The most expensive and cheapest countries for hotels and restaurants: Albania at 52% of the EU average

2026-01-28 15:35:00, Ekonomi CNA

The most expensive and cheapest countries for hotels and restaurants: Albania at

Whether it's the famous cheese platters in France or the pasta dishes in Italy, Europe offers tourists a range of foods known around the world.

Prices in hotels and restaurants vary from one place to another on the continent, but where does your money go the furthest?

Europe is home to many of the world's most iconic tourist destinations, from the hilly views of Lisbon to the Eiffel Tower in France.

However, the cost of a night's stay on the continent can be steep — meaning travelers need to be careful when looking for deals.

For those who want to compare costs between countries, Eurostat's price level indicator for restaurants and hotels can be useful.

The EU average is set at 100. This means that, if restaurants and hotels cost an average of 100 euros in the EU, the indicator shows how much the same “basket” of services would cost in each country.

An indicator above 100 means that a destination is more expensive than the EU average, while an indicator below 100 indicates that it is cheaper than the average.

This is an index indicator, not an actual monetary value, which means it only serves as a reference point for comparison.

According to the latest data from Eurostat, Switzerland is the most expensive country for restaurants and hotels.

between 37 European countries.

A standard basket of these services costs 171 euros in Switzerland, or 71% more than the EU average.

At the other extreme is North Macedonia, the cheapest country, with prices 50% below the EU average, or around 50 euros. Albania ranks second to last, with prices 52 percent below the European Union average.

Among EU countries, Denmark is the most expensive for restaurants and hotels. A standard basket there costs 148 euros, or 48% above the EU average.

Bulgaria is the cheapest country in the EU, with a basket of services costing a total of 53 euros.

Regional differences

Nordic countries are generally more expensive for restaurants and hotels, while Western European countries also tend to be above average.

Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and France are all at or above the EU's €100 reference threshold.

In contrast, Eastern Europe and the Balkans are significantly below the EU average of 100 euros.

In Southern Europe, Portugal, Spain and Greece are significantly cheaper than the EU average, although Italy stands out as an exception./ Euronews