New research ranks European travel destinations in terms of cost and provides money saving tips.

(TRAVPR.COM) BULGARIA - November 28th, 2011 - According to new research, the most expensive travel destination in Europe is Switzerland where prices are twice higher than in the U.S. and 60 percent higher than in the UK. This includes spending on hotels, restaurants, groceries, transport, and entertainment. For example, hotels in Geneva average at 300 dollars per night and a relatively cheap lunch at a cafeteria starts at 15 dollars. However, not all European countries are that expensive. The Czech Republic and Hungary are cheaper than the U.S. Going further east to Turkey, prices are almost half of those in the U.S. In the most established European travel destinations such as France, Italy, and Spain U.S. travelers should be prepared to pay about 20-30 percent more for the same items they buy in the U.S.

One item that makes Europe very expensive is gas prices. Looking across all European countries a gallon of unleaded gasoline is about $7.50 but there are even worse extremes. In the crisis-stricken Greece, a gallon of unleaded gas is almost $9. At these prices, the cost of a driving trip is more than double what one would pay in the U.S. How about the food? There is considerable variety in terms of restaurant prices. For example, a Big Mac meal cost about $10 in France but one can also eat a ham and cheese sandwich in Paris for $6. A three course dinner at a restaurant in Italy cost on average $40 but there are options for less than $20. Travelers can save quite a bit of money by choosing the cheaper alternatives.

In fact there are additional ways to keep cost down. The website MyTravelCost.com that publishes the research, lists several more ideas: “time your trip to coincide with the free museum nights in all major European cities; register for the free volunteer-guided tours offered across Europe; plan a visit off season; use the flash sales options on various accommodation websites; consider staying in a city apartment booked directly from the owner; buy city passes for the public transportation; use travel sites that can save you money; and, of course, spend more time in the cheaper countries.”

About MyTravelCost.com:
The website uses official data from international organizations and national governments to inform travelers about prices in different countries. It also publishes money saving tips and a catalogue of select travel sites.

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