Many travel destinations are more sun-safe than Sweden. But what does it really cost once you've made it to the sun? The FOREX Sun Holiday Index 2026, which compares over 20 top destinations for sun and swimming, shows that the travel budget lasts longer on the Atlantic coast than the Mediterranean.
– When comparing the destinations in the index, it becomes clear how big the differences are in what a vacation actually costs. But you can get more out of your travel budget if you avoid unnecessary costs such as currency surcharges, withdrawal fees and other fees that can make card payments more expensive. Carrying cash is one way to reduce fees, says Niklas Lydahl, COO at FOREX.
Sicily (91) is around 10 % cheaper than Stockholm (100 – the starting point for the FOREX Solsemesterindex), while Sardinia (110) is 10 % more expensive. In Italy, there is a tourist tax that is paid per person and night for a number of nights. The tax varies between municipalities and, depending on the standard of accommodation, can take several hundred kronor from your travel budget. The tax is paid on site, often in cash.
On many of the Greek islands, you can expect costs to be between 10 and 20 EUR lower than at home, such as on Crete (90) and Rhodes (80). Santorini stands out with an index of 115, making the island 15 EUR more expensive than at home. Greece also charges a tourist tax on accommodation, here up to 15 EUR per room per night depending on the standard.
Those looking away from the Mediterranean will discover that there are destinations on the Atlantic where money is more than enough. On the Algarve coast (83) in Portugal, it is almost 20 percent cheaper, while Agadir (55) in cash-friendly Morocco costs just over half as much as at home.
Morocco has an official limit on the amount of cash that can be brought in and out of the country – a maximum of 2,000 Moroccan dirhams (MAD) per person, equivalent to just under 2,000 SEK. Euros are often accepted as an alternative currency. When withdrawing cash from an ATM, withdrawal fees are usually added, although there are credit cards on the market that do not have such fees, such as the FOREX Credit Card.
– Our experience is also that payment methods vary more between travel destinations than many expect. In several travel destinations, cash is used to a greater extent than cards, and that is part of the planning if you want to avoid unnecessary surprises, says Niklas Lydahl.
FOREX SUNSHINE INDEX 2026
| Destination | Country | Index |
| Agadir | Morocco | 55 |
| Antalya | Turkey | 70 |
| Sunny Beach | Bulgaria | 75 |
| Saranda-Ksamil | Albania | 77 |
| Parga | Greece | 80 |
| Algarve | Portugal | 83 |
| Bodrum | Turkey | 85 |
| Rhodes | Greece | 86 |
| Corfu | Greece | 87 |
| Alicante | Spain | 88 |
| Málaga | Spain | 90 |
| Zakynthos | Greece | 90 |
| Crete | Greece | 90 |
| Sicily | Italy | 91 |
| Majorca | Spain | 92 |
| Ayia Napa | Cyprus | 94 |
| Split | Croatia | 96 |
| Barcelona | Spain | 97 |
| Malta | Malta | 98 |
| Stockholm | Sweden | 100 |
| Dubrovnik | Croatia | 105 |
| Ibiza | Spain | 110 |
| Sardinia | Italy | 110 |
| Nice | France | 112 |
| Santorini | Greece | 115 |
| Amalfi Coast | Italy | 122 |
About FOREX Sunshine Index
The FOREX Summer Vacation Index 2026 provides a price indication of what a day at each destination might cost for two adults, excluding accommodation. The index is based on current price data from international cost databases and travel budget sources, including Numbeo, Expatistan and Livingcost.org, as well as complementary research into local taxes, beach costs and drinking culture. All prices have been quality assured through comparisons between multiple sources and adjusted to reflect realistic tourist behavior during peak season.
