Croatia, Greece or Turkey: where is a 2026 summer holiday the best value?
Croatia, Greece and Turkey once again stand out this summer among the most sought-after destinations for travellers who want the sea, sun and relaxation in southern Europe or the eastern Mediterranean. The difference between them, however, is increasingly less about the beauty of the coast alone and increasingly more about the total cost of travel, the type of accommodation, food and drink prices, flight availability and expectations from the holiday itself. According to current offers from travel agencies and comparisons of package holidays for the 2026 season, Turkey most often emerges as the best choice for travellers for whom price is decisive, especially when looking for hotels with all-inclusive service. Greece remains very strong in the island-holiday segment and diverse local experiences, while Croatia is no longer a particularly cheap destination, but retains the advantage of proximity, transport accessibility, safety and its recognizable Adriatic coast.
A comparison of the three countries shows that there is no single answer that applies to all travellers. Turkey can be the most affordable when comparing the price of packages that include a flight, hotel, meals and drinks, especially in Antalya, Bodrum, the Dalaman region and larger resorts on the Turkish coast. Greece is often a better choice for those who want to combine beaches, islands, local tavernas and independent exploration, with more affordable options more often found on Rhodes, Thassos, Lefkada or outside the most sought-after parts of Santorini and Mykonos. Croatia, on the other hand, is more competitive in smaller towns in Istria, Kvarner, northern Dalmatia and on islands that are not among the most expensive tourist spots. For travellers arriving by car or wanting to avoid flights, accommodation in smaller towns on the Adriatic can change the overall calculation.
Turkey strongest in all-inclusive packages
Turkey’s biggest advantage ahead of the 2026 summer season remains its broad offer of hotels with meals, drinks, pools, beach facilities and family infrastructure included. According to current offers from TravelSupermarket and major British tour operators, Turkey continues to appear in package holidays as one of the most affordable destinations for travellers who want to know most of their holiday costs in advance. Bodrum and Antalya stand out in particular, where larger hotels compete with facilities, prices and flexible packages. Thomas Cook’s 2026 offer also highlights Turkish all-inclusive hotels as a segment in which the flight, hotel, meals and part of the services are connected into a single price, making it easier for travellers to control spending.
In more recent comparisons of all-inclusive holidays for summer 2026, according to data published by TravelSupermarket, Bodrum and Antalya are among the most affordable Mediterranean destinations in that travel format. Published comparisons state that the average price of a one-week all-inclusive holiday in the Bodrum area is around £591 per person, while Antalya is listed at around £604 per person, with prices depending on the date, departure point, hotel category and flight availability. Such figures do not mean that every Turkish hotel is cheap, but they confirm that Turkey is very competitive where the package price is compared, not just an overnight stay without additional services.
An important reason why Turkey often comes out cheaper is the structure of the tourism product. Large resorts in Antalya, Side, Belek, Marmaris and Bodrum often function as self-contained complexes, so food, drinks, pools, entertainment and some sports facilities are included in the price. The traveller can therefore spend less outside the hotel, which is a major difference compared with destinations where every meal, parking space, sun lounger or excursion is paid for separately. According to data from the Turkish statistical institute reported by Anadolu Agency, Turkey generated 65.23 billion dollars in tourism revenue in 2025 and recorded 63.92 million visitors, showing the scale and competitiveness of its tourism system.
Turkey, however, is not the best choice for everyone. Travellers who want to leave the hotel more often, change beaches and explore smaller places should include transfers, excursions and possible additional costs in the calculation. In some resorts, the lowest basic price may mean distance from the town centre or beach, a lower room category, a limited choice of restaurants or surcharges for premium services. For that reason, with Turkey it is especially important to compare not only the price, but also the hotel location, the facilities included in the package, the distance from the airport and cancellation terms. The greatest value is obtained when hotel facilities are genuinely important to the traveller and when most of the holiday is planned to be spent in the resort.
Greece offers the widest choice for an island holiday
Compared with Turkey, Greece less often presents itself as the absolutely cheapest option in the all-inclusive segment, but it offers an exceptionally wide range of destinations and travel styles. Islands such as Rhodes, Crete, Corfu, Zakynthos, Thassos and Lefkada attract travellers who want to combine beaches, local gastronomy, historical sites and smaller family-run accommodation. According to tourism data published by the Bank of Greece and reported by Greek and European tourism media, Greece reached record travel revenues of approximately 23.6 billion euros in 2025, with growth in arrivals and spending. This confirms that demand for Greece remains strong, but also that some prices have adjusted to the high level of traveller interest.
In comparisons for summer 2026, Rhodes often appears as one of the more affordable Greek options in package holidays, especially when all-inclusive offers are compared. According to published TravelSupermarket data, Rhodes was listed in one analysis of average prices for summer 2026 at approximately £608 per person for a week of all-inclusive holiday, placing it close to its Turkish competitors, but still slightly above Bodrum and Antalya. Thassos and Lefkada can often be affordable for travellers travelling independently, especially outside the peak season, but their total cost depends on ferries, vehicle rental and accommodation choice. Santorini and Mykonos, due to strong international demand and limited capacity, generally remain significantly more expensive.
Greece is particularly attractive to travellers who do not want to spend their entire holiday in a hotel complex. Many destinations offer a large number of apartments, small hotels and family houses, and the daily rhythm of a holiday often includes going to different beaches, having lunch in local tavernas and taking evening walks through coastal towns. Such a model can be affordable if the island, timing and distance from the most popular beaches are chosen carefully. At the same time, it can become more expensive than a Turkish all-inclusive package if car hire, ferries, sun loungers, meals and excursions are added up. That is why Greece best suits those who want more freedom and variety for their money, and not necessarily the lowest final price.
For summer 2026, it is also important to take into account the pressure on the most popular Greek destinations. High demand raises prices in July and August, while June, early September and the second half of September often offer a better ratio of price, weather and crowds. In its report on travel trends for 2026, ABTA highlights changes in traveller habits and strong interest in periods outside the busiest dates, which favours destinations with a long season. Greek islands can be the best value precisely in those shoulder periods, especially for travellers for whom travelling at the height of school holidays is not essential.
Croatia is no longer cheap, but remains strong because of proximity and the Adriatic
In recent years, Croatia has less and less often been described as an affordable alternative to the western Mediterranean. According to data from the Croatian National Tourist Board from the eVisitor and eCrew systems, more than 21.8 million arrivals and 110.1 million overnight stays were recorded in 2025, the highest so far and an increase compared with 2024. Such demand confirms that Croatia remains extremely attractive, but high occupancy in the most sought-after places affects the prices of accommodation, restaurants and accompanying services. Dubrovnik, Split, Hvar, Rovinj and the best-known seaside locations at the peak of the season are often significantly more expensive than smaller places in the same region.
Eurostat data on price levels for restaurants and hotels show that Croatia is close to the European Union average, meaning that it is no longer a destination with particularly low prices. In practical terms, this means that the costs of dinners, drinks, hotel accommodation and services in popular coastal towns are increasingly compared with other developed tourism markets. Still, Croatia has advantages that are not always visible in package-holiday tables. For travellers from Central Europe and the region, arriving by car can significantly reduce transport costs, while the possibility of choosing apartments, campsites and smaller towns gives room for planning a more affordable holiday.
Istria, Kvarner, the island of Krk, parts of northern and central Dalmatia and lesser-known places often offer a better ratio of price and experience than the best-known cities. A traveller who avoids the very peak of the season, chooses accommodation away from the first row by the sea and plans meals outside the most expensive tourist zones can get by noticeably more affordably. An important distinction here is between hotel and private accommodation: hotels are often more expensive, while apartments allow greater control over daily spending. For a longer stay or a family holiday, accommodation offers in Istria and Kvarner can be useful for comparing prices before deciding on a destination.
Croatia cannot always compete with Turkey in the all-inclusive model, because the domestic market has a different accommodation structure and a smaller share of large resorts with all meals and facilities included. Nor can it always match the Greek islands in the number of different package combinations with flights from larger European cities. But its advantage remains the Adriatic, the indented coastline, the islands, the camping offer, safety and arrival flexibility. For travellers for whom it is important to organize the rhythm of their holiday themselves, to be able to travel by car and not depend on air connections, Croatia can still be a very rational choice, although it is not the cheapest.
The total cost is not just the price of an overnight stay
When comparing Croatia, Greece and Turkey, the biggest mistake is to look only at the price of accommodation per night. The total cost of a holiday includes transport, transfers, fuel, tolls, ferries, parking, meals, drinks, excursions, sun loungers, travel insurance and possible surcharges in accommodation. Turkey often proves more affordable because an all-inclusive package reduces the number of unknowns, but if the traveller wants frequent excursions, private transfers and additional activities, the bill can grow. Greece can be very affordable in apartment accommodation, but the cost increases if ferries, rent-a-car and daily restaurant meals are needed. Croatia may be more expensive per day of stay, but arriving by car and staying in an apartment can soften the difference.
The season is just as important as the destination. July and August almost everywhere bring the highest prices, the biggest crowds and the least flexibility. June and September often offer the best ratio of sea temperature, price and accommodation availability, especially in Croatia and Greece. Turkey, because of its warmer climate and large resorts, has a very strong pre-season and post-season, so significant savings can be found outside the main school holidays. According to trends monitored by tourism organizations and tour operators, travellers are increasingly considering exactly such dates in order to avoid high prices and overloaded destinations.
The price is also influenced by the type of traveller. For families with children, a Turkish all-inclusive resort can be the simplest and most predictable choice because meals, pools and entertainment are included in the price. For couples who want to explore beaches, restaurants and smaller places, Greece can provide a better sense of value, even if the final cost is not the lowest. For travellers who want a shorter holiday without a flight, Croatia can be the most practical, especially if they travel from countries from which the Adriatic is accessible by road. For digital nomads, longer stays or a quieter off-season holiday, all three countries have competitive options, but the best choice changes depending on the length of stay and the way of travelling.
The best choice depends on the traveller’s priority
If the main goal is the lowest total price with as many services included as possible, Turkey has a clear advantage. Antalya, Bodrum, Dalaman and similar regions offer a large selection of hotels, strong competition among package holidays and a holiday model in which a large part of spending is known before departure. This does not mean that every offer is the best value, but it does mean that it is easiest there to find packages in which accommodation, flight, food and part of the facilities are connected into one price. For families and travellers who want a simple holiday without constantly adding up costs, Turkey is most often the best-value answer.
If the goal is a combination of sea, islands, local atmosphere and exploration, Greece remains a very strong choice. Rhodes, Thassos, Lefkada, Corfu and Crete offer different price levels and holiday styles, from simple apartments to large hotels. Greece can be cheaper than Croatia on certain islands and at certain times, but this must not be assumed without comparing flights, ferries and daily spending. It provides the greatest value to travellers who want to shape their own holiday more actively and for whom it is not essential that everything be included in the package price.
If proximity, safety, road accessibility and the Adriatic are most important, Croatia remains very attractive despite higher prices. The most expensive locations such as Dubrovnik, Split, Hvar and the most sought-after Istrian places should be compared with less talked-about destinations, especially when travelling at the peak of the season. In smaller towns, with earlier booking and flexibility around dates, Croatia can be a reasonable choice for those who want to avoid air transfers and more complex logistics. The conclusion is therefore practical: Turkey most often wins on price, Greece on the balance of islands and experience, and Croatia on proximity, safety and a recognizable Adriatic holiday.
Sources:
- Croatian National Tourist Board – eVisitor and eCrew system data on arrivals and overnight stays in Croatia in 2025 (link)
- Eurostat – overview of tourism statistics and indicators for European countries (link)
- Eurostat Statistics Explained – comparative price levels of consumer goods and services, including restaurants and hotels (link)
- ABTA – Travel Trends 2026, report on traveller habits and travel trends for 2026 (link)
- TravelSupermarket – current comparison of package holidays and all-inclusive offers for summer 2026 (link)
- Thomas Cook – overview of all-inclusive packages and package-offer structure for Turkey in 2026 (link)
- Anadolu Agency – report based on TurkStat data on Turkey’s revenues and number of visitors in 2025 (link)
- GTP Headlines – report based on provisional Bank of Greece data on revenues and arrivals in Greek tourism in 2025 (link)