For many UK travellers, choosing the perfect destination involves careful consideration of various factors, particularly budgeting for daily expenses like food, drinks, and transportation. Understanding these costs can help ensure a smooth travel experience. To aid in this decision-making process, Good Travel Management has conducted a comprehensive study to identify the countries where UK travellers are most likely to overspend.
This study ranks and analyses the top 10 countries where UK travellers face the highest chances of exceeding their budgets. By cross-referencing predicted daily expenses with actual spending, we’ve also uncovered the countries where UK citizens are least likely to overspend.
The Top 10 Countries UK Travellers Are Most Likely to Overspend
Our analysis revealed that Finland tops the list, with an average daily overspend of £45. The country, while known for its beautiful landscapes and high quality of life for its residents, also has a reputation for a high cost of living. For instance, the European Commission found Finland’s alcohol prices to be 102% above the EU average.
Following closely are Mexico at £39 and Egypt at £36. The list continues with Norway (£34), Japan (£33), and Tunisia (£33). Here’s a breakdown of the top over spenders:
The Top 10 Countries Where UK Travellers Are Least Likely to Overspend
On the flip side, if you’re looking for value for your money, Barbados is the surprise standout destination, boasting a daily underspend of £76. Despite the island having a reputation as an expensive travel destination, it seems that it’s still possible to spend much less than you might expect if you’re careful.
Following Barbados are Hong Kong (£66), Luxembourg (£60), and Australia (£59). Here’s the list of the top value destinations:
If you’d like to view the extended list of countries and their budget versus actual spend data, click here.
Methodology
To uncover the disparity between the budgets UK travellers typically set for their trips and their actual spending, we analysed recommended daily budgets for various countries sourced from popular budgeting websites like Budget Your Trip, Plantrip and Numbeo. This data focused on essential expenses such as food, drinks, and transportation while abroad. We then compared these estimates to data from the Office for National Statistics, which details the average daily spending of UK residents while in different countries (excluding hotel costs). Through this analysis, we identified the countries where UK travellers tend to overspend the most.