Hoi An in Quang Nam Province and Bali in Indonesia were the only two Southeast Asian destinations to break into the top 10, with the latter ranking 8th, according to the annual Holiday Money report released Saturday by the Post Office, the UK’s leading currency exchange.
The ranking is based on the minimum required budget for eight staple items that British travelers are likely to purchase – a cup of coffee, a pint of beer, a can/bottle of Coca-Cola, a bottle of water, sun cream, insect repellent, and a three-course dinner for two with a bottle of wine at 42 resorts and cities worldwide.
The report does not take into account flight and accommodation costs.
According to the report, the average cost in Hoi An is £59.49 ($77) per day, which is cheaper than the famous resort island of Bali at £61.43 ($80.2).
In Hoi An, a can/bottle of beer at a resort would cost around $2.37, and a cup of coffee, $1.65, the report said. A romantic dinner for two - a three-course evening meal, including a bottle of house wine, would cost tourists around $58 while a glass of wine costs $6.17.
Foreign tourists are seen along the bank of Hoai River in Hoi An. Photo by Shutterstock/Minh Minh. |
Sunny Beach in Bulgaria topped the lowest cost destination ranking, with an average daily cost of just £30.68 ($40), Marmaris £44.15 ($57.67) in Turkey and Japan’s Tokyo £48.21 ($63).
Hoi An, which is much loved for its peaceful atmosphere and its centuries-old houses, pagodas and even its unique cuisine, has repeatedly featured in best-value destination lists.
The town was included the list of 10 most affordable destinations in Asia by the 2020 Backpacker Index compiled by Alpha Travel Insurance, a leading British provider of low cost holiday insurance.
Last year, Hoi An was also listed on the top ten list of cheapest places for travel in the 2019 Backpacker Index compiled by Price of Travel, the world’s largest database of travel costs.
Among several other inclusions, the town topped last year’s tourism hotspot listing by New York-based magazine Travel + Leisure.
On July 16 last year, Google Doodle featured an image of Hoi An with symbols of its Chua Cau (Pagoda Bridge) and colorful lanterns, the first Vietnamese destination to be honored thus.