If you hanker after your gap year days but would rather live a life of luxury than dust off your grubby backpack, then we have good news for you. It turns out you could spend a year in luxury, All Inclusive resorts around the world for considerably less than the average cost of living in London. That sabbatical has never looked so attractive!
Our research shows that you can divide your time between 4* minimum All Inclusive resorts for £3,506 a year less than a more stressful lifestyle back in the capital. We worked out the cost savings based on a fortnightly cycle, using historical data to demonstrate the best of last minute deals.
You could spend two weeks at a time in glamorous locations such as Tenerife, Greece, Cyprus, Cape Verde and the Dominican Republic. Everything would be included – food, drink, travel and accommodation are of course all sorted on an All Inclusive holiday, and more often than not you’ll find things like gym use, Wi-Fi and entertainment are too.
Additionally, what we haven’t included in the calculation is the cost of alcohol, available quite literally on-tap on most All Inclusive holidays. This could save you at least a further £1,440, depending on how much you like a tipple, based on the NHS guidelines of 14 units a week at £4 for a London pint.
These big savings would leave more than enough for accommodation for the 24 nights spent back in the UK between your holidays, as well as for shopping, tips and other holiday extras you’d expect to budget for. To save even more you could stay with friends or family before going back to the airport for your next luxury trip, and return the favour with gifts from your travels.
Sabbaticals aren’t an option for everyone, but for the lucky freelancers out there for whom geography isn’t a barrier to their work, this information could be the start of a whole new way of living. Becoming your own boss has suddenly become an even more attractive idea than ever.
Our very own General Manager, Kay Dixon, commented on these remarkable findings – “We all know that living in London is getting more and more expensive, but we were surprised to discover that this way of life is genuinely possible. It shows the increasing value of even luxury All Inclusive holidays, as well as just how expensive life in London can be.”
Here’s how we worked it out…
Living costs for an individual living in London
- Average monthly rent for one bedroom apartment – £1,271 (figure from Residential Landlords Association)
- Average monthly water bills – £30.58
- Average monthly energy bills – £62
- Average monthly council tax – £78.41
- Average monthly transport – £128.40
- Average monthly food shopping – £231.60
- Average monthly leisure activities – £275.20
- Average gym membership – £55
- Monthly total – £2,132.10
- Yearly total – £25,586.28
12 months around the world divided between luxury holidays resorts
- 24 14-night All Inclusive holidays
- All holidays at least 4*
- Destinations spread around the world including Cuba, Cape Verde, and the Dominican Republic
- A night spent back in London between each one – a total of 350 nights
- All Inclusive means just that – food, drink, travel and accommodation all included
- All Inclusive holiday resorts also include gyms, Wi-Fi, and evening entertainment
- An average cost per holiday, including single supplements as well as last-minute deals, of £920
- A total yearly cost of £22,080
- A £3,506 saving on living in London
Start picking your 24 must-visit All Inclusives from around the world here.
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