Typical Benidorm prices - yes 1.50€ a pint!

Drinkers and smokers faced added misery following the budget this week as the Chancellor announced another duty rise on alcohol and cigarettes.

A packet of cigarettes will go up by an astonishing 37 pence and alcohol will increase by 5% - seeing the price of a pint of beer rise by as much as 10 pence. Since 2008, the price of beer has risen by an eye watering 40%. To add further misery for beer drinkers, prices could rise again due to a drought across the south of England which may lead to a shortage of hops and barley.

Carton of Benson & Hedges is 42.50€

The price of a packet of cigarettes is now on average £7.46 - in Benidorm they are 4.25€ which at today's exchange rate of 1.16 makes them £3.66. That is less than HALF the price! I popped into one of the  cigarette shops and there were so many British holiday makers in there stocking up it was unbelievable - but I can't say I blame them. Make sure you purchase them in town in an official "Tobacos" shop and NOT at the airport as they are more expensive in the "Duty Free" shop. 


The price of beer is substantially cheaper here too - most bars sell a pint for 1.50€ which is ap £1.29. Its hardly suprising then that you get large groups coming over for a long weekend and making the most of these prices - especially if they manage to get a cheap flight. Some places will put the prices up slightly after 8pm but its still going to be a lot cheaper here than in the UK. With the days getting warmer and longer - remember that the clocks go forward by 1 hour tonight you can be sure that everyone will be out having a good time.... and it will be substantially cheaper doing it here in Benidorm than back in Blighty.
So come on, what are you waiting for - come and enjoy the Benidorm experience!


Just a word of advice to smokers - do not be tempted to buy your cigarettes from anywhere. Stick to the official Tobacos shops - they have a brown and yellow sign hanging outside. In the past few months there have been many police raids on bars in Benidorm - especially British ones, where they have been selling cheap cigarettes. These are counterfeits generally made in China and contain harmful ingredients.