The price of a trip
Where is Europe
cheapest?
Compare everyday prices in 36 countries, from supermarket shopping to eating out and getting around.
Compare countries
North Macedonia has the lowest overall price level of the 36 countries compared. Its index is 54.8, against an EU average of 100. Within the EU, Bulgaria is lowest at 62.5.
The cheapest choice changes with your spending. Use the categories below to compare groceries, eating out and accommodation, or passenger transport. A national average is a starting point for planning, not a quote for your holiday.
European prices, country by country
Start with the big picture, then choose the part of your trip that matters most. Lower numbers mean lower prices.
Household final consumption expenditure, including housing and other everyday spending.
The EU averageAn index of 80 means prices are about 20% below the EU average in that category.
36 countries · Overall prices · Lowest first
| Country | Price index | Compared with EU | Before you go |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Macedonia | 54.8 | 45% lower | No guide yet |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 59.2 | 41% lower | No guide yet |
| TürkiyeMoney guide ↗ | 59.6 | 40% lower | Money guide ↗ |
| BulgariaEUMoney guide ↗ | 62.5 | 38% lower | Money guide ↗ |
| RomaniaEUMoney guide ↗ | 65.1 | 35% lower | Money guide ↗ |
| MontenegroMoney guide ↗ | 66.1 | 34% lower | Money guide ↗ |
| Serbia | 68.0 | 32% lower | No guide yet |
| Albania | 72.6 | 27% lower | No guide yet |
| PolandEUMoney guide ↗ | 73.3 | 27% lower | Money guide ↗ |
| HungaryEUMoney guide ↗ | 77.5 | 23% lower | Money guide ↗ |
| CroatiaEUMoney guide ↗ | 78.4 | 22% lower | Money guide ↗ |
| LithuaniaEUMoney guide ↗ | 82.8 | 17% lower | Money guide ↗ |
| LatviaEUMoney guide ↗ | 83.2 | 17% lower | Money guide ↗ |
| SlovakiaEUMoney guide ↗ | 85.2 | 15% lower | Money guide ↗ |
| PortugalEUMoney guide ↗ | 86.6 | 13% lower | Money guide ↗ |
| GreeceEUMoney guide ↗ | 87.4 | 13% lower | Money guide ↗ |
| CyprusEUMoney guide ↗ | 89.2 | 11% lower | Money guide ↗ |
| SloveniaEUMoney guide ↗ | 89.3 | 11% lower | Money guide ↗ |
| CzechiaEUMoney guide ↗ | 89.4 | 11% lower | Money guide ↗ |
| SpainEUMoney guide ↗ | 91.6 | 8% lower | Money guide ↗ |
| MaltaEUMoney guide ↗ | 91.9 | 8% lower | Money guide ↗ |
| ItalyEUMoney guide ↗ | 97.1 | 3% lower | Money guide ↗ |
| EstoniaEUMoney guide ↗ | 101.2 | 1% higher | Money guide ↗ |
| GermanyEUMoney guide ↗ | 108.3 | 8% higher | Money guide ↗ |
| FranceEUMoney guide ↗ | 110.3 | 10% higher | Money guide ↗ |
| AustriaEUMoney guide ↗ | 113.0 | 13% higher | Money guide ↗ |
| NetherlandsEUMoney guide ↗ | 115.6 | 16% higher | Money guide ↗ |
| BelgiumEUMoney guide ↗ | 116.2 | 16% higher | Money guide ↗ |
| FinlandEUMoney guide ↗ | 120.8 | 21% higher | Money guide ↗ |
| SwedenEUMoney guide ↗ | 121.0 | 21% higher | Money guide ↗ |
| NorwayMoney guide ↗ | 128.6 | 29% higher | Money guide ↗ |
| LuxembourgEUMoney guide ↗ | 131.5 | 32% higher | Money guide ↗ |
| IrelandEUMoney guide ↗ | 136.2 | 36% higher | Money guide ↗ |
| DenmarkEUMoney guide ↗ | 139.7 | 40% higher | Money guide ↗ |
| SwitzerlandMoney guide ↗ | 171.3 | 71% higher | Money guide ↗ |
| IcelandMoney guide ↗ | 173.5 | 74% higher | Money guide ↗ |
No countries match your search. Try another name or reset the filters.
Source: Eurostat, prc_ppp_ind_1, 2025 price level indices, EU27 = 100. Countries are ordered by their published index; small differences should not be treated as a meaningful ranking. About the data.
Your point of reference
How does it compare with home?
Choose two countries. The comparison uses the same price category selected above.
Overall prices · 2025
Relative price levels, rounded to the nearest whole percent. Your actual spending depends on the city, season and things you buy.
What the numbers mean for your trip
A low overall price level can hide a very different supermarket bill. Look at the spending you expect to do.
Bulgaria stands out for eating out and accommodation
Bulgaria has the lowest EU index in the combined restaurants and accommodation category: 55.7. Romania follows at 59.4. These averages can help you shortlist destinations; check the dates and location of an actual stay before setting a budget.
Get to know money in Bulgaria ↗Romania has the EU’s lowest grocery index
For food and non-alcoholic beverages, Romania sits at 79.8. That is roughly 20% below the EU average. This category is especially relevant if you plan to self-cater, pick up breakfast or shop for picnic supplies.
Plan your payments in Romania ↗Portugal shows why categories matter
Portugal’s restaurants and accommodation index is 73.6, while food and non-alcoholic beverages are at 102.0. The country looks relatively inexpensive for the first category, while its grocery index is close to the EU average.
Explore the Portugal money guide ↗Transport deserves its own comparison
Norway’s passenger transport index is 167.4, compared with 128.6 overall. The category brings together different transport services. It cannot tell you the fare for a particular train journey, or the price of your flight to Norway.
Check the Norway money guide ↗Turn a price comparison into a travel plan
Shortlist countries using the category closest to your plans. For a self-catering stay, check food prices alongside your accommodation quotes. For a trip built around restaurants and hotels, start with that combined category, then compare actual bookings.
Next, price the largest items for your dates: travel to the destination, accommodation and any long-distance journeys. A cheap flight or an expensive room can outweigh the difference in everyday prices. Country averages also hide differences between capitals, resorts and smaller towns.
Finally, plan how to pay. The country money guides cover local currency, banknotes, coins and payment habits. For a separate look at payment behaviour, see which countries use the most cash.
EU average = 100 · Index, not a price in euros
What is measured, and what is left out?
One year and one reference
All figures refer to 2025. The source is Eurostat’s price level index, with the EU’s 27-country average set to 100. The data snapshot was retrieved on 22 September 2026; the API reports an update on 9 July 2026. These are historical annual comparisons, not live prices.
36 countries with all four categories
Coverage follows Eurostat’s European comparison: 27 EU countries, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Türkiye. The United Kingdom is excluded because the selected 2025 dataset does not provide all three detailed spending categories for it.
Category boundaries matter
“Overall prices” means household final consumption expenditure, including spending outside a typical holiday. “Restaurants & accommodation” is one combined index. The food category covers food and non-alcoholic drinks. Passenger transport is separate from vehicle purchases and fuel.
How we compare two countries
We divide the destination’s index by the reference country’s index, subtract one, then express the result as a percentage. For example, Portugal’s overall index of 86.6 compared with Norway’s 128.6 gives roughly 33% lower prices. Differences use the source’s one-decimal values; the displayed percentage is rounded.
These estimates can be revised. Close index values do not establish a precise order of affordability. The figures do not measure wages, personal purchasing power or the full cost of a holiday.
Common questions about European prices
What is the cheapest country in Europe?
Among the 36 countries covered here, North Macedonia has the lowest 2025 overall consumer price index at 54.8. Bulgaria is lowest within the EU at 62.5. This does not prove either will be the cheapest holiday for your dates and itinerary.
Which European country is most expensive?
Iceland has the highest overall index in this comparison at 173.5, followed by Switzerland at 171.3. Denmark is highest within the EU at 139.7. The order can change when you choose a different category.
Does using the euro mean prices are the same?
No. A shared currency makes amounts easier to compare, but countries still have different price levels. For example, Portugal’s 2025 overall index is 86.6 and Finland’s is 120.8. See where the euro is used.
Can I use the index to calculate a daily holiday budget?
Use it to compare broad price levels. An index of 80 does not mean a day costs €80. Work out a budget from real accommodation, transport and meal prices for your destination and travel dates.
Research sources
- Eurostat: 2025 price level indices, API snapshot
Dataset prc_ppp_ind_1; indicator PLI_EU27_2020; categories E011, A0101, A0111 and A010703. The table and calculations use these observations.
- Eurostat: Comparative price levels of consumer goods and services
Context for the 36-country comparison and interpretation of price level indices.
- Eurostat: Purchasing power parities metadata
Definitions, methodology and revision practices.
Source: Eurostat. Country selection, presentation and derived percentage comparisons by Cash by Country.