Bulgaria is the cheapest holiday destination according to a survey of the British company Post Office, quoted by travelbite.co.uk

The company compared the prices of 10 basic holiday items in 15 countries around the world. The tourist basket includes a cup of coffees and a bottle of beer in a café or a bar, the suncream, the insect repellant, cigarettes, postcard and stamp and three meals in a restaurant, the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) reported.

The survey showed the total price of these 10 holiday items in Bulgaria was only £16.86. Second-cheapest was Egypt (£24.61), with Thailand (£29.21), South Africa (£33.41) and Portugal (£33.65) also in the top five cheap holiday hotspots.

Spain was another country often considered a cheap holiday destination where prices were surprisingly high. Spain was the second-most expensive place to holiday, the same range of items costing £65.90, closely followed by Canada (£65.15), and France (£62.00).

”You have to be careful when comparing costs in different countries. It all depends on their relative cost of living and it pays to be aware that favourable currency rates – like those currently available for the US dollar - do not necessarily mean a destination will be cheap," warned Kevin McAdam, Post Office head of travel services.

"It's useful to compare the costs across Europe. Our barometer proves that one currency does not mean one cost. With a difference of £32.25 between the shopping baskets in neighbouring Spain and Portugal, it is clear that there are savings to be made depending on where you choose to holiday in Europe."