Tired of sky-high rent? Whilst many Brits dream of living abroad, it can seem out of reach – but, what if a month-long trip abroad could actually be much cheaper than paying rent in the UK?
As we approach the New Year, many people are reflecting on their personal goals, often turning their attention to improving their finances and embracing new adventures. To help, package holiday experts, On the Beach, has crunched the numbers to reveal where Brits could trade their rental bills for a dream getaway, and it might cost less than you think.
By analysing rental prices across the 50 most populated cities in the UK and comparing them with over 31,000 holiday packages, analysts have revealed the top destinations where a 28-night stay could cost less than renting – along with the UK cities that could be getting more bang for their buck.
The top 10 destinations cheaper to visit than paying UK rent:
|
Rank |
Destination country |
No of holidays found |
Average 28-night holiday cost (two people) |
Value per person |
Saving against UK AVG rent |
|
1 |
Turkey |
460 |
£892.16 |
£306.78 |
15% |
|
2 |
Malta |
111 |
£906.15 |
£325.75 |
14.40% |
|
3 |
Portugal |
209 |
£911.17 |
£455.58 |
13.92% |
|
4 |
Greece |
185 |
£936.45 |
£468.22 |
11.50% |
|
5 |
Mainland Spain |
104 |
£961.38 |
£480.68 |
9.18% |
|
6 |
Tunisia |
27 |
£963.92 |
£481.95 |
8.94% |
|
7 |
Cyprus |
6 |
£976.14 |
£488.07 |
7.78% |
|
8 |
Balearics |
13 |
£977.10 |
£488.54 |
7.69% |
|
9 |
Morocco |
20 |
£988 |
£494 |
6.66% |
|
10 |
Canaries |
6 |
£1,022.87 |
£511.43 |
3.37% |
Based on the rental costs of the 50 cities included in the study, the average cost of rent in the UK stands at a whopping £1058.60pcm. By looking into holiday packages including flights, accommodation, and boar, On the Beach has revealed the top 10 destinations where you could spend a 28-night stay for less than renting in the UK.
Turkey takes the top spot as the cheapest destination for a 28-night stay. Two people could swap out grey skies for stunning Mediterranean beaches for an average of just £892 for the entire trip. Antalya, Turkey, offers Brits the best value for money, with the cheapest stay priced at just £543, working out at an incredible £271 value per person. Additionally, for those looking for an all-inclusive option, Antalya also delivers the best deal, with a stay at the Cleopatra Golden Beach Hotel for just £1,036 for two people.
Malta takes second place, offering 111 holiday packages priced lower than the average UK rental costs, a trip to the country is an average of £152 cheaper than a month’s rent. The most affordable option in Malta is a stay for two at the 3* Relax Inn, available from just £640 for two people.
Portugal follows closely in third, averaging 13.92% cheaper than rental costs. Other noteworthy destinations in the top 10 include Spain, a British favourite, ranking fifth with over 100 packages available. Additionally, while the Balearic Islands are typically considered a more expensive choice, 13 holiday packages were found there priced below the average UK rent offering budget-friendly getaways.
Top 10 cities, where residents can find holidays cheaper than monthly rent:
|
Rank |
UK City |
Avg rental cost |
No of holidays found cheaper |
AVG Cost of a 28-night stay for 2. |
AVG Savings (%) |
|
1 |
London |
£2767 |
31,008 |
£1,905 |
31.15% |
|
2 |
Bristol |
£1753 |
11,641 |
£1,419.96 |
19% |
|
3 |
Brighton |
£1749 |
11,546 |
£1,417 |
19% |
|
4 |
Oxford |
£1725 |
10,993 |
£1,401 |
18.78% |
|
5 |
Cambridge |
£1702 |
10,471 |
£1,385.53 |
18.59% |
|
6 |
Watford |
£1702 |
10,471 |
£1,385.53 |
18.59% |
|
7 |
Edinburgh |
£1485 |
6,059 |
£1,230 |
17.17% |
|
8 |
Reading |
£1462 |
5,674 |
£1,213.57 |
16.99% |
|
9 |
Slough |
£1364 |
4,207 |
£1,143 |
16.20% |
|
10 |
Poole |
£1292 |
3,265 |
£1,089.40 |
15.71% |
With rental costs varying across the UK, On the Beach has uncovered the cities with the highest rents and highlighted where residents can get more bang for their buck with a cheap holiday.
Unsurprisingly, London takes the top spot, with average rental costs hitting £2,767pcm. Analysts at On the Beach found a staggering 31,008 28-night stay holiday packages available for less than the typical London rent, averaging £862 cheaper. With the cheapest holiday package costing a total of £543 for two, Londoners could enjoy a month-long holiday for up to 80% less than their average monthly rent.
Residents in Bristol are paying the second highest rental costs in the UK, averaging at £1,753pcm. Bristolians could swap a month’s rent for one of 11,641 holiday packages found, which are roughly £333 cheaper than renting in the city.
Whilst Brighton ranked in third place with the mean rent costing £1,749pcm, residents could swap Brighton Pier for a balmy escape abroad for an average of £1,417, which is 19% cheaper than rental costs. Other cities to highlight include Edinburgh, standing out as the only city from the north to make it into the top 10 most expensive cities to rent in the UK. Edinburgh residents could trade a month’s rent – averaging at £1,485 – for one of the 6,059 holiday packages found, which cost an average of 17% less than renting at home.
Zoe Harris, chief customer officer at On the Beach said: “There are more than 1,000 28-day stay holidays that are cheaper than the cost of monthly rent in the UK. Imagine, working and living abroad all year, 13 holidays in 13 destinations and you still won’t have spent as much as what it takes to rent in the UK.
“Not to mention, on all-inclusive holidays you get your food and drink included, so you can say goodbye to food inflation in the UK, and don’t even get me started on the weather!”