Daily holiday spending under €100: how 13 European cities rank

Where a European city break costs €100 or less a day

According to УНІАН — Туризм: Looking for an affordable getaway in Europe? A new ranking from travel company Thomas Cook highlights 13 cities where daily spending per person doesn’t go above €100. Tirana, Albania’s capital, comes out on top as the cheapest option, with an average daily outlay of €59. The study based its figures on what travelers pay for a three-star hotel, meals, local transport, and entertainment.

In Tirana, an overnight stay in a three-star hotel averages €32 per person. A dinner at a budget restaurant is around €8.50, while a local beer costs €1.50. Bucharest, Romania’s capital, is next at €66 per day. There, a typical dinner in a restaurant costs just over €12, and a day bus pass is around €1.50.

The full ranking by daily cost

Antalya in Turkey and Warsaw in Poland share third place at €78 a day. Istanbul, also in Turkey, is fifth on the list with €82 a day, helped by an average hotel price of about €28 and inexpensive meals ranging from €8 to €9. Following them are Mugla and Krakow, both at €87 per day, then Vilnius (Lithuania) and Frankfurt (Germany) at €90. Lyon (France) costs €91 a day, Tallinn (Estonia) €93, Heraklion (Greece) €99, and Porto (Portugal) rounds out the ranking at exactly €100.

Nicholas Smith, Thomas Cook’s director of dynamic package holidays, says Eastern European and Turkish city breaks consistently offer good value. As tourism volumes rise, these destinations may not stay under the radar for much longer.

This list offers a useful reference for travelers who want to keep daily expenses manageable on a European trip. It also points to a growing interest in less obvious, budget-friendly destinations - a trend that could influence tourism infrastructure development in places like Tirana and Bucharest.

As travelers seek to maximize their experiences while minimizing costs, it's essential to explore various budget-friendly options across Europe. For instance, a recent ranking highlights Prague as a top contender for affordable summer escapes in 2026. This growing interest in economical travel can influence future tourism trends and infrastructure in cities like Tirana and Bucharest.