Winter is no longer coming – it’s here. Luckily for you, we’ve uncovered the top ten winter escapes for Aussies and created an infographic to unpack the essential travel costs. The result: our winter escape formula for a one week holiday, including return flights, your hotel, car hire, meals, a city or museum tour, three cocktails at the beach or bar; and even the price of that novelty souvenir you’ll regret buying in years to come.
A formula for affordable adventure
Eight of the ten most popular winter escapes are either in Europe or the United States, but the cheapest destination is where the Aussie dollar goes furthest: Bangkok, Thailand. The average cost for a week’s holiday in a 4-star hotel in the Thai capital is a steal at $1,690. If you’re looking further away from home check out Belgrade: the cheapest European destination; where the cost of a week-long trip; staying at a 4-star hotel is round $1,975, also a total bargain. And if your budget is your main concern, avoid New York – the most expensive destination will set you back about $2,205.
Bangkok is the winner among the top winter escapes when it comes to flights, with an average price of $831 return. As expected, destinations further away from Australia are more expensive – New York, London and Rome have an average price for return flights of $1,293, $1,310 and $1,397, respectively. However, despite the flying time compared to other destinations, Belgrade, once again, surprises as the fourth cheapest destination for flights.
Despite being worlds apart, Bangkok and Belgrade offer the best value for the Aussie buck when it comes to hotels, with a one week stay at a 4-star hotel costing on average $721 and $780, respectively. For the cheapest hotel rates in western Europe, head to Rome, where a week’s stay is a modest $1,430, a huge 33% cheaper than staying in a 4-star hotel in London ($2,140). Unsurprisingly, the United States has the priciest accommodation on offer, at around $2.5k for a week.
The deal’s in the details: the cost of road trips, restaurants and souvenirs
If you fancy a European road trip this winter, Belgrade is (again!) the place to go. Hit the road for a week and you’ll only be set back around $269 for the car hire. The most expensive European city in the top ten to hire a car turns out to be Amsterdam, at $372 for a week, so do as the locals do and rent a bike in the Dutch capital instead. If you’re tossing up between an East or West Coast road trip in the States, you’ll be interested to know that Los Angeles beats New York on price for a week’s car rental at $483 – 16% cheaper than in the Big Apple.
Dining out is easiest on our wallets in Bangkok, where six meals (lunch and dinner) costs an impressively modest $75 on average; an absolute steal, especially considering how tasty the food is! Belgrade leads the way for affordable dining in European destinations, while New York is the most expensive destination for dining; costing on average $258 for a week, 31% more than Los Angeles. If you’re travelling through Europe on a budget but still fancy a bit of luxury, Rome is the destination for you. Three cocktails in the Italian capital will set you back about $45; a pretty decent price all round.
For holidaymakers looking for a bit more culture, European destinations are the obvious choice; however, Aussie travellers should be aware that their tourist dollar will go almost twice as far for activities in Rome than London. Stateside, tickets for a museum or city tour are much cheaper on average in Los Angeles ($45) than New York ($58).
And the cheapest place to buy a tacky knick-knack on holiday this winter? Belgrade of course, where the average cost of a souvenir is $3.
Need even more inspiration of what to do during your winter escape? Our tip: check out KAYAK Activities. This new feature lets you search for the best activities that a city has to offer and filter the results to show the attractions, museums and tours, that you want to experience.
*Analysis is based on searches for the most popular winter destinations on KAYAK.com.au. Prices are based on the average prices (airfares, hotel rates, car rental prices) for any travel dates between June and August 2016. Prices for car rentals exclude fuel charges. Average prices for local goods and activities are based on desktop research and are indicated in AUD. Currency conversion was done based on currency rates found on April 13, 2016. Prices are subject to change or may not be available anymore.
Also Read>> Know before you go: How to stay healthy during the year-end holidays
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