Could going abroad this winter be cheaper than staying and paying UK energy bills?

As the cost of living crisis bites and fuel costs surge, many are worried about the figures they’ll see on their energy bills this winter.

Though each household’s annual energy bill will be capped at £2,500 following a pledge by new prime minister Liz Truss, the nation will still see a rise in October from the current cap of £1,971. As such, households will be paying roughly double what they were in March for electricity and gas.

If a one-bedroom flat’s £97 monthly energy bill doubles to £194, just nudging the upper end of the government cap (which works out to £208 per month), it will put a huge strain on the occupant’s finances.

One travel agent, TravelTime World, recently launched a “The Heat is On” campaign, urging travellers to take a long-stay holiday this winter to ease the cost of living. It estimated that Britons could live on around £20 a day in certain destinations, aiming to prove that a holiday isn’t just a luxury – in some locations, it could actually save you cash.

So could it be more affordable to flee the UK, dodge winter fuel costs and live it up more cheaply abroad?

How much could I save by staying abroad?

Those who are able to get out of rental properties for a few months will get the best deal here. While homeowners could lock up, switch off appliances and let utilities providers know they will be away for a month or two, your bill won’t reduce to zero if you have a meter and an energy provider. However, you will make significant savings.

Those who are able to get out of a rental arrangement – or property owners able to rent out their place on a short-term basis ‒ and spend up to two or three months living abroad this winter could save hundreds or even thousands in the process.

In July, the average UK rent outside of London hit a record high of £1,126 per calendar month, while the average rent inside the capital increased to £2,257. That works out to between £37.50 and £75.23 per night that we’re spending on a roof over our head in any given 30-day period ‒ before you even get to surging energy bills.

For comparison, you could bag a one-bed apartment in Valencia, Spain from £1,145 for the entire month of November ‒ that’s £38 per night with no worries about energy bills. Or you could rent a one-bed holiday apartment in Faro, Portugal for as little as £671 for the same period ‒ that’s just £22.36 per night on accommodation.

These are based on the…