Cape Town has been named the most affordable winter sun getaway for the second straight year. The Post Office Travel Money Winter Sun Report 2024 evaluates destinations using a basket of eight common holiday expenses.
Cape Town's 9.7 per cent price drop
The South African hub has secured the top spot largely due to a significant decrease in costs, with prices falling 9.7 per cent since March, according to the Post Office report. For those visiting Cape Town, the daily spend remains remarkably low; a three-course meal for two with wine is priced at £39.26 , while a bottle of beer starts at £1.86.
Beyond the numbers, the city offers a blend of cultural and culinary value. Visitors can explore the community-run District Six Museum or seek out budget-friendly eats. As the report says, Borruso's on Kenilworth Main Road offrs a "Dillon Special" for £7.84, and the Pot Luck Club in the trendy Woodstock area serves fish sliders and ceviche tacos starting from £7.55.
Tokyo's 520 hours of winter sunshine
In a surprising turn, Tokyo has climbed to third place, challenging its long-standing reputation as an expensive metropolis. The Japanese capital is positioned as a viable winter alternative to the UK, boasting 520 hours of sunshine during the colder months—a stark contrast to the 100 hours recorded in Manchester.
This shift in value is evident in Tokyo's dining scene. The report highlights that a three-course meal for two totals £48.50, and high-end experiences are surprisingly accessible, with Michelin-starred Nakiryu in Otsuka serving shoryu ramen from £6.72. Coffee enthusiasts can also find value at Onibus Coffee in Nakameguro and Fuglen in Shibuya, with prices starting from £2.33.
The £74.79 daily spend in Colombo
For travelers prioritizing the lowest possible daily overhead, the report points toward Asia and East Africa. Colombo, Sri Lanka, offers a daily barometer cost of £74.79, with basics like water costing just 66p. Luxury is also within reach in Colombo, where the five-star Mandarina Hotel can be found for £63 a night in January.
Similarly, Mombasa, Kenya, provides high value for beach-goers, with wine at £3.17 and meals for two at £42.78. The report specifically praises the seafood and atmosphere at Char-Choma beach bar. Meanwhile, Phuket in Thailand remains a competitive option, with beer averaging £2.09 and rooms at the Blu Monkey Boutique starting at £37.
The Algarve's £82.35 daily barometer
While long-haul destinations dominate the top of the list, European coastlines remain strong contenders for those wanting to minimize travel time. Portugal's Algarve coastline ranked as the sixth cheapest option, with a daily barometer cost of £82.35. other strong European performers include Tenerife in the Canary Islands, which had a daily cost of £87.62, and Spain's Costa del Sol, where coffee is priced at £1.75.
These European options suggest that budget-conscious travelers do not necessarily need to fly to another continent to find warmth and value.. The Costa del Sol, for instance, offers a three-course meal with wine for £53.24, making it a predictable but reliable choice for winter respite.
The missing flight costs for the top five
Despite the detailed breakdown of coffee and beer, a critical gap remains in the report's primary ranking: the exclusion of flights and accommodation from the value index. While the Post Office repoort mentions that British Airways Holidays offers a package at The President Hotel in Sea Point for £1,776 per person, it does not provide a standardized flight-inclusive comparison for all top-five cities.
This leaves travelers wondering if the low daily cost of a beer in Colombo or a meal in Cape Town is offset by the steep price of long-haul airfare. Without a unified "total trip cost" metric,the true "best value" depends entirely on the traveler's point of origin and their ability to find cheap flights.
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