Summer Holiday Dilemma: Stay or Go Abroad?
As the summer holiday season approaches, millions of British tourists are planning their annual sunshine breaks. However, with the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict affecting fuel prices, food costs, and household bills, many are faced with a tough decision: stay home or travel abroad.
The argument for staying in the UK is centered around cutting down on transport costs. However, booking a hotel, self-catering stay, or holiday park during peak season can be just as expensive as going abroad. Surprisingly, there’s a credible case for heading overseas if you want to keep your budget under control.
Choosing a destination where the cost of living is significantly lower than in the UK can mean saving money on everyday items while you’re away. But there’s a word of caution: while package deals, especially last-minute ones, may seem like a good deal, it’s important to consider all expenses, including dining, excursions, and car hire.
Aviation fuel prices remain volatile due to the Gulf conflict. While prices fell by 5.3 per cent this week, they rose by 7.1 per cent the week before, according to The International Air Transport Association (IATA). This means that genuine cut-price flight deals are likely to be rarer this summer compared to last year.
To help make an informed decision, we’ve done the maths on the overall costs – including food, transport, and accommodation – of popular staycations and compared them with the price of heading overseas to sunny destinations 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.
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.
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
Accommodation
Lake District:
A three-bed self-catering cottage in Troutbeck, 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 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.
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 six thousand 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
Center Parcs UK vs Center Parcs Europe: How the Costs Compare
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.
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
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 (£272.20pp).
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 10€-15€ (£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 costs £69 each with Ryanair, plus a taxi from Krakow Airport to the city centre at an estimated cost of 89zł each way (£19 each way) total, £176 total (£88pp).
Total Cost Verdict
London: £880pp
Krakow: £588.05pp
A Cruise Around the Scottish Highlands vs a Cruise Around the Med
Accommodation
UK cruise:
British Isles cruise from Southampton, 7 September 2026, for seven nights with Disney Cruise Line with an inside cabin from £2,647pp, with breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks from the buffet and main dining restaurants are all included. Visiting Liverpool, Cork and Portland.
Mediterranean cruise:
A week’s cruise to Italy, France and Spain from 7 September 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:
Round-trip flight from London from £299 (£149.50pp) for two people, Cunard add-on.
Total Cost Verdict
UK cruise: £2779.59pp
Mediterranean cruise: £1,611pp
