How much money could you save by being savvy at mealtimes on holiday? The new Cost of Eating out tool from Villa Plus makes answering that question easy.

At a time when holiday budgets are tight, the research looks at the cost of eating out and cooking the same meal at your villa in 14 European holiday destinations. Research from the Money Advice Service shows UK holidaymakers spend on average £1,027.72 per person on a summer holiday.

The biggest savings from eating in are found in the popular Spanish destinations of Costa Blanca and Mallorca, along with Fuerteventura and Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Smaller savings are found on the Greek Islands of Rhodes, Crete and Kefalonia, and resorts in Turkey.

In Tenerife, a local lunch with drinks costs €60.80 in a restaurant, compared to €18.10 at home. Eating an evening meal out costs €169.40 compared to €53 when eating in.

On Crete, the difference between eating a local lunch at a restaurant and at home is just €23. Savings from eating an evening meal at home are higher at €59, but still among the lowest on the list.

Top 5 destinations for making savings by eating in

1 Tenerife

2 Fuerteventura

2 Mallorca

4 Costa Blanca

5 Costa del Sol

Villa Plus's in-resort representatives collected the cost of a traditional breakfast, lunch and evening meal, including drinks and gratuity, at a local restaurant in July 2014.

They also visited a local supermarket to find out the cost of the ingredients to prepare these traditional meals at home. These costs were then used to calculate the cost of eating at a restaurant or at home for a family of four adults.

Top 5 best value destinations for eating out

1 Turkey

2 Kefalonia

3 Crete

4 Rhodes

5 Lanzarote

Simon Lifford at Villa Plus said: “Eating in doesn't have to mean missing out on the great food destinations have to offer. In fact, it can be a great excuse to spend an afternoon exploring the fantastic local markets and picking up some traditional ingredients.

“Depending on the resort, you could save as much as €1,134 over a two week holiday by just eating in for one meal each day*. Villa Plus villas all come equipped with BBQs, microwaves and dishwashers to make sure you can make a family meal easily.

“At Villa Plus, we're always looking for ways to help holidaymakers budget and get the most from their trip. The Cost of Eating out tool is designed to help you understand how much it's going to cost you to eat in your chosen destination and make sure you have the funds to enjoy all the culinary experiences on offer!”

The full Cost of Eating Out research can be found in the Villa Plus website http://www.villaplus.com/cost-of-eating-out

ENDS

*Based on an average saving on a evening meal across all resorts of €81.43 on eating an evening meal in compared to dining in a restaurant.

Money Advice Service research https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/static/holiday-spending-spree