Holidays in Southern Europe are more affordable for German travellers than staying in Germany, with Greece emerging as an especially attractive option. The country proves to be cheaper than Germany in two of the main holiday spending categories—accommodation and dining—according to April data released by Germany’s Federal Statistical Office, Destatis.
According to Germany’s Federal Statistical Office, Destatis, Greece ranks among the more affordable travel destinations for German travellers, with accommodation and dining costs in April averaging 18% lower than in Germany, although it is not among the cheapest countries in the region.
The comparison of price levels shows how much the same restaurant and hotel services cost in another country compared with Germany. For example, while a dining or accommodation service cost €100 in Germany in April this year, travellers in Spain—where price levels were 22% lower—would have spent an average of €78 for the same service.
The lowest price levels for restaurant visits and hotel stays in April 2026 were recorded in North Macedonia (-52%) and Bulgaria (-47%) compared with Germany. For German travellers, dining and accommodation services in these two countries cost roughly half as much as they did at home.
Prices were also particularly affordable in Montenegro (-39%), Portugal (-30%) and Spain (-22%). In other popular Southern European holiday destinations, such as Malta (-20%), Cyprus (-19%) and Greece (-18%), holidaymakers also paid significantly less for dining and accommodation services than they would in Germany.
Among the selected Southern European holiday destinations, the highest prices were recorded in Croatia, although they still remained 9% lower than in Germany.
The picture is different in Germany’s neighbouring countries, which are easily accessible by car or train and therefore particularly attractive to German travellers. Holidays in some of these countries are even more affordable than in Germany. For example, German travellers paid 30% less for restaurant and hotel services in Czech Republic. In Poland, the corresponding price level was 12% lower than in Germany, while in France it was 4% lower.
However, holidays were more expensive in most neighbouring countries than in Germany. In Austria, holidaymakers had to pay 1% more, in Belgium 13% more, and in Netherlands 14% more. The highest price levels were recorded in Denmark, where travellers paid 29% more for restaurant and hotel services compared with Germany, and in Switzerland, where the same services were 49% more expensive.
Expensive holidays in the Nordic countries for Germans
The Nordic countries are relatively expensive for German travellers. According to data for March 2026, prices for restaurant and accommodation services in Finland were 10% higher, while in Sweden they were 12% higher than in Germany. Holidays in Norway were also significantly more expensive, at 34% above German levels, while the highest price level was recorded in Iceland, where German travellers paid almost double prices (+49%) for restaurant and accommodation services compared with Germany. Price levels for restaurant and accommodation services were calculated based on purchasing power parity exchange rates defined by Eurostat.
