Riga regains position as Europe’s best-value short break city

Latvian capital Riga has regained its position as Europe’s best-value city for a short break for the first time in more than a decade, according to Post Office Travel Money.

 

Its annual City Costs Barometer – this year featuring 38 cities – found that prices have fallen in half of the cities surveyed and eastern European cities again dominate the best-value top 10, taking seven places. 

 

These include two new additions to the survey: Gdansk and Podgorica – Montenegro’s capital. 

 

Low prices in Lisbon and Porto make Portugal the best value for a city break in western Europe.

 

Riga has risen from sixth place last year to top the chart for the first time since 2012, with a basket of 12 tourist items including accommodation, meals and drinks, city transport and entry to cultural attractions costing £253. 

 

This is because prices in Riga are down 15% year-on-year compared with those in runner-up city, Vilnius, where the barometer total rose 7.5% to £254.

 

The rising cost of accommodation in the Lithuanian capital is the key factor. Prices in the two Baltic states are around 60% lower than in Oslo (£636) and Copenhagen (£629), the most expensive cities surveyed.

 

Poland boasts three cities in this year’s city breaks top 10. Warsaw (£277) has moved up from 10th to third place with a price fall of 13%, mainly because of falling accommodation costs. 

 

Krakow (£300) again makes the top 10, moving from fourth to eighth place, with Gdansk (£297) in seventh after being surveyed for the first time this year.

 

Also new for 2025, Podgorica (£282) in Montenegro has shot into the top 10 in fourth place.  It is 29% lower than Dubrovnik in neighbouring Croatia (£396).

 

Portugal’s Algarve topped the recent Worldwide Holiday Costs Barometer chart of global destinations published in the 2025 Holiday Money Report and its two major cities now feature in the City Costs Barometer top 10.

 

Lisbon (£292) in fifth remains the highest placed western European city with Porto (£305) in ninth. 

 

Rising from 11th last year to 10th position in the new survey, Zagreb (£311) is the fourth new entrant to the best value top 10. Lille (6th, £293) completes the top 10 line-up. 

 

The four new top 10 cities replace Bratislava (11th, £314), Prague (12th, £330), Athens (13th, £332) and Budapest (15th, £342).   

 

Laura Plunkett, head of travel money at Post Office, said: “Although city break holidaymakers need to keep a watchful eye on exchange rates, the real challenge will be the cost of accommodation in the cities Britons are considering. 

 

“Successive City Costs Barometers have found big swings in hotel costs depending on how many rooms are available in peak months.  This year is no different and rising – or falling – hotel prices can have a big impact on city break costs.

 

Lowest-priced cities:                                                     

 

1. Riga £252.63                                                        

2. Vilnius £254.32                                                                    

3. Warsaw £277.39                                                                

4. Podgorica £281.70                                                           

5. Lisbon £292.27                                                                    

6. Lille £293.26                                                        

7. Gdansk £297.08                                                                 

8. Krakow £300.24                                                                  

9. Porto £304.66                                                     

10. Zagreb £310.56                                                                                     

 

Most expensive cities:

 

1.  Oslo £636.20

2.  Copenhagen £628.64

3.  Edinburgh £601.50

4.  Venice £591.12

5.  Berlin £587.65

6.  Amsterdam £582.79

7.  Geneva £570.04

8.  Dublin £568.34

9.  Barcelona £561.90

10. Florence £561.86