The Post Office looked at the costs of 12 holiday items and services for UK travellers in 20 of the most popular cities, with the top city break destination of Paris being one of the most expensive options in 16th place.

The Greek capital of Athens had the lowest costs for the items, which include drinks, meals, accommodation, sightseeing and city transport, at £207. By comparison, the same items were more than twice as expensive in Paris at £423.

Lisbon was the second cheapest city at £218, despite a significant rise in costs year-on-year, followed by three eastern European destinations: Krakow (£219), Riga (£220) and Budapest (£221).

Some of the most expensive cities included Amsterdam, which ranked last at £593, Venice (£457) and Copenhagen (£456).

Nick Boden, head of Post Office Travel Money, said: “According to our latest research, over two-in-five of those planning trips abroad will be taking a city break, making this the most popular type of overseas holiday for the fifth consecutive year. 

“However, Britons need to be aware that the rising prices in Lisbon are typical of what we found across Europe, fuelled by big increases in accommodation charges.

“Established favourites like Paris, Amsterdam and Venice may be top choices among the holidaymakers we surveyed but they are also expensive places to visit and people who are prepared to swap to a city with a lower cost of living can make their pounds stretch much further.”