Bulgaria this summer's most affordable European family destination as food and drink prices plunge

Food and drink costs in the Black Sea resort were down 14% compared with last summer, making it the best value among 15 destinations surveyed.

At just over £32 for a family meal for four including drinks, together with the cost of a coffee, bottle of beer, glass of wine and soft drink, Sunny Beach was more than a third cheaper than runner-up Marmaris, where the same food and beverages totalled £50.

Over the course of a week, families can expect to spend about £225 on food and drinks in Sunny Beach – more than £100 less than the average. By comparison, prices in Ibiza, Zadar, Nice and Sorrento were more than three times as high, with the same meal and drinks order totalling almost £130 in the Italian resort.

Despite this, Sorrento was one of eight destinations where UK visitors saw food and drink costs fall. Sorrento’s prices dropped nearly 6%, but the biggest decline was in the Algarve, where the basket cost has plummeted since last summer by almost a third (31.3%). At less than £51, the Portuguese destination was by far the cheapest of 11 eurozone resorts surveyed.

Prices have also fallen by 9.5% in Majorca’s Playa de Palma, which at £75 was sixth cheapest in the food and drinks barometer. Although the Costa del Sol (£66) remained lowest-priced of three Spanish destinations surveyed, it was 30% more expensive than the Algarve.