DiscoverCars.com conducted research to compare the cost of renting a car in the summer and winter months. They used data from over 180 countries over the past year to calculate the average cost to rent a car in different countries.
The average cost to rent a car in the summer is £37.06 per day, compared to £24.68 in winter – a 33.4% difference.
Looking at data from December, January, and February compared to June, July, and August, DiscoverCars.com found that prices in some popular destinations can be up to three-quarters cheaper in the winter months.
Here are the winter and summer prices for ten popular destinations:
– Balearic Islands: £7.23 winter / £29.25 summer (-75%)
– Crete: £7.72 winter / £34.49 summer (-78%)
– Croatia: £14.53 winter / £33.31 summer (-56%)
– Italy: £15.73 winter / £39.89 summer (-61%)
– Morocco: £16.59 winter / £28.37 summer (-42%)
– Poland: £15.36 winter / £21.07 summer (-27%)
– Portugal: £12.15 winter / £30.51 summer (-60%)
– Sicily: £8.55 winter / £37.79 summer (-77%)
– Spain: £16.30 winter / £23.71 summer (-31%)
– Turkey: £14.82 winter / £35.90 summer (-59%)
The price difference is significant in many cases, with the Balearic Islands, Crete, and Sicily being three quarters cheaper in winter. Even destinations with smaller seasonal price differences show that travelers can save on car rental costs by traveling in winter.
The top five cheapest places to rent a car in the winter are Sardinia (£6.09), Balearic Islands (£7.23), Crete (£7.72), Sicily (£8.55), and Montenegro (£8.67).
Sardinia is the most affordable destination to rent a car in the winter, at just £6.09 per day. The Balearic Islands and Crete also offer low daily rental costs at £7.23 and £7.72, respectively.