5 countries where Germans can take cheap long-term vacations during the energy crisis
Created: 08/05/2022, 08:50
By: Jason Blaschke
The electricity and gas prices in Germany are so expensive that a long-term holiday over the winter months can pay off - five countries are available.
Stuttgart – Those who heat with gas in Germany are heading for an expensive winter.
Added to this are the costs for many everyday products that have only known the upward direction for weeks.
Only a few days ago it became known that soon the Haribo gold bears will also become more expensive and the packs smaller.
The prospects are frosty, especially for low earners or pensioners.
But that doesn't have to be the case, was the message from Greece.
Where Germans can spend the winter cheaply - holiday countries in comparison
Because of the expensive energy costs in Germany, the Greek Minister of Tourism is promoting a winter asylum in Greece, where people are well prepared for pensioners.
On the island of Crete alone there are 14 Lidl branches and German doctors.
Tourism Minister Vasilis Kikilias: "We will wait for you here."
BW24
editor Jason Blaschke took a look at the prices and commented that a winter asylum in Greece can be a win-win situation for everyone.
But if you don't like Greece or Europe in general, you still have many options to flee the expensive energy prices in winter - five to be exact.
The news portal
FOCUS Online
has compared the prices of over 20 fantastic holiday destinations around the world and calculated where it is cheapest for German long-term holidaymakers.
The calculated price includes the costs for outward and return flights, accommodation and meals.
Not Greece - Thailand is the cheapest country for long-term vacationers
The
FOCUS
authors compared this with the living costs that would be incurred for a pensioner couple living in Germany in a 100 square meter living space (rented).
Including energy and groceries, an amount of 969 euros per month was calculated, i.e. the long-term vacation should be less than this amount.
In comparison, none of the countries reach this amount for a period of three months.
However, if you sublet your apartment or save a little, you can escape the darkness, the cold and the slush for just a few more euros and make yourself comfortable in the south.
With regard to the visa requirements, the authors compared the prices in the period from December to February, when it is coldest in Germany.
In some countries like Thailand there are also special long-term visas, the overview:
country | Cost per month (EUR) |
Thailand | 1,388 |
Tunisia | 1,478 |
Egypt | 1,494 |
Vietnam | 1,535 |
Turkey | 1,827 |
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Half a year of winter asylum – Thailand tempts me with a six-month pensioner visa
If you take the costs per month in Thailand and subtract the living costs of 969 euros calculated in the example, the difference is 419 euros – for a normal summer holiday per person abroad you pay significantly more.
A long-term vacation from December to February can therefore still be profitable - even if the travel costs cannot be financed solely with the saved energy prices in Germany.
Another advantage of Thailand is that there is an option for a six-month visa especially for pensioners, meaning: If you want and can afford it, you can turn your back on Germany for the entire winter.
Turkey is the only European country in the top five, Portugal (EUR 2,356) only comes in 14th, Spain (EUR 2,554) with Mallorca even in 17th place. The most expensive countries for long-term vacationers are Israel (EUR 3,541) and the US state of Florida (EUR 4,755).
A longtail boat is moored on the beach on Havelock Island in Thailand.
The country is very popular among German tourists - and financially attractive.
© Mariusz Prusaczyk/Imago
Three countries offer special visas in addition to Thailand – but they are more expensive
And according to FOCUS ONLINE
, the island of Crete, which recently wooed German pensioners, is
far behind Thailand in the lower part of the list with a total price of 2,720 euros per month.
In Crete, it is primarily the cost of living that makes a long-term vacation for three months so expensive.
They add up to 1,850 euros – plus 692 euros for groceries and 532 euros for the flights, which in the end results in a total of 2,720 euros.
By the way, Vietnam scores with the cheapest living costs, where accommodation costs only 550 euros per month.
The fact that the country only occupies fourth place in the
FOCUS
ranking is due to flight costs, which total 1,342.
For comparison: the flight costs to Thailand are a little less (EUR 1,030) and German pensioners can stay here for up to six months instead of three.
Mexico (EUR 1,890), Japan (EUR 2,906) and Australia (EUR 3,252) also offer this pensioner special.