Spain offers best value for self-catering

Families planning a self-catering holiday will get the most for their money in Spain or Portugal, new research has shown.

The Post Office's annual Self-Catering on a Shoestring report compares the cost of supermarket purchases in a dozen different holiday destinations.

A weekly shop for a family of four, featuring 20 common purchases such as bread, milk, eggs and bottled water, cost £56.67 in Majorca – the cheapest destination to feature in the survey for the second consecutive year. In Portugal the items cost £57.78, while Spain’s Costa Blanca (£65.31) and Menorca (£66.71) also provided good value.

The most expensive destinations to feature where Cyprus and Corfu, where the same 20 items costs £104.29 and £100.31 respectively.

The items cost £89.08 in Brighton, putting the West Sussex resort eighth on the list, although its prices had dropped slightly compared with last year. The average cost of the items also fell in Menorca, Gozo and Lanzarote.

“The variations we found in supermarket prices mean that families will be well-advised to check prices before booking," said Andrew Brown, the Post Office's head of travel money. "Although self-catering can be a great way for families to save money, they should choose their destination carefully.

“Majorca and Portugal are great value options but Greece is looking more expensive.”