Is It Cheaper to Go Abroad or Stay in the UK? Hidden Costs & Real Savings

Stuck between booking a quick hop to Spain or embracing a rainy weekend in Cornwall for your summer break? It’s not as simple as checking a cheap flight or car rental. The price tag on any holiday—abroad or at home—has a sneaky way of ballooning once you factor in the not-so-obvious stuff.

Think train fares that spike during school holidays, rental cottages with cleaning fees, or those airport sandwiches that cost a small fortune. Even a ‘free’ beach day in England can add up fast once you buy sun cream, ice creams, fish and chips, and a car park spot for the afternoon. Meanwhile, a budget airline trip might look cheap upfront, but gate fees, baggage, and airport transfers can kill the vibe fast.

Before you decide, you need to know what really goes into the cost difference between a UK staycation and a quick trip abroad. The old myth that staying local is always cheaper just isn’t holding up these days, especially with UK hotels and attractions cashing in on the domestic travel trend. If you want honest answers—and easy ways to save—I’m breaking down the facts, not just the glossy pictures on booking sites.

• True Cost of Staying in the UK
• Flights, Fees, and Foreign Surprises
• Accommodation Showdown
• Food, Fun, and Hidden Extras
• Smart Ways to Cut Holiday Costs

True Cost of Staying in the UK

A UK staycation sounds easy, but the costs can creep up fast—sometimes faster than we’d like to admit. While you might dodge airport queues and passport panic, you’re not escaping hotel price hikes, fuel costs, or the classic British weather throwing shade on your plans.

Let’s break down the real numbers for a UK staycations trip in summer 2024. According to HolidayCottages.co.uk, the average price for a week’s rental in places like Cornwall or the Lake District ranges from £800 to £1,400 for a basic two-bedroom cottage. If you’re bringing a pet or want a hot tub, you can tack on £100-£200 extra.

Travel is another wallet-hitter. Filling up your car? In 2024, petrol hovers around £1.49 a litre, so a round trip from London to Cornwall (about 500 miles) will set you back £90-£110 just on fuel. Train tickets don’t come cheap either—last August, a family of four paid almost £280 for standard return fares from Manchester to Edinburgh when booked two months in advance.

Eating out in British tourist hotspots? Prepare for London-level prices. A quick look at Tripadvisor shows many pub lunches hitting £18-£25 per person. Add in your evening meal, coffees, and those must-have seaside ice creams, and a family can easily drop £75-£120 a day on food alone.

Don’t forget:

• Parking fees: Expect £8-£15 per day at popular beaches and attractions.
• Admissions: Family entry to places like the Eden Project, Alton Towers, or Legoland ranges from £60-£150.
• Weather insurance: Not official insurance, but budgeting for rainy-day activities like cinemas, arcades, or indoor pools is smart.

Here’s a snapshot of what a week for a family might look like now:

No, that’s not a typo. A UK staycation can easily reach or even beat the price of a week in Spain. And unlike a hot resort, you might end up shelling out more for last-minute entertainment if the weather misbehaves. Planning ahead and booking early help, but those ‘hidden’ costs are worth keeping on your radar.

Flights, Fees, and Foreign Surprises

Booking a trip abroad from the UK isn’t as cheap as those headline fares make it sound. You see a £29.99 flight, get excited, but by the time you’ve paid to pick a seat, checked in a bag, bought something to eat onboard, and coughed up for airport parking, your bargain break can suddenly cost three times more.

Let’s talk hard numbers. In summer 2024, UK airports hiked their drop-off and parking charges—with short stays at Gatwick and Heathrow hitting £7–£8 just for twenty minutes. Then there’s baggage: most budget airlines like Ryanair and easyJet now charge for any bag that doesn’t fit under the seat. One decent-sized cabin bag can add £25 each way. And if you skip online check-in, Ryanair charges £55 at the airport—yes, it’s as harsh as it sounds.

If you thought transfers would be a breeze, think again. Popular Spanish hotspots like Alicante or Malaga have airport taxis that start around €20–€30 to reach main tourist zones. A return transfer for a family can quickly eat into your spending money. Plus you’ll need travel insurance, and since Brexit, most UK policies recommend EU medical cover, which averages £15–£40 per trip, depending on age and activities.

Once you land, little surprises pop up. Want Wi-Fi at your hotel? Not always free abroad (it’s sometimes €5–€10 a day). ATMs in tourist spots often hit you with withdrawal fees or bad exchange rates. And starting in mid-2025, Brits visiting EU countries will need to apply for ETIAS travel authorisation—costing €7 per adult. That’s new, and it catches people off-guard.

• Keep baggage light and travel with just a backpack to cut airline fees.
• Book flights midweek—Tuesday and Wednesday are usually cheapest if you avoid school holidays.
• Get your euros or other currencies before you leave the UK for better rates.
• Check if your card adds foreign usage fees—it’s often cheaper to use a specialist travel card.
• Factor in all extras—airport parking, taxis, insurance, and those hidden admin charges—before you decide if that trip abroad is actually cheap.

It’s easy to get blindsided by these travel costs if you only look at flight prices. Do the sums for every step, and you’ll often find the real holiday cost miles away from what you saw in the ad.

Accommodation Showdown

Let’s talk about where you’ll sleep, because that’s where a huge chunk of your holiday budget disappears, whether you’re taking a UK staycation or booking a flight out. Right now, British hotels and holiday rentals aren’t exactly a bargain, especially in those lovely seaside hotspots. The average price for a week’s stay in a family-friendly UK cottage in Cornwall or the Lake District was around £1,250 in summer 2024, and that’s before you add pet fees or cleaning costs (which can sneak in at £50-£100!).

If you’re looking at hotels, good luck finding one for under £100 a night in the bigger UK destinations during school holidays. For comparison, a decent 3-star hotel in Spain, Portugal, or Greece regularly comes in at under £70 a night—even in late July. Here’s a quick table to show you actual rates from Easter 2024:

It’s not just about the room, either. Overseas bookings often throw in perks like breakfast, pools, and shuttles to the beach. In the UK, you’re usually paying extra for everything: towels, parking, and even Wi-Fi if you’re unlucky. And don’t forget the trend of short-notice price hikes when British weather actually behaves.

If you’re on a tight budget, don’t ignore hostels or holiday parks—they’re much friendlier on your wallet, both here and abroad. But be warned: demand for UK holiday parks goes nuts every summer. Bargain hunters who book late sometimes end up paying double the early-bird rate, or have to settle for a less popular spot miles from the beach.

Here are a few ways to keep accommodation costs low, no matter where you go:

• Book early, especially for UK summers—prices only rise as dates get closer
• Compare package deals abroad (flight plus hotel), which can add up to big savings
• Look for off-peak dates in the UK, like June before schools break up
• Try house swaps, pet sitting, or camping for real budget stays
• Use cashback and loyalty sites like Quidco or Hotels.com Rewards

The bottom line: UK accommodation is often more expensive than abroad, unless you’re seriously flexible or OK with very basic options. Shop around, weigh up what’s included in each deal, and check those fine print extras—your wallet will thank you.

Food, Fun, and Hidden Extras

Food and daily spending can turn your holiday budget upside down, whether you pick a classic UK staycation or snap up a cheap flight to Europe. The real feast or famine comes from how you eat and play once you get there, not just the plane ticket or train fare.

Eating out in the UK isn’t cheap these days. In 2024, the average meal for two in a mid-range UK restaurant is about £50, while fish and chips by the seaside often hit £10 per person. A week of eating out three times a day can easily top £400 for a family of four. On the flip side, supermarket deals can save you a bundle—meal deals from Tesco or Sainsbury's cost about £4 each and self-catering lets you stretch even a tight budget.

Head abroad, and you’ll find cheaper options in places like Portugal or Turkey, with restaurant meals averaging £7-£12. Supermarkets overseas often have local treats for less, but remember, tourist hotspots seriously bump up prices—in Ibiza, for example, a simple sandwich can cost as much as it does in London.

When it comes to fun, the cost creeps up no matter where you are. Theme parks like Alton Towers charge £35-£65 per ticket, with parking and snacks adding another £20 fast. In Spain, water parks aren’t necessarily a bargain either—average entry is €30-€40 per adult. Even day trips and museum tickets eat into your spending money. And kids always find a way to sniff out the most expensive ride-on toy or arcade!

Some of the worst hidden extras are the small things. Parking at beaches or attractions, overpriced petrol for day trips, ice creams, and even the dreaded cost of a bucket and spade. Don’t forget special events or experiences—think boat rides, which can run £30 per person in Devon or up to €50 along the Amalfi Coast.

If you want to keep spending in check, it helps to do a bit of pre-planning:

• Look up entry fees for attractions before you travel.
• Book tickets online where you can—discounts are common if you buy in advance.
• Pack lunch and snacks to dodge overpriced tourist traps.
• Check if supermarkets or local markets near your stay offer basics at better prices.
• Keep track of parking and public transport options. A weekly bus pass or railcard can save a bundle versus daily fares.

Smart Ways to Cut Holiday Costs

Saving money on your next break comes down to spotting the sneaky costs before they eat your budget. Here’s the honest rundown on how to keep your wallet happy, no matter if you’re staying in the UK or heading abroad.

• Book early and check last-minute deals. Train fares in the UK can double if you leave booking until the last minute, especially during summer. But if you’re flexible, off-peak trains, midweek flights, and late hotel cancellations on big sites can be real bargains.
• Take advantage of loyalty schemes. From supermarket points covering train rides to cashback from booking sites, some regulars save £50 or more just by stacking rewards.
• Pack smart to dodge baggage fees. Budget airlines love fees for extra bags—even a cheap ticket gets pricey if you’re not careful. For UK breaks, avoid this by packing light or going for self-catered stays where you can bring your own stuff.
• Bring your own snacks and refillable bottle. Both UK attractions and airports bump up snack prices. Packing basics like sandwiches can save a family of four £20 at a theme park or train station.
• Use travel comparison sites. Don’t settle for the first price—sites like Trainline, Skyscanner, and Google Hotels let you line up your options. Real people in 2024 saved hundreds just by checking a few clicks further.

Insurance is another sneaky one. Even quick breaks in the UK are worth covering for lost bags or cancellations. For trips in Europe, get a GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card)—it’s free but avoids big hospital bills.

Finally, look outside the obvious. Some of the best UK staycations happen outside hotspots. Swap Cornwall in August for Norfolk or the Scottish coast in early June and you’ll see prices drop, better availability, and a lot fewer crowds. Sometimes just shifting your dates by a week can make all the difference.