Quote: ‘Spain’s €12 Menu Del Dia as UK holidaymakers pay £135.87 for 3-course evening meal for two in Reykjavik, Iceland’
The next time you sit down for a Menu Del Dia (menu of the day) in many provinces, costing approximately €12-14, including a drink, think of a plethora of UK holidaymakers travelling to Spain, who need to be aware of rising costs, according to a Post Office Travel Money survey.
Destinations include sky high prices, with a bottle of beer costing a gulping £8.99, and a glass of wine £11.41.
Happy hour
During ‘happy hour’ at the 4* Costa Narejos Hotel in Los Alcázares, Murcia, a pint of lager and a tinto verano (sangria) cost a bargain €2.94 for two drinks.
The annual Holiday Money Report, which surveyed 40 destinations, found that UK holidaymakers are paying more for expenses, including meals, snacks, drinks, suncream and insect repellent in locations, such as the Costa del Sol.
Falls in the value of sterling against the euro (€1.11) and many other currencies, and rises in resort prices mean the cost of typical tourist items are higher in four out of five popular resorts, says Post Office Travel Money.
The survey also included Turkey, the USA and Thailand: Marmaris in Turkey; Orlando in USA; and Phuket in Thailand.
Portugal’s Algarve is the cheapest of nine European destinations surveyed, despite prices rising by a third year-on-year.
The Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh is also in the best value top 10 – despite a fall in the Egyptian pound’s value.
Even with a 19.2% drop in the value of the Turkish lira, inflation and a 55% rise in the minimum wage at the nation’s bars and restaurants mean prices for UK visitors to Marmaris have more than doubled since last year.
The price for a cup of filter coffee in Mahe, Seychelles costs £4.55; Bottle of local beer: Jumeirah Beach, Dubai (£8.99); Bottle or can of Coca-Cola or Pepsi, Mahe, Seychelles (£3.85).
Glass of wine at a cafe or bar: New York, USA (£11.41); Mineral water (1.5 litres) Rodney Bay, St Lucia (£4.95).
Suncream (200ml) in Tamarindo, Costa Rica (£21.84); insect repellent (50ml): Reykjavik, Iceland (£17.16)
Dine for £135.87
A 3-course evening meal for two with a bottle of house wine in Reykjavik, Iceland, will cost you an eye-watering £135.87.
The cheapest price for a cup of filter coffee is in Algarve, Portugal costing 81p. A bottle of local beer in Cape Town, South Africa (£1.62); Bottle or can of Coca-Cola or Pepsi: Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt (93p).
Glass of wine at a cafe or bar: Algarve, Portugal (£1.81); Mineral water (1.5 litres): Marmaris, Turkey (15p); Suncream (200ml): Tokyo, Japan (£4.34); Insect repellent (50ml): Kuta, Bali (64p).
A three-course evening meal for two with a bottle of house wine in Cape Town, South Africa costs £35.80.
Alicante-Murcia
A traditional €12-14 menu del dia in many of Spain’s eateries within the Alicante and Murcia Municipal provinces, consists of a salad, bread; starter, main, desert, coffee or ice cream; glass of wine/beer/soft drink.
Some establishments include a full bottle of wine, with an aperitif/post meal, of brandy, Schnapps or Baileys, for example.
