UK's most expensive seaside spot named and £100 will last just 2 days

A classic day out or a longer stay at one UK seaside spot could leave you significantly out of pocket, according to new research. The study compared several of the UK's most popular summer destinations, calculating the cost of deckchair hire, a '99' ice cream, and a fish and chips meal - and one city emerged as the 'most expensive'.

The research revealed that £100 in this seaside destination will 'only last just over 2 days', according to figures from the new UK Seaside Affordability Index. The data highlighted vast differences around the coast when it comes to spending your money.

When considering everything you need for an ideal beach day out, all the basic items amount to £38.20 per day in this particular city.

New research from NoDepositRewards.org compares the price of a traditional day out at the beach for destinations across the UK.

The data examined all-day parking (the current local council rates), average cost of a '99' ice cream, a large fish and chips meal (local chippy prices) and deckchair hire (full-day rate), reports the Express.

The research aimed to determine how long £100 would last for a trip to the seaside.

Brighton was revealed to be the priciest seaside spot in the country, according to the study. All-day parking amounted to a hefty £18, while a classic ice cream was priced at £2.70.

In contrast, in the cheapest place, Swansea, parking for the day is a mere £3 and an ice cream costs just £1.65.

A fish and chips meal in Brighton will cost you a hefty £11.50, but it's not the most expensive location for this quintessential British takeaway - that honour goes to Bamburgh in Northumberland where the same meal will set you back £14.88.

Hiring a deckchair in Brighton is likely to cost around £6 for the day, bringing the total 'seaside basket' cost for a day at this popular resort to a staggering £38.20 for all the typical beach day essentials.

The Cornish town of St Ives was named as the second most expensive seaside destination in the UK, with visitors spending an average of £25.30 per day.

In St Ives, parking for the day will cost approximately £10, a large fish and chips comes in at £12.50, and an ice cream will set you back just over £2.50.

Swansea was identified as the least expensive seaside spot, with the same items costing roughly £16.71 per day.

Mason Jones, a data expert at NoDepositRewards.org, commented: "Families are budgeting harder than ever for summer 2025.

"Our Seaside Index shows you can triple the number of beach days simply by choosing a different stretch of coast.

"With parking now topping local cost charts, the North and Wales clearly win on value."