Turkey has emerged as cheapest for a family half-term holiday due to a stronger pound, according to new data.
Holidaymakers will pay up to 18% less in seven of ten autumn sun destinations surveyed.
Prices in Marmaris are less than half those in every other destination checked except the Algarve, the survey runner-up.
The cost of a meal for a family of four, a cup of coffee, bottle of beer, can of Coca-Cola and glass of wine in Marmaris adds up to £34.98, 10% less than in 2019 when the Post Office Money check was last conducted.
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Despite registering a 14% rise in prices to £47.09 for the basket of resort items, families on half-term holidays will find the costs in the Algarve lowest by far in the eurozone.
The Portuguese destination is a third cheaper than Madeira (£71.01), Spain’s Costa del Sol (£71.03) or Paphos in Cyprus (£70.85), despite registering the biggest fall of 18% in the cost of meals and drinks.
The most expensive of the ten destinations was Porec in Croatia, where prices have risen by four per cent to £91.29. However, that position is reversed when a week’s worth of meals and drinks are combined with the cost of a one-week holiday package for four.
Nick Boden, head of Post Office Travel Money said: “It is really important to factor in all spending to get a true idea of what a holiday will actually cost.
“Families who add the holiday package price to the charges they will incur for meals and drinks before comparing destinations are most likely to strike the best half term bargain.
“For example, while resort costs in Croatia’s Istrian peninsula are the most expensive of those we surveyed, its average package price was second cheapest to Turkey.”
This meant that when combining the average cost of a one week three-star package deal for two adults and two children with a week’s meal and drinks, Porec jumped up to third place (£2,177.80) overall, behind Turkey (£1,766.31) and the Algarve (£1,941.04),
Conversely, while resort prices have fallen sharply in Cyprus, the cost of a one week package to Paphos was double that in Turkey, Portugal and Croatia. As a result, the island looks to be the most expensive half term holiday choice for British families at an overall cost of £4,132.01.
Surging demand for currency at Post Office branches in recent weeks also suggests that the strength of sterling has had a positive impact in stimulating demand for half-term holidays.
Boden added: “In September, euro sales were more than treble those earlier in the summer as well as being double the volume sold last September.
“Croatia’s kuna has risen to third place in our list of currency bestsellers and sales have mushroomed by over 1,200% year-on-year in the last month.
“Although sterling has surged 25% year-on-year against the Turkish lira, we have yet to see a similar rise in sales but this could happen now that Turkey has been released from the government red list.”
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