It’s pretty common knowledge that the cost of living and cost of travel is going up. So for the budget conscious who still want a weekend break somewhere — where can one go?

The search for Europe’s cheapest destination for a weekend break, conducted by the travel insurance experts over at Forbes Advisor, analysed the cost of a two-day trip for two people from the UK to each European capital city across various cost of living websites: Numbeo, BudgetYourTrip and CheapFlights.

The calculations included the average price for return flights for two people, two nights’ accommodation, two days’ worth of excursions, a taxi for the entire vacation, and meals out as well as alcohol.

#1 Warsaw, Poland

In top spot for the budget friendly was Warsaw. Couples can on average expect a price tag of £426 on a weekend away. When broken down, couples are looking at spending an average of £242 on return flights, while a taxi for the two days would only cost £5. Excursions are budget-friendly, starting from only £8. Couples who wish to dine out during their holiday would only need to spend £34 on meals and £12 on alcohol.

#2 Sofia, Bulgaria

Sofia in Bulgaria takes the silver medal where the average cost for a couple’s getaway is £432. While alcoholic drinks are a little cheaper than in Warsaw (£10), but taxis are much more expensive at £18 for two days.

#3 Vilnius, Lithuania

Vilnius ranks in third place with an average cost of £465 for a two-day break for two people. The Lithuanian capital will cost a pair of holidaymakers £248 for return flights, less than Sofia and only £6 more than the top-ranking city of Warsaw.

#4 Skopje, North Macedonia

The city of statues. Skopje in North Macedonia is fourth on this list, with an average cost of £511, the first country on this listing to cost more than £500 for a two-day break for two.

#5 Belgrade, Serbia

Belgrade in Serbia will appeal to foodies looking for a short break on a budget, as the cost of meals out for the two days is even lower than Warsaw, at just £12. Accommodation is also wallet-friendly, at only £78 for two days. However, the higher cost of flights, at £392 and alcohol at £26, means that Serbia’s largest city ranks fifth on this list.

The full top ten list with total average cost as follows:

1. Warsaw, Poland — £426
2. Sofia, Bulgaria — £432
3. Vilnius, Lithuania — £465
4. Skopje, North Macedonia — £511
5. Belgrade, Serbia — £521
6. Prague, Czech Republic — £523
7. Podgorica, Montenegro — £528
8. Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina — £538
9. Riga, Latvia — £550
10. Bucharest, Romania — £561