The summer holiday season kicks off in earnest next month with millions of British tourists planning their annual sunshine break.
As the Middle Eastern conflict continues to increase pressure on everything from the price of fuel, both jet and petrol, to food and household bills, the big dilemma many tourists face is whether to stick - and staycation - or twist, and make for foreign soil.
The argument for holidaying on British shores centres around cutting out - or at least reducing dramatically - transport costs. However, anyone who's ever booked a hotel, self-catering stay or holiday park at the summer's height will tell you it's rarely cheap.
Counterintuitive as it may seem when you consider the miles covered, there's a credible argument for heading abroad if you want to stop your budget spiralling.
Choose a destination where the cost of living is significantly lower than in the UK and there's the possibility of even saving money on everyday items while you're away.
With the Gulf region conflict continuing to affect international travel, a staycation might seem like the wisest holiday choice in 2026 - but with cheap deals abroad plentiful, which is more cost-effective when you factor in additional costs such as food and transport? (Pictured: Fistral Bay, Cornwall)
Reprieve? Petrol and aviation fuel prices have dipped for the first time since the war broke out in the Middle East on February 28 - but holidaymakers are still likely to face increased costs as uncertainty continues
A word of caution though; while package deals, particularly late ones, can seem like a bargain, it's worth being clued up on just how much it'll cost to have fun in the sun, when dining, excursions and car hire are factored in.
Aviation fuel prices remain jittery as the Gulf conflict continues - costs fell by 5.3 per cent this week, but rose by 7.1 per cent the week before according to The International Air Transport Association (IATA).
What you can be sure of is that genuine cut-price flight deals are likely to be rarer this summer than they were a year ago.
Here, we do the maths on the overall costs - including food, transport and accommodation - of popular staycations, including breaks in Cornwall, the New Forest and the Lake District, and compare them with the price of heading overseas to sunshine favourites such as the Costas, the Canary Islands and Thailand.
A half-board Cornish beach break vs a half-board Lanzarote holiday
ACCOMMODATION
Cornwall: A week at the Fistral Beach Hotel and Spa in Newquay for two adults and seven nights from June 8, 2026 costs £2,560 (£1,280pp) including half board (breakfast and two-course dinner).
Lanzarote: A week at the Hotel Mirador Papagayo by LIVVO in Lanzarote with First Choice for two adults in a double or twin side sea view room for seven nights from June 8, 2026 costs £966 (£483pp) including half board. The hotel on the outskirts of Playa Blanca has a pool, a buffet restaurant, nightly shows and activities such as yoga and archery.
Make for the Canaries, including Lanzarote (pictured) and it's possible to holiday for less than a staycation, even with travel costs included
FOOD AND DRINK
Cornwall: The price of an average meal with drinks can range from £30 to £100 in Fistral Beach, Newquay. At the popular restaurant The Fish House Fistral, mains start from £20.95 and a glass of wine from £6.95, meaning a meal for two might cost around £60. For seven meals, the estimated cost for two people is around £400.
Lanzarote: At Ninen in Playa Blanca, average meals cost €20–30 (£17.40- £26) per person, common for the area. For seven meals, the estimated cost for two people based on this average is around £300.
A week at the Hotel Mirador Papagayo by LIVVO in Lanzarote with First Choice costs £966 (£483pp) including half board in June
TRANSPORT
Cornwall: Return train tickets for two adults from London to Newquay for these dates cost £353.79 (£176.89pp).
Lanzarote: Flights included with package holiday from First Choice. Transfers to UK airports around £25pp.
TOTAL COST VERDICT
Cornwall: £1656.89pp
Lanzarote: £658pp
Luxury Lake District Airbnb vs a self-catering Thailand getaway
A stay at three-bed Pine Fold in Troutbeck in the Lake District comes in at £1,478 for a week
Meanwhile, in Thailand, a three-bed villa stay will set you back much less
ACCOMMODATION
Lake District: A three-bed self-catering cottage with three bedrooms in pretty Troutbeck in Cumbria costs £1,478 (£369.50pp, based on four sharing) for a week in mid-June via Airbnb.
Thailand: A three-bed self-catering villa with a private pool in Nai Harn, on Phuket's southern tip costs £690 (£172.50pp, based on four sharing) for the same June dates via Airbnb.
FOOD AND DRINK
Lake District: The average cost of a week's worth of food from UK supermarkets for four costs around £120 a week. The cost of a three-course meal in a mid-range Lake District pub averages around £35 with drinks per person.
Thailand: A week's food shopping for one person in Thailand costs around 1,300 baht (£30) - so £120 for four people. Dining out remains cheap in Thailand, with a mid-range tourist restaurant costing around £10 including an alcoholic drink.
Retreat to Nai Harn beach in southern Thailand (pictured) for a week and you could pay less than half the price for a holiday home rental than you might in the UK
TRANSPORT
Lake District: The RAC reported this week that fuel prices have dropped for the first time since the start of the Middle East conflict, with petrol now selling for just over 158p a litre on average. An example six-hour return drive calls for around 50 litres of fuel, coming in at £39.50 - or £9.88pp.
Thailand: Jetting 6,000 miles from the UK to Thailand is still surprisingly reasonable - if you're prepared to risk a transit via the Middle East. A June flight to Phuket via Abu Dhabi currently costs £524 with Etihad. Factor in an additional £50pp for transfers.
TOTAL COST VERDICT
Lake District: £444.38pp
Thailand: £786.50pp
They share the same name and both offer active breaks in nature but Center Parcs UK and Center Parcs Europe have been separate companies, with often very different pricing, since 2001. Here, we look at how they compare on everything from food to activities…
SUMMER HOLIDAY STAY
Center Parcs UK: A four-night stay in a two-bedroom lodge at the Sherwood Forest park in August costs for £1,479, based on two adults and two children sharing.
Center Parcs Europe: A similar stay at De Kempervennen in the Netherlands for the same dates costs £459.
There's big savings to be had at Center Parcs on the European continent, which is owned by a different company to the UK parks. A week at De Kempervennen in the Netherlands this summer costs £459 for a family of four
DINNER FOR FOUR
Center Parcs UK: A meal for two adults and two children at the parks’ Bella Italia chain costs around £60, based on two margherita pizzas, two large children’s meals with starters, mains, drinks and dessert, and two bottles of beer.
Center Parcs Europe: An almost identical meal at Nonna’s Italian at De Kempervennen comes out at £65.
CYCLE HIRE AND ACTIVITIES
Center Parcs UK: Cycles for two adults and two children for a four-night stay costs £120, booked in advance. An Ariel Adventure experience costs £44pp for an hour. Access to the Subtropical Swimming Paradise is free.
Center Parcs Europe: At De Kempervennen, four bikes booked in advance costs £75, while a two-hour tree and zip wire experience costs around £17pp. Access to the Aqua Mundo swimming complex is free.
A weekend in a London hotel vs a city break in Krakow, Poland
ACCOMMODATION
Break for the cities: The Avena Boutique Hotel costs £544 (£272pp) for a week's stay in June
London: A week at boutique hotel NOX Waterloo in London for two adults checking in on June 8th costs £1,106 (£553pp).
Krakow: A week at Avena Boutique Hotel by Artery Hotels in Krakow for two adults on the same dates costs £544 (£272pp).
FOOD AND DRINK
London: According to reports online, a week of dining per person costs around £30-£50 a day. For two people for a week, that's around £700 at the high end, or £420 on the lower end, an average of £560 (£280pp).
Krakow: According to Visit Krakow, Kraków Midrange Meals cost around 42zł-64zł (£8.70-£13) per meal, an average of £10.85 - meaning the average daily spend is £32.55 each, or £455.70 (£227.85pp) for a week for two people.
TRANSPORT
London: Return train tickets for two adults from Manchester to London for these dates cost £90 (£47pp).
Krakow: Return flights for two adults from London to Krakow for these dates cost £69 each with Ryanair, plus a taxi from Krakow Airport to the city centre at an estimated cost of 89zł (£19) each way, total £176 (£88pp).
TOTAL COST VERDICT
London: £880pp
Krakow: £588.05pp
A cruise around the Scottish Highlands vs a cruise around the Med
Set sail for a relative bargain! A seven-night sail with Cunard around the Med is significantly cheaper than a UK alternative
ACCOMMODATION
UK cruise: A British Isles cruise from Southampton on September 7, 2026, for seven nights with Disney Cruise Line with an inside cabin costs £2,647pp, with breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks from the buffet and main dining restaurants all included. Visiting Liverpool, Cork and Portland.
Mediterranean cruise: A week's cruise to Italy, France and Spain from the same day on Cunard's Queen Victoria, with food included, currently costs £2,924 for two (£1462pp).
FOOD AND DRINK
UK cruise: Included
Mediterranean cruise: Included
TRANSPORT
UK cruise: Return train tickets for two adults from London to Southampton for these dates cost £132.59.
Mediterranean cruise: A round-trip flight from London costs £299 (£149.50pp) for two people, Cunard add-on.
TOTAL COST VERDICT
UK cruise: £2779.59pp
Mediterranean cruise: £1,611pp
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