How Expensive Is Rhodes? Holiday Prices and Costs

Street food and simple meals

For a quick, inexpensive meal, allow about €4–€6 for a simple street-food gyros or souvlaki. A casual lunch is around €8–€15 per person, depending on what you order.

Keep street-food prices separate from sit-down restaurant prices. A restaurant gyros or souvlaki dish is listed around €10–€15, so the food name alone is not enough for comparison.

I'd mix simple lunches with taverna dinners rather than plan two restaurant meals every day. Explore street food in Rhodes for quick-meal ideas, including options that fit around sightseeing.

• Simple street-food gyros or souvlaki: about €4–€6 per item; budget drinks separately.
• Casual lunch: about €8–€15 per person.
• Restaurant gyros or souvlaki dish: about €10–€15 per dish.

Tavernas and restaurant dinners

Traditional tavernas are a good starting point if you want a proper dinner without choosing an expensive restaurant. Family-run places away from the busiest tourist streets often offer better value.

Waterfront dining and seafood can cost more, especially in Lindos and popular parts of Rhodes Town. Choose those settings when you want the occasion, rather than making them your default every evening.

The prices below separate individual dishes from complete meals. For a straightforward taverna dinner, a main and drink can fall around €12–€20 per person; extra dishes increase that total.

• Greek salad at a local taverna: about €7–€10 per dish.
• Seafood dish at a local taverna: about €15–€25 per dish.
• Simple taverna meal with a main and drink: about €12–€20 per person.
• Three-course mid-range meal: about €22–€30 per person; allow separately for drinks when comparing menus.
• Mid-range restaurant main course: about €15–€25 per dish.
• Fine-dining main course: about €25–€40 per dish, not a complete dinner.

Coffee, beer, wine and cocktails

Drinks are easy to underestimate because each purchase seems small. A daily coffee and a couple of evening drinks can become a noticeable part of your weekly spending.

Coffee is usually around €3–€4 in popular areas, with lower prices possible in local neighbourhoods. For beer, wine and cocktails, use the following allowances per drink rather than per round.

• Coffee: about €3–€4 per cup.
• Beer: about €4–€6 per drink.
• Glass of wine: about €4–€6.
• Cocktail: about €8–€12 per drink.
• One coffee every day for seven days: €21–€28 per person.
• Two beers or glasses of wine each evening for seven evenings: €56–€84 per person.
• Two cocktails each evening for seven evenings: €112–€168 per person.

Groceries and self-catering

Self-catering gives you more control over food spending, especially if you use it for breakfast and simple lunches. You can still eat out in the evenings without paying restaurant prices for every meal.

A weekly supermarket shop of fruit, vegetables and meat for one person is roughly €40–€60. That is a grocery-shopping allowance, not a complete holiday food budget including restaurant meals, alcohol and snacks.

I'd choose self-catering if you are happy preparing a few meals, not simply because the room has a kitchenette. Before booking, look for the fridge, cooking equipment and nearby food shops you will actually need.

• Count groceries as a shared household cost when shopping together, rather than charging the whole basket to each person.
• Keep restaurant meals and drinks outside your grocery allowance.
• For a short stay, buy quantities you can finish; leftover food reduces the saving.
• A kitchen offers less value if you already know you will eat every meal out.

Meals already included in your hotel

Build your spending allowance around the meals you still need to buy. If breakfast is included, leave it out of your separate food budget, but keep room for lunches, dinners and drinks.

For half-board or all-inclusive stays, read the meal and drinks terms once before booking. The useful details are which meals are covered, serving times, included drinks and any restaurant supplements.

Included meals suit you best when you expect to spend plenty of time at the hotel. If you want long days exploring and dinners in different villages, paying for meals you regularly miss may offer little value.

My suggestion: plan a few meals you genuinely want outside the hotel before comparing meal packages. Choose traditional tavernas for those evenings, or browse the Rhodes food guide for more dining ideas.

• Breakfast included: budget separately for lunch, dinner, snacks and drinks.
• Half-board: calculate spending around the meals and drinks your particular package leaves out.
• All-inclusive: allow for any meals out, excluded drinks and paid dining options you intend to use.
• Seven simple taverna dinners at €12–€20 each total €84–€140 per person, including the drink in that meal allowance.
• Keep gratuities separate when planning; see the tipping page for practical advice.

Simple rooms and self-catering apartments

Guesthouses, basic hotels and simple apartments are the budget end of Rhodes accommodation. They suit you if you spend most days out and care more about location than hotel facilities.

Self-catering gives you control over breakfast, snacks and some meals. For families, an apartment can also mean shared living space rather than separate hotel rooms. The saving depends on using the kitchen, so look at the cooking equipment rather than just the word “kitchenette”.

Rhodes Town has budget pensions as well as expensive boutique stays. Ialyssos and the outskirts of Faliraki are also worth comparing for simpler accommodation. Use where to stay in Rhodes to choose an area before narrowing down rooms.

• Best fit: travellers who want a practical base and expect to eat or spend time outside the property.
• Main trade-off: fewer facilities, and potentially more travel if you choose an outlying location.
• Before paying: read the room details for air-conditioning, cooking facilities, cleaning arrangements and any extra charges.

Mid-range hotels and resorts

Mid-range hotels suit couples and families who want comfort without paying for a luxury stay. Rhodes has comfortable hotels, boutique properties and resort options, but their meal plans and facilities can differ considerably.

Faliraki, Ixia, Ialyssos and Kolymbia have many package hotels. These areas are worth comparing if pools and half-board matter to you. A resort makes more sense when you will use its facilities than when you plan to explore all day.

Rhodes Town offers a different kind of value: a base for town walks, restaurants and sightseeing. You may pay extra for a historic building, a special view or a stay inside the Old Town walls. Compare hotels by area rather than choosing by star rating alone.

• Compare room-only with room-only, or breakfast-included with breakfast-included.
• For half-board, weigh the extra cost against the meals you will actually eat at the hotel.
• For families, price the exact room arrangement: one family room, an apartment and two rooms are different purchases.

Luxury stays and villas

Beachfront resorts, stylish suites and premium apartments sit at the expensive end of the market. In Lindos, sea or Acropolis views can push prices higher, especially during peak summer. In Rhodes Old Town, historic character and location also carry a premium.

Luxury makes most sense when the property is part of the holiday, not simply somewhere to sleep. If you plan daily outings, I would spend less on facilities you will rarely use. Put that money towards a better location or the room features that genuinely matter to you.

For families or friends, compare a villa’s whole-stay cost with the hotel rooms you would otherwise need. Divide the shared cost among the people actually travelling, not the villa’s maximum capacity. Include transport when comparing a quieter villa location with a hotel near restaurants and the beach.

My suggestion: if you want shared space and expect to spend time at the property, compare villas in Rhodes before booking several hotel rooms. Focus on bedrooms, bathrooms, location and the full payable total.

• Best fit: travellers who value privacy, space or spending time at their accommodation.
• Main trade-off: a premium setting may cost much more without making day trips any easier.
• Compare fairly: use the same dates, guest numbers and cancellation terms for villas and hotels.

Peak summer versus shoulder season

July and August bring the highest accommodation prices, with strong demand across the main resorts. The broader peak period runs from late June into early September. Leaving your booking late can narrow your choice and make a suitable room harder to find.

May, early June, late September and October often offer better hotel value and fewer crowds. Late September and early October also appeal if you want warm sea temperatures without the harshest summer sun. Compare the best time for your Rhodes holiday with the experience you want, not just the lowest room price.

Booking months ahead can help you find a suitable room at a price you like, especially for fixed summer dates. It does not guarantee the cheapest rate. There is no fixed early-booking or shoulder-season saving, so compare actual totals for your preferred dates.

• Fixed school-holiday dates: start comparing early, especially if you need a particular family-room layout.
• Flexible dates: price the same property and room type across several possible stays.
• Uncertain plans: weigh a cheaper non-refundable rate against the flexibility you may need.

Location, meals and booking conditions

A lower room rate is only a saving if the location works for your holiday. Smaller villages and inland stays can offer quieter surroundings and better accommodation value, but a car may be useful. Staying in or near Rhodes Town makes a car-free stay more practical.

Before choosing a cheaper base, map the journeys you expect to repeat. Add the cost of reaching beaches, restaurants and your main planned outings. If you are relying on public transport, compare the location with the Rhodes bus routes before booking.

Meal plans deserve the same attention as location. Breakfast or half-board can be useful when you will eat at the hotel regularly. If you prefer different tavernas each evening, room-only or breakfast-only may fit your holiday better.

For couples, divide the shared accommodation total by two to calculate the cost per person. For families, enter every guest and the children’s ages before comparing quotes. Keep the full family total in your budget; dividing it per person is only a planning calculation.

• Nightly comparison: divide the full accommodation charge by the number of nights, using identical dates and guest numbers.
• Room basis: compare equivalent room types, bed arrangements and meal plans.
• Final total: see whether accommodation tax is included or payable separately, alongside any other compulsory charges.
• Booking terms: compare the deposit, payment date, cancellation deadline and refund conditions before choosing the lowest headline price.

Buses for planned routes

Public buses are the cheapest paid option for getting around Rhodes. They suit you best when your outings follow bus routes and you can plan around departure times.

Budget bus fares per person, for each leg of the journey. A return outing needs both directions included, while a journey involving a change needs each separate fare counted.

Prices and services can change, so use Rhodes bus routes and prices for your travel dates, including the return journey. Buses make less sense for a day with several scattered stops, where the timetable can shape more of your day than you want.

• Best fit: solo travellers, couples and straightforward outings with a planned return.
• Budget advantage: you pay only for the journeys you take, without rental or fuel costs.
• Main trade-off: less freedom to change your route or stay longer at a stop.

Taxis and occasional journeys

Taxis are useful when you only need occasional transport and would otherwise leave a rental car unused. One return outing is a different budget decision from several days of cross-island journeys.

Use Rhodes taxi prices to estimate the routes you actually plan. Include the ride back and any separate journeys between stops, rather than budgeting around one short-trip fare.

Keep a quote per vehicle separate from a bus fare per person. Sharing a taxi can make it more competitive, provided the booked vehicle fits everyone and their luggage. Repeated long journeys are where taxi spending can quickly outweigh the convenience.

• Best fit: occasional outings, travellers who prefer not to drive, and groups sharing a suitable vehicle.
• Budget comparison: add all planned taxi legs before comparing them with a rental.
• Booking detail: make sure the quote covers your route, group and any requested stops.

Car hire for exploring

Car hire is worth comparing if you want beaches, villages and viewpoints across several days. It gives you more freedom than buses and can cost less than repeated taxi trips.

The rental headline price is only part of the bill. Compare the total for your dates and vehicle size, including fuel, your selected insurance cover and any paid extras you need.

Use car rental options and costs to weigh the terms alongside the price. Pay attention to the fuel policy, insurance excess and deposit requirements, so the cheapest quote does not become an awkward choice.

My suggestion: if you want several exploration days, compare live car rental prices before relying on taxis. If most days will be spent near your hotel, price a shorter rental rather than automatically booking the whole holiday.

• Car total: rental for the days needed + fuel + selected cover + any applicable extras or parking costs.
• Taxi comparison: the journeys the car would replace, including returns and separate stops.
• Shared cost: divide the car total between the people sharing it when calculating a per-person budget.
• Best fit: travellers who want flexible routes and are comfortable driving; less useful for a mostly hotel-and-beach stay.

Airport transfers and shared costs

Compare the whole group's airport journey, not a single bus ticket against a vehicle quote. Multiply bus fares by the number travelling, then include any onward connection needed to reach your accommodation.

Put that total beside airport transfer prices for your group and destination. Keep per-person fares separate from per-vehicle quotes, and include both arrival and departure in your holiday budget.

For families or groups with luggage, I'd compare airport transfer options alongside the bus before deciding. Choose a vehicle that fits your passengers and bags, rather than simply picking the lowest headline price.

If you plan to collect a rental car at the airport, compare that complete rental with a transfer plus a shorter rental later. Avoid adding a separate airport transfer to your budget if the car already covers that journey.

Palace of the Grand Master

Give the Palace of the Grand Master its own line in your sightseeing budget. It makes sense if medieval history interests you; you don’t need to book a guided visit simply to fill your itinerary.

Attraction prices and ticket conditions can change, so use the current admission price for your travel date and visitor category. Keep entry-only tickets separate from guided packages: a higher advertised price may include more than admission.

• Independent visit: budget for admission and any optional extras you choose.
• Guided visit: compare the total package price and whether Palace entry is included.
• Several sights: add each chosen attraction separately unless your selected ticket explicitly includes them.

Lindos Acropolis and the Archaeological Museum

List Lindos Acropolis and the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes as separate visits, not one general sightseeing expense. Only add their admission costs once you have selected the current ticket for each.

For Lindos, compare the full cost of an independent outing with an organised excursion. Getting there is part of the day’s spending, and an excursion advertised as a Lindos visit may leave attraction tickets extra.

Choose the sights that genuinely interest you rather than paying to complete a list. You can use the Rhodes Island Guide’s things to do section to decide which visits deserve space in your holiday.

• Lindos outing: separate transport, Acropolis admission and any guiding.
• Museum visit: keep the admission cost separate from any wider tour package.
• Package comparison: compare the same inclusions, not an entry ticket against a full excursion.

Boat trips and organised excursions

Compare boat trip options first, using prices for your dates and group size. For help choosing a Rhodes boat trip, compare swimming cruises, island-hopping days and sunset sails before choosing purely on price.

The cheapest headline fare is not always the cheapest complete day. A ticket-only sailing and a cruise with meals or transfers cover different parts of your spending.

Guided tours suit you if you want explanation and a planned route. Independent sightseeing is a better fit if you prefer your own pace and don’t want to pay for guiding.

If you want the day organised for you, compare organised excursions by what they include. You can also explore guided tour options in Rhodes to decide whether the extra service is worth paying for.

• Price basis: distinguish a per-person fare from a total price for your group or private booking.
• Meals and drinks: add spending for anything outside the package.
• Transfers: include the return journey between your accommodation and the departure point when it is extra.
• Admission and guiding: look for explicit inclusion of attraction tickets and guide services.
• Booking terms: read cancellation and weather-related arrangements before paying.

Beach days and optional extras

Beach days can keep activity spending low, but your choices determine the final bill. Sunbeds, umbrellas, beach-bar orders and water sports are optional expenses, not a fixed daily attraction charge.

Choose the kind of day you want before allocating money. A simple swim and time on the sand needs a different budget from a beach-bar afternoon with drinks and activities.

• Sunbeds and umbrellas: get the local price and what it covers before settling in.
• Food and drinks: count beach purchases within your food budget rather than adding them twice.
• Water sports: price the specific activity separately if it is part of your plan.
• Getting there: include any extra journey cost when choosing a beach away from your accommodation.

Free or reduced admission

Free or reduced admission can lower your total, but eligibility depends on the attraction’s current rules. Before including a discount, match the conditions to each traveller’s age, nationality and visit date.

Carry the identification required to claim your ticket category. Keep any seasonal concession tied to its valid months, and separate admission discounts from charges for guiding or transport.

• For families: calculate each person’s ticket category rather than multiplying one adult price.
• For discounted visits: use the concession only after confirming it applies to your date.
• For free-entry visits: budget separately for any paid services you still choose.

Comparing Rhodes with Crete, Corfu and Kos

If you’re choosing between Rhodes, Crete, Corfu and Kos, compare actual holidays rather than island-wide averages. Start with the same departure airport, dates and number of nights. Then match these costs:

• Accommodation: use a similar room standard, location and facilities, with the same number of adults and children.
• Meals: compare room-only, breakfast, half-board or all-inclusive on the same basis. Include the meals and drinks you expect to buy separately.
• Flights: include baggage and any other extras you need. Compare a package total with the full cost of booking separately.
• Transport: include airport transfers and the buses, taxis or rental car your planned outings require.

Comparing Rhodes with Santorini and Mykonos

Santorini’s and Mykonos’s luxury reputations are not quotes for your holiday. A simple room and casual meals are a different purchase from a view suite, special dinners and beach-club days. Match those choices before deciding which island offers better value.

The same applies within Rhodes. A Lindos suite with a view and a simple apartment elsewhere will give you very different totals. Use the Rhodes area comparisons to choose a base that fits your holiday, not just your room budget.

My suggestion: shortlist one holiday you would genuinely book on each island, then compare the complete totals. If your Rhodes choice needs a car for the outings you want, include a rental car quote before deciding. When the totals are close, use the Rhodes Island Guide to judge whether its beaches, towns and activities suit you better.

Monthly rent versus holiday accommodation

A residential rental and a furnished holiday apartment are different offers. Compare the total for your actual dates, including bills, furnishings and the contract length—not just the monthly headline price.

Rhodes Town, sea views and sought-after resort locations generally cost more than older homes inland. Afandou and Archangelos are worth comparing, but weigh daily convenience alongside rent. Use the Rhodes Island Guide to narrow down areas before comparing properties.

• For a few weeks: furnished holiday accommodation may be simpler, even with a higher nightly rate.
• For several months: get a written quote covering your whole stay, included bills, deposit and cancellation or early-departure terms.

Electricity, water, internet and mobile

Electricity needs particular attention: summer air-conditioning and winter heating can change your bill considerably. Some municipal charges also appear on electricity bills, so the total is not energy alone.

Budget for water, home internet and mobile service separately unless the rent includes them. For remote work, confirm the connection at the property and any installation or contract commitment before booking.

• Useful comparison: request recent bills for the property, ideally covering the season when you plan to stay.

Groceries and everyday transport

Cooking most days and eating out occasionally creates a very different budget from a month of holiday dining. Keep groceries separate from coffees, drinks and restaurant meals so you can see where your money goes.

Rhodes Town is the easier starting point for a car-free stay. Village and south-coast living becomes more practical with a car; compare your regular journeys using the Rhodes bus routes and prices.

If you only need wheels for occasional outings, compare car hire for those days against keeping a car throughout. For an owned car, allow for fuel, insurance, tax and maintenance.

• Leisure: give gym memberships, subscriptions, boat trips and other outings their own allowance. Beach days and walks can balance paid activities.
• Household extras: leave room for replacement items and repairs; island delivery and repair logistics can add cost and waiting time.

Healthcare and insurance

Rhodes has public hospitals, health centres and private clinics, but your access and costs depend on your circumstances. Confirm your healthcare entitlement and choose insurance that covers the full length and purpose of your stay.

Keep an allowance for prescriptions, appointments and costs your policy excludes. If you need ongoing specialist treatment, plan access before choosing a long-term base.

Schooling and childcare

For families, childcare can change the budget substantially. Get a quote from the actual provider rather than using Greece-wide fee estimates.

Greek public schools teach in Greek; enrolment and language support need planning before a move. Include school transport, supplies, activities and holiday childcare alongside any fees.

Buying property versus renting

Buying a home is a separate financial decision, not a replacement for your holiday accommodation allowance. Compare the purchase price, transaction costs, ongoing taxes, insurance, maintenance and any renovation needs.

My suggestion: rent first if you are still choosing an area or testing everyday life on Rhodes. Keep recurring household costs separate from arrival costs and occasional expenses before deciding what you can comfortably afford.

Compare dates before cutting activities

Compare May, early June, late September and October with July and August before dropping a favourite activity. Flights and hotels often offer better value outside peak summer, with fewer crowds too. Compare the combined flight and accommodation total, rather than choosing dates around a cheap flight alone.

Start comparing accommodation once your dates are clear. Booking late often means higher prices, so waiting for a last-minute bargain is a gamble. Read cancellation terms alongside the rate, especially if your plans may change.

Check available holiday deals only when they fit your existing dates, base and plans. An extra outing you wouldn’t otherwise book is still extra spending.

Choose a base that reduces travel costs

Choose your base around the holiday you actually want. Rhodes Town works well for walking and using buses, while quieter villages and southern stays can make a car more useful. An inland room may cost less, but that advantage can disappear if you need frequent taxis.

Avoid limiting your search to Lindos view rooms, Old Town boutique stays or premium beachfront hotels. Rhodes Town has budget options too, while Ialysos and the outskirts of Faliraki are worth comparing. For families who want pools and meals included, compare resort packages in Ixia, Faliraki and Kolymbia.

Use the Rhodes Island Guide to arrange your stay and outings together. Put your likely beaches, dinners and day trips on the map before committing to a room.

Mix simple meals with special dinners

Keep the dinner with a view if it matters to you. Balance it with bakery breakfasts, gyros or souvlaki lunches, and traditional tavernas away from the busiest tourist strips. Choosing expensive waterfront restaurants for every meal pushes spending up much faster than an occasional treat.

If your accommodation has cooking facilities, use them for easy breakfasts or a few simple meals. You don’t need to spend your holiday cooking to make self-catering useful. Browse Rhodes street food options when you want something quick without another full restaurant bill.

Group outings into fewer travel days

Group nearby beaches, villages and sights into the same outing instead of making separate return journeys. Keep other days close to your accommodation, with time for swimming, walking and relaxing. This cuts unnecessary travel without removing the places you want to see.

Repeated cross-island taxis can quickly outweigh a cheaper hotel rate. For several stops in one day, I’d compare car hire options with the total taxi cost. Include fuel and the rental terms, rather than comparing only the headline daily rate.

For straightforward trips, buses are the lowest-cost transport option. Services change seasonally, so use the Rhodes Bus Guide to plan both directions, including your return.

Avoid paying twice for included extras

Compare what you’ll actually use, not just the cheapest headline price. Half-board may suit a pool-and-beach holiday, but it offers less value if you plan to eat elsewhere most evenings. The same applies to activities: compare inclusions before paying for separate transport, food or tickets.

• Accommodation: compare the meal plan and any extra charges. Avoid paying for included meals you’ll regularly miss.
• Excursions: compare pickup, admission tickets, meals and equipment where relevant. A lower starting price may leave more to pay separately.
• Boat trips: compare boat trip options by departure point, duration and included food or drinks—not price alone.
• Transfers: look at any transport already included in your holiday or excursion before arranging another pickup.

A simple budget table

Start with your actual travel dates, booked nights and number of travellers. Use the Rhodes trip-planning advice to settle your route before pricing transport and activities.

Fill in the worksheet below in euros, working out one person’s share throughout. It includes accommodation and flights; leaving out the flights row gives you the cost of the stay itself.

Category | Pricing unit | Daily allowance | Trip total Accommodation | Per room, per night | Your accommodation total ÷ holiday days | Nightly room price × booked nights ÷ people sharing Food and drinks | Per person | €_ for meals, snacks and drinks not included | Daily allowance × holiday days Buses | Per person, per journey | Cost of that day’s journeys | Add all planned fares Shared transport | Per vehicle or booking | Your share on the days used | Your share of car hire, fuel, parking, taxis and transfers Attractions and excursions | Per ticket or booking | Add only on the planned day | Add your tickets and share of any private bookings Other extras | Per person or shared purchase | €_ where needed | Add insurance, shopping and other planned extras Flights | Per person, return | Keep separate from daily spending | Fare plus baggage and other chosen extras Reserve | Your chosen amount | Keep separate | €_ for unexpected spending

• Full holiday total: add every trip-total row, including flights, accommodation and your reserve.
• Average daily cost: divide that total by your holiday days. This is a planning average, not what you will spend each day.
• Remaining budget: subtract amounts already paid from the full total. Keep the reserve available rather than counting it as money you must spend.

A worked food-and-drink allowance

If breakfast is already included, one €4–€6 street-food lunch, a €12–€20 taverna main with a drink, and one €3–€4 coffee add up to €19–€30 per person that day. Over seven days, that same pattern is €133–€210 per person. This is a worked example using the planning ranges above, not an average holiday cost.

Add snacks, extra drinks, transport, activities, accommodation and flights separately. If you replace the street-food lunch with an €8–€15 casual lunch, the same meal pattern becomes €23–€39 per day, or €161–€273 over seven days. Do not add another drink for the dinner already described as including one.

One person versus two sharing

Meals, drinks, flights and individual entry tickets belong to each traveller. Rooms, rental cars and transfers priced per vehicle can be shared. Only divide a cost when you are genuinely sharing that booking.

For two people sharing one room equally, each pays half the room total. A solo traveller pays the full price of their own room, unless their booking has a different rate. Use the room quote for your actual occupancy, rather than halving a couple’s whole holiday budget.

Transport needs the same care. Bus tickets remain per person, while a taxi or private transfer may be quoted for the vehicle. Compare your planned journeys using the Rhodes bus guide and Rhodes taxi prices before choosing.

• One person: full room cost + personal meals, tickets and transport + one-off costs.
• Two people, combined: one shared room + both travellers’ meals and tickets + shared vehicle costs + personal extras.
• Two people, each: half the shared costs + that person’s meals, tickets, flights and extras.
• Families: enter each child’s actual booking price. Use the correct age when pricing rooms, admissions and excursions.

Weekend, five-day and one-week totals

Use days for everyday spending and nights for accommodation. A five-day visit can mean four nights, while a seven-night holiday may involve spending across eight calendar days. Your arrival and departure times decide how many meals and journeys you need.

The examples below are fill-in calculations, not average Rhodes prices. In each one, the accommodation figure means your share of the nightly room cost. The daily allowance covers food, drinks and routine travel only; keep excursions and shared car bookings separate.

Prices change with dates and booking choices. Replace estimates with actual quotes when you compare bookings for your planned activities and transport, then add only what is not already included.

• Weekend example, three days and two nights: 2 × nightly accommodation share + 3 × daily allowance + activities + one-off costs + flights + reserve.
• Five-day example, four nights: 4 × nightly accommodation share + 5 × daily allowance + activities + one-off costs + flights + reserve.
• One-week example, seven days and six nights: 6 × nightly accommodation share + 7 × daily allowance + activities + one-off costs + flights + reserve.
• Seven-night booking: use seven accommodation nights and your actual arrival-to-departure spending days.
• Short arrival or departure day: replace a full daily allowance with the meals and journeys you actually expect.
• One-off costs: include airport transfers, insurance and any other trip costs not already entered elsewhere.

Spending money when your hotel is paid

If your hotel and flights are paid, leave them out of your remaining spending-money target. Keep them in the full holiday total, though. Otherwise, you cannot compare the true cost with another trip.

Your remaining budget is unpaid food and drinks, transport, activities, extras and a reserve. Subtract prepaid excursions or transfers too, but keep any balance due on arrival. For half-board or all-inclusive stays, budget for meals and drinks outside the package rather than adding a full food allowance again.

My suggestion: if you want several beach or village stops, price a rental car for your exploring days before setting your transport allowance. Include fuel and any extras, and remove taxi journeys that the car replaces.

• Breakfast included: allow for lunch, dinner, snacks and drinks you will buy separately.
• Half-board: add uncovered meals, drinks and any restaurant visits outside the hotel.
• All-inclusive: allow for outings, food away from the resort, transport and anything excluded from your package.
• Prepaid excursion: include only remaining costs, such as transport to departure or meals not included.
• Seven-day spending money: add seven days of uncovered everyday spending, unpaid bookings, one-off costs and your reserve.
• Cash to carry: this is separate from your total spending budget. Use the cash and card advice for Rhodes to plan how you will pay.

A separate monthly budget for longer stays

For a longer stay, build a monthly household budget rather than multiplying a tourist day by 30. Rent, bills, groceries and regular transport replace much of the nightly hotel and daily restaurant spending.

Use a rental quote for your actual stay length. A furnished monthly stay and a year-long lease are different bookings, so compare what each includes. Keep deposits and setup costs outside your recurring monthly total.

A cheaper village rental may also mean more driving. Compare housing and transport together, especially if you need regular access to Rhodes Town.

• Housing: monthly rent €_; list included bills so you do not add them twice.
• Utilities and connection: electricity, water, internet and mobile €_; allow for your likely cooling or heating use.
• Food: groceries €_, plus a separate allowance for restaurants and coffees €_.
• Transport: regular bus journeys or vehicle costs €_; include fuel, insurance and maintenance where relevant.
• Health: suitable insurance, medicines and expected appointments €_.
• Family costs: childcare, schooling and children’s activities, where needed, €_.
• Everyday extras: laundry, household items, subscriptions and leisure €_.
• Monthly reserve: €_ for unexpected costs.
• Separate arrival budget: deposit, travel to Rhodes and essential setup purchases €_.
• Long-stay total: recurring monthly costs × months, plus arrival costs and return travel. Keep any refundable deposit listed separately as money you need available.