The most affordable winter sun destinations for 2026: Post Office report lists countries where your money will go further - from Thailand to Tokyo

Each year the Post Office Travel Money Winter Sun Report reveals the best-value destinations for winter sun.

This year has seen Africa top the charts – but with a surprising Asian capital sneaking into the top three, and many intriguing European picks.

Based on eight holiday costs including coffee, beer, cola, wine, water, sunscreen, insect repellent and a three-course dinner – but excluding flights and accommodation – the Post Office’s number-crunchers have picked their top 20 spots for sunshine on a budget.

TOKYO FOR LESS  

Despite its reputation as expensive, Tokyo has muscled into third place this year. While not a traditional ‘winter sun’ destination, the city gets 520 hours of sunshine in the colder months – positively sun-drenched compared with Manchester’s 100 – making sampling the city’s myriad delights all the more pleasant in the absence of the cherry blossom-hunting crowds in spring.

Tokyo's shrugged off its reputation as a pricey destination, with the Post Office's new research saying it's possible to buy a bowl of ramen for less than £7

A three-course meal for two here totals £48.50, with Michelin-starred joints such as Nakiryu, in Otsuka, even included in this category, where steaming bowls of shoryu ramen are priced from £6.72.

Whether you’re into matcha or coffee, sampling Tokyo’s caffeinated offerings is a similarly affordable venture, with prices from £2.33. Make like Tokyoites and head for Onibus Coffee in chichi neighbourhood Nakameguro, or Fuglen in Shibuya.

BOOK IT: Spend four nights in Tokyo at the Shiba Park Hotel from £1,132.50pp, including flights (britishairways.com).

CHEAP IN KENYA

Another spot for sun without splurging is Mombasa, Kenya’s oldest city. A glass of wine in this relaxed seaside resort costs £3.17, and a meal for two £42.78, including wine. Buzzy beach bar Char-Choma, on Mombasa beach, has visitors raving about its seafood and upbeat atmosphere.

BOOK IT: Spend seven nights’ all-inclusive at the Voyager Beach Resort from £1,505pp, including flights (tui.co.uk).

SRI LANKAN BARGAINS

Make for the Indian Ocean: A bottle of beer in Sri Lanka costs £2.27 according to the latest report

For those after a more traditional dose of beach bliss, Colombo in Sri Lanka offers an affordable break, with a barometer cost of £74.79 a day. A bottle of beer costs £2.27, while a bottle of water is 66p and a coffee is £1.92.

BOOK IT: Stay in Colombo’s five-star Mandarina Hotel from £63 a night in January (mandarinacolombo.com). Return flights to Colombo from £741 (ba.com).

The latest Post Office Travel Money Winter Sun Report examines costs on the ground, from three-course meals to the price of sunscreen - and reveals the cheapest places to travel to this winter. 

ESCAPE TO THE CAPE

For the second year running, Cape Town takes top prize. With its dramatic landscapes, fine wineries and top-tier attractions – such as community-run District Six Museum – the city promises a varied break buoyed by temperate weather.

Prices have fallen 9.7 per cent since March with a three-course meal for two with wine costing £39.26. Our tips? Try pizza joint Borruso’s on Kenilworth Main Road for a ‘Dillon Special’ of bacon, ham and chicken for £7.84, or head to trendy suburb Woodstock for fish sliders and ceviche tacos at Pot Luck Club from £7.55.

Coffees average £1.76, or enjoy a bottle of beer from £1.86. Butter All Day, a buzzy joint in the city centre, is great for both.

BOOK IT: British Airways Holidays offers seven nights’ B&B at The President Hotel, Sea Point, from £1,776pp including flights (britishairways.com).

TEMPTING THAILAND

Thailand's lively island Phuket similarly fits the bill – start the party with a bottle of beer for an average of £2.09. A three-course evening meal for two with house wine comes to £51.30.

BOOK IT: Doubles at the Blu Monkey Boutique in Phuket start at £37 (blumonkeyboutiquephukettown.com).

WHAT ABOUT EUROPE?

Portugal's Algarve coastline was sixth cheapest in the Post Office report, where seafood, sunshine and stylish accommodation promise undiluted respite from winter’s clutches with a barometer cost of £82.35 a day. 

Putting in a similarly strong performance were Spain’s popular Costa del Sol, where a cup of coffee is just £1.75, and a three-course meal with wine £53.24, and Tenerife in the Canary Islands, with an affordable barometer cost of £87.62.