London post office annual travel money’s city costs barometer, has named Riga, Latvia, as Europe’s best-value city break destination, with Eastern European cities dominating the top 10 for affordability. The annual survey, comparing 12 common tourist costs across 38 European cities, highlights significant price variations, offering crucial insights travellers planning 2025 holidays.
Dublin emerges as the seventh most expensive city, with high accommodation costs driving its ranking, despite free entry to key cultural attractions.
The survey, based on early May 2025 exchange rates, evaluates costs for a two-night, three-star weekend stay, a three-course meal for two with wine, drinks (coffee, beer, cola, wine), return airport transfers, a 48-hour travel card, a sightseeing bus tour, and entry to top heritage attractions, museums, and art galleries.
Riga tops the chart with a total cost of €297.74, followed closely by Vilnius, Lithuania (€298.92), and Warsaw, Poland (€326.06). Seven of the top 10 cheapest cities are in Eastern Europe, including newcomers Podgorica, Montenegro (€331.76), and Gdansk, Poland (€349.62). Lisbon and Porto in Portugal represent Western Europe’s best value, ranking fifth and ninth, respectively.Dublin, with a barometer total of €668.24, ranks 31st, making it significantly pricier than Eastern European destinations but cheaper than top-tier cities like Amsterdam (€749.54) and Venice (€706.20). The Irish capital’s high costs are largely attributed to accommodation, with a two-night, three-star stay averaging €321.26, the highest in the survey.
Dublin offers value in its cultural attractions, with free entry to leading museums and galleries, and a modest €8.25 fee for Kilmainham Gaol, compared to Florence’s €73.20 for similar attractions.
Compared to last year, Dublin’s prices have fallen 19.3pc year-on-year and 25.5pc since March 2025, driven by lower accommodation costs, making it relatively more affordable than in previous surveys.
The Post Office notes that sterling’s strength against 25 of its 30 top holiday currencies, including a 1.8pc rise against the euro, enhances value for English outbound travellers. Despite this, 77pc of holidaymakers surveyed expressed concerns about exchange rates, with 78pc worried about potential US trade tariffs impacting costs. The report advises travellers to budget carefully, check exchange rates, and consider prepaid travel money cards to manage expenses effectively.
For Dublin-bound travellers, the Post Office recommends ordering euros online for collection at one of 7,000 branches or next-day delivery, with competitive rates and no commission. The survey underscores the importance of researching destination costs to maximise value, particularly as prices have fallen in half of the 36 cities surveyed last year, including significant drops in Helsinki (20pc) and Belfast (23.7pc).
Full details of the 2025 City Costs Barometer are available at www.postoffice.co.uk/
