. Ask hotel staff for their personal recommendations.
Pre-Download Offline Maps
Google Maps offline and Maps.me eliminate the need for expensive roaming data for navigation. Download your destination's map on Wi-Fi before you land.
Book Activities Directly
Booking excursions directly with the local operator at your destination or via GetYourGuide/Viator in advance costs 20 to 35 percent less than hotel-desk organised tours.
Hidden Costs British Holidaymakers Regularly Miss
Beyond the obvious costs, experienced travellers know to budget for a range of extras that can add hundreds of pounds to the real cost of a holiday:
- City tourist tax: Many European cities now charge a nightly tourist tax per person. Amsterdam charges €3 to €10 per night, Venice charges €5 to €10, Paris up to €5.65, Barcelona up to €4. For a family of four staying a week in Amsterdam, this adds up to £84 to £280 extra.
- US resort fees: Hotels in Las Vegas, Miami and resort areas often charge mandatory resort or facility fees of $25 to $65 per night — on top of the quoted room rate. A seven-night stay can add £140 to £360 to your bill.
- Checked baggage surcharges: Budget airlines charge £25 to £75 per bag per flight leg. A return trip for two people each checking one bag adds £100 to £300 to the flight cost.
- Airport seat selection: Many airlines now charge for seat selection even for standard seats. If you want to sit together as a couple or family, factor in £8 to £35 per person per sector.
- Tipping culture: In the USA, tipping 18 to 20 percent on restaurant bills is effectively mandatory. In the Caribbean, 10 to 15 percent is standard. For a couple eating out twice daily in Florida for two weeks, tips alone can add £200 to £350.
- Mobile roaming charges: Since Brexit, UK mobile operators can now charge roaming fees in EU countries. Check your plan before you travel — some operators include European roaming, others charge £2 to £7 per day.
- Airport ATM withdrawal fees: Using a standard UK debit card at a foreign ATM typically incurs a 2.75 to 2.99 percent conversion fee plus a £1.50 to £3 per-transaction charge. Use a Starling or Monzo card, or withdraw larger amounts less frequently.
- Medical expenses: Without travel insurance, a serious accident or illness abroad can cost tens of thousands of pounds. The average medical repatriation from the USA costs over £85,000.
UK Holiday Cost by Travel Style: What to Expect
| Travel Style | Accommodation | Food/Day (pp) | Activities/Day (pp) | Europe 7 Nights (pp) | USA 14 Nights (pp) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget / Backpacker | Hostel dorm / basic | £20 to £30 | £5 to £15 | £600 to £900 | £1,400 to £1,900 |
| Mid-range Standard | 3-star hotel / Airbnb | £45 to £65 | £20 to £35 | £1,100 to £1,600 | £2,500 to £3,500 |
| Comfortable | 4-star hotel | £70 to £100 | £40 to £60 | £1,800 to £2,500 | £4,000 to £5,500 |
| Luxury | 5-star / boutique | £120 to £200 | £80 to £150 | £3,000 to £6,000+ | £7,000 to £15,000+ |
Frequently Asked Questions About UK Holiday Costs
How to Use the Holiday Cost Calculator
Our calculator above covers all the major cost categories for a UK holiday. Select your destination region and travel style first — this will suggest starting values based on 2026 average costs. You can then adjust every figure to match your specific plans. The results show a full breakdown across all cost categories, the total for all travellers combined, and per-person and per-day costs so you can benchmark against typical budgets for your destination.
The calculator uses the following 2026 baseline costs (mid-range, per person) to generate initial estimates: Europe short-haul flights £130 to £250, USA long-haul £500 to £700, accommodation £80 to £200 per room per night, food £40 to £80 per person per day, activities £15 to £40 per person per day, travel insurance £20 to £60 per person for single trip, airport transfers £30 to £60 per person return. All figures are based on 2026 published average data from ABTA, UK Civil Aviation Authority statistics and major travel operator pricing surveys.
Planning Your Holiday Budget: A Step-by-Step Guide
The most common reason UK holidaymakers overspend is failing to budget before booking. Here is a practical framework to build a realistic holiday budget:
- Set a total budget first. Decide what you can comfortably afford before looking at any options. This prevents the "we've already paid for the flights" rationalisation that leads to overspending.
- Allocate budget by category. A typical mid-range allocation: flights 30%, accommodation 25%, food 20%, activities 10%, insurance and transfers 8%, contingency 7%.
- Check exchange rates. The GBP/EUR rate in early 2026 is approximately €1.20. GBP/USD is around $1.28. Use these to convert local prices and check your spending money goes as far as you expect.
- Book the highest-cost items first. Flights and accommodation are the least flexible costs. Lock these in first, then plan the remaining budget around what is left.
- Keep a 10-15% contingency. Unexpected costs arise on almost every trip — a taxi when the bus doesn't come, a medical visit for an upset stomach, an irresistible local experience. A 10 to 15 percent buffer prevents these from causing financial stress.
- Review your bank and card setup. Open a fee-free travel account before you go. Having your main bank account and a travel card means you always have a backup.
With careful planning and our Holiday Cost Calculator as your starting point, a 2026 holiday to almost any destination is achievable without financial surprises. The key is doing this groundwork before you commit — once the flights are booked, your costs are largely locked in.