Greece and Türkiye have long battled it out for the title of Europe’s most affordable summer escape, but in 2026, the balance is starting to shift.
While Türkiye still offers lower prices for many travellers, soaring inflation has pushed up costs in some of its most popular resorts. This has led to an increasing numbers of Turkish tourists heading to neighbouring Greece instead.
From beach tavernas to package holidays, the two Mediterranean heavyweights are now competing on far more than sunshine alone.
A recent Euronews report found that tourism between Greece and Türkiye has tripled – but only in one direction.
Greeks are increasingly avoiding steep prices in Türkiye, while Turkish tourists pour into the neighbouring country.
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Diplomatic sources say that the Greek consulate in Istanbul alone is currently issuing some 1,300 visas a day, most of them multi-entry use. Turks are using them to repeatedly visit for both holidays and shopping trips, as groceries and other products tend to be cheaper across the border.
But where, between Greece and Türkiye, is actually the best option for affordable holidays in 2026?
The annual Post Office Travel Money Family Holiday Report reveals the places in Europe where UK families get best value. Its latest edition, published in late 2025, compared how much 10 holiday essentials cost in 16 destinations. They include drinks, snacks, lunch, dinner and suncream.
It found that Marmaris in Türkiye was the cheapest destination overall, beating the previous year’s number one, Sunny Beach in Bulgaria.
Both destinations, however, don’t use the euro, which means they’re able to offer better value overall.
The Turkish lira is also particularly weak at the moment, meaning tourists’ money will go further when in the country.
Nevertheless, despite using the euro, Greece performed well in the ranking, with Crete, Kos and Rhodes respectively coming in 7th, 8th and 9th places.
Post Office data revealed that Greece’s largest island, Crete, saw a particularly sharp price drop, with costs down almost 8% compared to the previous year.
Obviously, both Greece and Türkiye are both large countries with countless holiday destinations, so prices can vary significantly depending on where holidaymakers go.
Pick and choose your destinations wisely
Online travel agency eSky.com has grassroots insight that it has shared with Euronews Travel.
“Greece is genuinely one of Europe’s most affordable summer holiday destinations right now,” Katarzyna Hauton, Group Brand Manager at eSky.com, says.
“A week in Crete, including flights, hotel and half-board meals, starts at around €388 per person – which is hard to beat for a Mediterranean holiday.
In Türkiye, all-inclusive package holidays are often better value. eSky did find that trips to Spain’s Costa Dorada, Cyprus and Sunny Beach can be secured less expensively than similar options in Türkiye, but the Eurasian country still remains affordable.
“They start at around €524 per person,” Hauton says, “which actually puts Türkiye above several other popular summer destinations”.
Its weak currency and relatively low operating costs means that Türkiye is able to offer noticeably lower prices than Greece on a like-for-like basis, especially for hotels, restaurants and excursions. That’s despite its domestic inflation shooting up in recent years, which means that it’s not quite the ultra-bargain destination it was a few short years ago.
In Greece, islands like Mykonos and Santorini remain notoriously expensive, and packages there have been rising in price as demand continues to grow.
However, the country can still offer good value outside its most expensive hotspots, with islands including Kefalonia, Rhodes and Lefkada often providing more affordable alternatives.
For travellers chasing sunshine without blowing the budget, the answer is no longer quite as straightforward as it once was.
Türkiye still wins on all-inclusive value and day-to-day spending in many resorts, but Greece is increasingly proving it doesn’t have to mean luxury prices, particularly beyond its most famous islands.
Ultimately, both destinations can still deliver a bargain Mediterranean escape in 2026. The trick is avoiding the headline hotspots and knowing where your money will stretch furthest once you land.
