Turkey and Portugal the most competitively priced of Mediterranean destinations
A new Eurostat analysis reveals significant differences in the costs of accommodation, food, and non-food consumption among seven key European destinations. According to the data, Turkey and Portugal are the most competitively priced among the Mediterranean destinations.
Planning tourist arrangements and advising clients this season requires a more detailed look at the cost structure by destination. According to Eurostat data analysis, the total cost of living and services is lowest in Turkey, but a more detailed look at individual categories reveals unexpected winners in the accommodation and hospitality segment.
Portugal holds the lead in the hotel sector
Although Turkey is generally the most favourable with a basket of goods amounting to just around 60% of the European Union average, Portugal actually offers the best value for money when it comes to hotels and restaurants. In fact, the Portuguese index in this key category stands at 73.6, making it more favourable than Turkey's 78.3. Next Spain, Greece and Croatia, whose catering service prices remain within a stable range below the European average. At the opposite end of the scale are France and Italy, which continue to hold the status of the most expensive destinations for accommodation and dining.
The paradox of food and drink costs
The largest fluctuations are visible in out-of-hotel spending. Turkey has extremely cheap food and public transport, but its tax policy makes it the most expensive destination for purchasing alcoholic beverages, with prices double that of the European Union average. Greece and Croatia note a similar trend of high costs for alcohol. In contrast, Italy and Spain remain extremely competitive in this category, offering drink prices significantly below the European average.
This data clearly shows that the overall cost of living index can be misleading. When planning a budget, the cost structure of the destination itself plays a far greater role than a mere general assessment of which country is “the cheapest.”.
