If you're chasing winter sun on a budget, the small stuff matters. A post-swim beer, a coffee, suncream, a dinner out — those daily extras can quietly double the cost of a beach escape. That's the thinking behind the Post Office Travel Money's 2026 Winter Sun Holiday Costs Barometer, which prices an identical basket of eight items across 24 destinations to find where your money stretches furthest.
The basket is refreshingly everyday: a coffee, a local beer, a soft drink, a glass of wine, bottled water, suncream, insect repellent, and a three-course dinner for two with a bottle of wine. Prices come mostly from tourist offices, with online research filling the gaps.
Cape Town takes the crown for 2026, with the whole basket coming to around €67.89. Mombasa in Kenya follows at €74.21, making it a clean one-two for Africa. Tokyo slots in third at €77.82 — a surprise only if you were expecting beaches, since it's very much a city break rather than a sun-and-sand option. Asian destinations claim three of the top five spots, with Colombo, Sri Lanka (€87.18) and Phuket, Thailand (€89.05) rounding out the front of the pack.
For Europeans who'd rather skip a long-haul flight, there's good news closer to home. Portugal's Algarve is the cheapest European entry in sixth place at €96.00, with Spain's Costa del Sol just behind at €97.43 and Tenerife in eighth at €101.95. Note the weather differs though: the Algarve and Costa del Sol are mild rather than hot in winter, while Tenerife is the more reliable bet for actual warmth. Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic (€104.59) is the sole Caribbean representative in the top ten, edging out Penang in Malaysia by roughly eight euro cents.
At the other end of the table, the contrast is stark. The same eight purchases in Scarborough, Tobago, total around €168.04 — over €100 more than Cape Town. Grenada's St George's (€155.83) and Funchal in Madeira (€151.11) also sit on the pricey side.
A few honest caveats before you book. The basket covers meals and everyday purchases only — flights, hotels, transport and activities aren't included. So a long-haul destination with cheap dinners can still end up more expensive overall than a pricier-per-day European option once airfare is factored in. Your travel dates and trip length will shift the maths too. And since the original prices were collected for a UK survey, the euro figures are conversions rather than locally quoted rates.
Still, as a quick reality check on where daily spending won't sting, it's hard to beat. If you're flexible on distance, Cape Town and Mombasa offer the best on-the-ground value for 2026; if you want to keep the flight short, the Algarve and Tenerife do the job without breaking the bank. (Source: Travel Tomorrow)
