Paphos is the cheapest destination for a winter sun break in the New Year

Paphos is the cheapest destination for Brits looking for a winter sun New Year break, new research has revealed.

In a survey of 12 winter sun resorts, the town in Cyprus is where British holidaymakers will see their pounds stretch further.

In second place is the Canary island of Lanzarote, while the most expensive place to holiday in early 2019 is Mauritius, the study showed.

The survey was carried out by Post Office Travel Money with researchers looking at the price of a one-week package holiday (based on two sharing) at the beginning of January and the weekly cost of evening meals including wine plus coffee and beers.

For cheapest destination Paphos, the weekly cost is just under £382 per person – at least 17 per cent cheaper than Lanzarote (£461.86) and third place Tenerife (£469.48).

Further afield, researchers compared costs in nine long haul resorts and found Orlando (£651.31pp) to be the cheapest option for a New Year getaway, despite the continuing strength of the US dollar against sterling.

Although a week in the world’s theme park capital is 70 per cent more expensive than in Paphos, the Post Office says this is mainly because of the cost of a transatlantic air fare.

The second cheapest place is Lanzarote, with a week there at the start of January including meals and drinks costing £461 per person 

When compared with its long haul competitors, Orlando is less than half the price of Montego Bay, Jamaica (£1,346.89) and Grand Baie, Mauritius (£1,600.35), the two most expensive destinations.

Bali emerges as the cheapest long haul beach resort at £785.82 per person for a week’s holiday.

Its cost of living total (£176.82) is second lowest among the 12 resorts surveyed and 6.9 per cent less than in Paphos, while its currency, the Indonesian rupiah, is also slightly weaker against the pound than a year ago.

Meanwhile UK visitors will get around one per cent more cash to spend than a year ago, compared with over seven per cent less in Kenya.

A table produced by Post Office Travel Money showing how much Brits will spend with on a winter sun break at the beginning of January to 12 destinations 

Although Mombasa is rated as having the cheapest cost of living (£149.73), the higher package price meant that Kenya’s overall total of £1,141.73 per person is 45 per cent more than in Bali.

Cancun in Mexico is another bargain for UK tourists at around £829 per person and a cheaper choice than either of the Caribbean resorts surveyed.

While cheaper than Jamaica, Rodney Bay, St Lucia (£1,180.26) is still 42 per cent more expensive than Cancun.

Although the cost of a holiday package to Dubai is the second-cheapest after Orlando for a long haul resort at £590 per person, the high price of meals and drinks in Jumeirah Beach – £471.80 for one week – made it 35 per cent most expensive than Bali at £1,061.80.

In the Far East, a week’s holiday in Phuket totalled £1,075.35 combining a package deal and local meal and drinks costs. This made the Thai resort over a third pricier than its Far East competitor Bali.

The most expensive destination on the list is Mauritius, pictured. A week there will cost £1,600 per person, the research shows 

Andrew Brown of Post Office Travel Money said: ‘Sterling’s continuing volatility means it is more vital than ever for holidaymakers to be aware just how much the cost of their winter sun trip can escalate once the cost of meals and drinks is added to the package price.

‘The clear message for bargain-hunters is to do their holiday homework to find the destination that will give them the best overall value once all these elements are combined.

‘In places like Dubai where meal and drinks prices are high, booking all-inclusive packages will keep their costs down.’