Last Updated on August 17, 2026
A new study of 51 popular European city destinations has revealed where vacation budgets can go the furthest if you’re planning a trip this fall. The research by trusted UK travel agency Thomas Cook analyzed a range of cost factors and shows there are 13 cities offering a full day of sightseeing, food and refreshments, local transit and accommodation in a mid-range hotel for €100 ($116*) a day or less, per person.
Of all the city trips that offer exceptional value, Tirana, Albania, comes up top, with an average daily cost of just €59 ($68) this September.
Tirana, Albania’s capital city, boasts beautiful architecture, a lively cafe culture and easy access to beaches, national parks and lakes. While Albania has become one of Europe’s fastest-growing tourism markets, it’s still a hidden gem, so tourists can enjoy much quieter sightseeing and all-around great value. In the past year alone, Thomas Cook Albania holidays have seen bookings increase by over 300%.
There is an abundance of three-star accommodation options (116) with an average cost of €32 ($37) per person, per night in early September – offering travelers great value on what is typically the most expensive part of the trip. Foodies will be delighted by the low cost of eating out, too. The average price of dinner at an inexpensive restaurant is €8.50 ($9.86), while a coffee (€1.99 / $2.30) and a local beer (€1.50 / $1.74) are also very affordable.
You can also explore Tirana’s history and culture at affordable prices, with the average cost of paid attractions coming in at €4.50 ($5.22). The city’s Blloku district, once reserved exclusively for Communist Party elites, is now Tirana’s trendiest quarter, packed with cafe terraces, bars and independent boutiques.
Bucharest, the capital of Romania, comes in as the second most affordable European vacation. It earned the nickname, Little Paris when prominent French and European architects were hired to redesign the city’s center. Bucharest now has an eclectic architectural mix, from the Palace of the Parliament, one of the world’s largest administrative buildings, to the neoclassical Romanian Athenaeum.
With an average daily cost of just €66 ($77) per person, it’s no wonder Bucharest is an up-and-coming destination.
Accommodation prices are around €32 ($37) per person per night and with 176 three-star options to choose from, tourists aren’t short of choices. Eating out is also very affordable, with dinner costing just over €12 (under $14) on average and lunch at a fast-food restaurant costing under €7 ($8).
While paid-for tourist attractions are slightly more expensive than in Tirana, costing under €9 ($10) on average, tourists can still get great value. A daily bus pass (around €1.50 / $1.74) is also inexpensive, offering tourists hassle-free travel around the city.
Antalya, a city on Turkey’s coastline, offers tourists great value too (€78 / $90 a day). This includes affordable accommodation (€36 / $42), and the cost of eating out is among the lowest in the study. Both dinner and fast-food lunches can cost under €9 ($10) per person.
However, the average cost of tourist attractions is slightly higher than that of other affordable destinations on the list, at €19 ($22). Budget-conscious visitors can also explore attractions such as Kaleiçi, Antalya’s Old Town and Hadrian’s Gate for free, making it easy to soak up the city’s atmosphere on a budget.
Poland’s capital, Warsaw, offers great value for tourists too, with an average daily cost of €78 ($90). The city’s Old Town is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site after it was meticulously rebuilt after WWII. Aside from its historical significance, it boasts a vibrant nightlife and cultural scene. For smart spenders, the city’s top museums and galleries also offer free admission on set days.
Accommodation costs an average of €41 ($48) per person per night, while the average cost of tourist attractions is under €8 ($9). Eating out is also affordable, with an average dinner costing under €11 ($12), while lunch at a fast-food restaurant is under €10 ($11).
Rounding up the top five most affordable European city trips is Istanbul, Turkey. Turkey’s largest city boasts incredible architecture, history, and a bustling cultural scene. It’ll cost travelers around €82 ($95) a day to enjoy a full day out in the city.
Hotels in Istanbul are among the most affordable in the study, costing €28 ($32) per person, per night at a three-star hotel on average. Eating out is also affordable, with dinners and lunches costing a roughly €9 ($10) and €8 ($9), respectively. Getting around the city is also hassle-free thanks to an extensive public transit system; a daily bus pass will cost travelers under €4 ($4.60).
Methodology
* Currency conversion from euros to dollars correct as of 17.08.26.
For this study, a seed list of popular European city trip destinations was created using annual visitor numbers from Euromonitor and cities of growth for Thomas Cook, totaling 51 cities. The data was accessed and compiled between the 11th – 29th of June 2026. Each data point consists of the latest research available at a city level from reputable sources and focused on daily rates during early September for an off-peak vacation.
The list of 13 cities €100 a day or less were calculated based on all cost metrics. These were then ranked for the lowest costing cities. For a more in-depth methodology including a sources list, please contact one of the below media contacts.
