From coffee to cool bags – making autumn holidays inexpensive
Interhome has taken a close look at the cost of typical holiday expenses in the most popular sunshine destinations for Swiss travelers. From coffee and spaghetti to stand-up paddleboard hire and car rentals, the results reveal where travel budgets stretch the furthest and which countries are particularly attractive for price-conscious travellers.
When the leaves turn golden and the scent of cinnamon fills the air, it's high time to pack your bags for an autumn break. For the Swiss, sun-drenched destinations, such as Italy, Spain and France, top the list of the most-booked locations at Interhome – the holiday home specialist. To help holidaymakers choose the perfect destination, Interhome has analysed the prices of products and services in Spain, France, Croatia, the Dolomites, the Tuscan coast and Sardinia - from coffee and beer to toilet paper, dog food and cool bags.
Enjoyment at low prices
The cheapest (and probably best) coffee is of course available in Italy, especially in Sardinia and Tuscany, starting at the bargain price of around CHF 2.50 per pack. There's no beating Italy when it comes to spaghetti either: in Sardinia, a 500 g pack costs just CHF 0.50. How about a glass of wine too? In Tuscany, you can buy a bottle from CHF 4.50, and in Spain from CHF 3.00. Fast food is a completely different story. In Spain, a cheeseburger with fries costs just CHF 3.00, while in Tuscany you have to pay CHF 8.50 and in the Dolomites as much as CHF 17.50. Fancy a cool 3 dl beer? Well, that’s available at an unbeatable CHF 0.50 in Spanish supermarkets. The cheapest toilet paper can be found in Croatia for CHF 3.00.
Italy has great cuisine, but affordable leisure activities too. How about a day trip to Tuscany, where you can go on a bicycle tour to explore the region for just CHF 10 per day? Car hire prices there are attractive too at CHF 58 per day, enabling off-the-cuff trips to be taken through Italy's picturesque countrysides. Car hire is only cheaper in France, where you can jump into a hire car for as little as CHF 42.00 per day.
Where are the best destinations for your four-legged friends?
There's good news too for pet owners who don't want to leave their four-legged friends at home. Instead of packing loads of dog food in your luggage, pet food is available locally at very reasonable prices – between CHF 4.00 and CHF 5.00 in Spain, France, Sardinia and the Dolomites. Prices for pet-sitting services in the less expensive destinations, such as Spain, are around CHF 19.50 per day. That means peace of mind for anyone who wants to go exploring during the day safe in the knowledge that their pets are in good hands – and in holiday accommodation where your four-legged friend is very welcome.
Workation: Why not swap your desk for a sun lounger?
Working is so much nicer when the view from your office window is of an azure-blue coastline and you can relax on a sun lounger after work. However, to turn the daily grind into a workation, working outside of your holiday accommodation can sometimes be beneficial too. The cheapest place to get online in Croatia, where you pay just CHF 9.50 for 1 GB of roaming data. That means you can check your e-mail inbox at any time, while flexibly exploring the most beautiful spots. Anyone who would prefer to use a co-working space will find solutions for between CHF 14.50 and 17.50 per day in Italy. In Spain and Croatia, prices are around CHF 24.50 per day. This provides the ideal setting to mix with other people, while remaining productive.
Perfectly equipped for the beach
For anyone who loves being in the water and lying in the sun, the right accessories for the perfect day at the beach are essential. Sporty travellers can hire a stand-up paddleboard in Sardinia and Tuscany for as little as CHF 14.50. The iconic inflatable pink flamingo, which can be found in every beach shop, is sold in France for just CHF 9. But what would a day at the beach be without food? We all ask ourselves at some point whether we ought to bring our own food or buy something at the beach bar? For cost-conscious holidaymakers, the answer is clear: make a sandwich, pack it in a cool bag and head to the beach! But where can you buy an inexpensive cool bag if you've left yours at home? At just CHF 11.50 for a cool bag, the best place to buy one is Croatia – significantly cheaper than in France (CHF 18.50).
Regardless of whether you head off to Spain, France, Italy or Croatia, the destinations we looked at offer all travellers the chance to enjoy a dream holiday without overspending. To ensure stays at holiday accommodation run smoothly, the team at the local Interhome service offices are available at all times. They provide guests with comprehensive support on any issues they may have, allowing them to enjoy their holidays in complete peace of mind.
*All prices were recorded in the local currency in spring 2024 and then converted into CHF at the daily exchange rate and may therefore differ from the exact current price.
Interhome’s portfolio consists of around 40,000 holiday homes and apartments in 20 countries and it is part of the Hotelplan Group based in Glattbrugg (CH). This in turn is a wholly owned subsidiary of Migros, Switzerland’s largest retail organisation, headquartered in Zurich. Proximity to both owners and guests is one of Interhome’s strengths. With around 200 local service offices (115 company-owned offices and 90 partner offices), it offers a full-service package, ranging from personal customer welcome to complete management of the holiday home. Interhome has been the ideal provider of individual holiday accommodation for almost 60 years. Its wide-ranging portfolio includes everything from simple chalets and apartments to exclusive fully-furnished villas – on the beach, in the countryside and in the mountains. In 2023, Interhome generated 9.4 million overnight stays and achieved a turnover of CHF 389.7 million. www.interhome.ch