Budget sun holiday under €400 per person from the Netherlands
Return flight plus accommodation for less than 400 euros per person. No last-minute luck or tricks: regular flights and real hotels or apartments, made affordable by choosing the right destination at the right time.
Quick answer: The cheapest sun holiday destinations from the Netherlands under €400 per person (including return flight) are Alicante (from €310 pp), Valencia (from €330 pp), Malaga (from €330 pp), Murcia (from €340 pp), Kos (from €340 pp in May/Sept), Rhodes (from €360 pp), Paphos (from €360 pp), Lanzarote (from €360 pp in winter) and Tenerife (from €380 pp in low season). Cheapest period: outside Dutch school holidays and in the shoulder season.
Alicante, Spain
Route from the Netherlands: Ryanair and Transavia fly directly from Eindhoven (EIN) and Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) to Alicante (ALC) in about 2 hours 45 minutes. Return tickets from €65 outside school holidays.
Price guide 5 nights: Flight €65-100 + apartment or budget hotel €35-55 per night x 5 = total €240-375 per person. Comfortably under €400 year-round outside summer peak.
Why it is cheap: Alicante has a wide city beach within walking distance of the centre, the Castillo de Santa Barbara (free, walk up the hill) and the colourful Santa Cruz quarter. Food and drink is affordable: a tapas bar €3-5 per dish, lunch menu €10-12. Bus C-6 takes you from the airport to the centre in 20 minutes for €3.85.
View Alicante with live pricesValencia, Spain
Route from the Netherlands: Ryanair flies directly from Eindhoven (EIN) to Valencia (VLC) in 2 hours 35 minutes. Return from €60 outside school holidays. Also Vueling and Transavia from Schiphol.
Price guide 5 nights: Flight €60-90 + hostel or apartment €35-55 per night x 5 = total €235-365 per person. Fly on Tuesday or Wednesday for the lowest fares.
Why it is cheap: Valencia has 300 sunny days a year, the City of Arts and Sciences, the Turia river park (8 km green cycle path, free), the Mercado Central and a wide city beach. Birthplace of paella: a real paella valenciana costs €8-15 per person in a local restaurant. Metro to the beach: €1.65 per trip.
View Valencia with live pricesMalaga, Spain
Route from the Netherlands: Ryanair, Transavia and Vueling fly directly from Eindhoven (EIN) or Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) to Malaga (AGP) in about 3 hours. Return from €70 in low season.
Price guide 5 nights: Flight €70-100 + hostel or hotel €40-60 per night x 5 = total €270-400 per person. Book low season (November-April) or spring for the lowest fares.
Why it is cheap: Malaga is the sun-guaranteed capital of the Costa del Sol with a city beach, the Moorish Alcazaba (free on Sundays after 14:00), the Picasso Museum and the most lively tapas scene in Spain. The Cercanias train from the airport to the centre costs just €1.80 and runs in 12 minutes.
View Malaga with live pricesMurcia, Spain
Route from the Netherlands: Fly directly to Alicante (ALC) with Ryanair or Transavia and take a taxi or bus to Murcia (80 km, approx. €40-50 taxi or €3.50 bus). Murcia Corvera Airport (RMU) also has direct summer flights from Rotterdam with Ryanair.
Price guide 4 nights: Flight €65-90 + transfer €8-12 return (bus) + hotel €50-90 per night x 4 = total €273-402 per person. Cheapest in May-June and September-October.
Why it is cheap: Murcia is the sunniest city in Spain with 320 days of sunshine per year and almost no mass tourism. The hidden Calblanque coastal park has 13 km of virtually untouched coastline (free entry) and the Mar Menor is Europe's warmest seawater lagoon. Lunch menu €12-15, tapas €2-4 per portion.
View Murcia with live pricesKos, Greece
Route from the Netherlands: Transavia and TUI fly fly directly from Eindhoven (EIN) and Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) to Kos (KGS) in about 3 hours 20 minutes, seasonally (late April to late October).
Price guide 5 nights: Flight €100-130 return (shoulder season) + budget guesthouse or apartment €35-50 per night x 5 = total €275-380 per person. High summer (July-August): flights and hotels are significantly more expensive; choose May or September.
Why it is cheap: Kos has excellent sandy beaches (Tigaki, Marmari), a Greek town centre with the Hippocrates plane tree and a relaxed atmosphere. Rent a bicycle (€5 per day) to explore the island. Greek tavernas outside the tourist area: €8-12 per meal.
View Kos with live pricesRhodes, Greece
Route from the Netherlands: Transavia, Corendon and TUI fly fly directly from Eindhoven (EIN) or Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) to Rhodes (RHO) in about 3 hours 50 minutes, seasonally.
Price guide 5 nights: Flight €110-150 return (May or September) + apartment or hotel €45-60 per night x 5 = total €335-450 per person. Well under €400 in May or September. Flights rise sharply in peak summer.
Why it is cheap: Rhodes has more than 300 sunny days a year. The medieval Knights' Town (UNESCO) is free to explore; the Acropolis of Lindos costs €12. Local wine bar in the old town: €3 per glass. Faliraki beach: free. Coastal bus: €2-3 per trip. Outside the tourist strip, food is affordable: gyros €3, meze platter €10-14.
View Rhodes with live pricesPaphos, Cyprus
Route from the Netherlands: Transavia and TUI fly fly directly from Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) to Paphos (PFO) in about 5 hours. Early-bird deals from €89 one way, return from €180-220.
Price guide 5 nights: Flight €180-220 return + apartment or studio €36-55 per night x 5 = total €360-495 per person. Choose early or late season (April-May, October-November) for flights under €200 return.
Why it is cheap: Paphos is one of the cheapest EU island destinations and has swimming weather almost year-round (18 degrees in April, 26 degrees in October). Outside the tourist strip, restaurants are affordable: a meze dinner for two costs around €30. The Paphos Harbour Fort and the Mosaic Museum are good value; the Akamas Lagoon is free to reach on foot.
View Paphos with live pricesCrete, Greece
Route from the Netherlands: Transavia, TUI fly and Corendon fly directly from Eindhoven (EIN) to Heraklion (HER) or from Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) to Chania (CHQ) in about 3 hours 20 minutes.
Price guide 5 nights: Flight €120-150 return (shoulder season) + room or apartment €40-55 per night x 5 = total €320-425 per person. Fly in May or early September for the sharpest flights and stay well under €400.
Why it is cheap: Crete is the largest Greek island: three coastal regions (Chania, Rethymnon, Heraklion), the Samaria Gorge (free entry), Knossos (€15), wild beaches and excellent Greek food at local prices. Choose Chania for the most beautiful old town, Heraklion for the best connections. Local bus from airport to centre: €1.50-3.
View Crete with live pricesLanzarote, Canary Islands
Route from the Netherlands: Transavia flies about three times a week directly from Eindhoven (EIN) to Lanzarote (ACE) in just over 4 hours. TUI fly and Corendon fly from Schiphol (AMS). In winter from €120-140 return; fares rise sharply in summer.
Price guide 5 nights (winter): Flight €120-140 return + simple room or apartment €35-50 per night x 5 = total €295-390 per person. Fly November to March for the lowest fares and 20-22 degrees of winter sunshine.
Why it is cheap: Lanzarote is the only Canary Island that never exceeds 30 degrees, ideal for hikers and cyclists. Timanfaya National Park (volcano, €12) is unique. Vineyards growing in volcanic ash in La Geria: free to visit. Supermarket meals and local eateries are cheaper than Ibiza or Mykonos. Car hire from €18 per day on the Canary Islands.
View Lanzarote with live pricesTenerife, Canary Islands
Route from the Netherlands: TUI, Transavia and Corendon fly directly from Eindhoven (EIN) and Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) to Tenerife South (TFS) in about 4.5 hours. In January-March from €140-160 return.
Price guide 5 nights (low season Jan-Mar): Flight €140-160 return + hostel or budget hotel €30-45 per night x 5 = total €290-385 per person. Fly in January or February for the sharpest fares and stay easily under €400.
Why it is cheap: Tenerife is the largest Canary Island: 300 km of coastline, the Teide volcano park (free to walk up or book the cable car in advance) and a clear divide between the busy south (Costa Adeje) and the greener, more affordable north (Puerto de la Cruz, €30 hotels, local tapas for €2-3). In January you fly to 22 degrees of winter sunshine while Schiphol is cold.
View Tenerife with live pricesCheapTrips compares live flight and hotel prices for all these sun destinations. Plan your trip in seconds and see what your holiday really costs.
Plan your budget sun holidayFrequently asked questions
What is the cheapest sun holiday destination from the Netherlands?
Alicante, Valencia and Malaga are the cheapest sun holiday destinations from the Netherlands: 5 nights including direct flights from Eindhoven or Amsterdam Schiphol from €310-330 per person in low season.
Can you do a sun holiday for less than €400 per person?
Yes, if you choose the right destination, the right season and the right departure airport. Spanish Costa destinations (Alicante, Valencia, Malaga) are comfortably under €400. Greek islands such as Kos and Rhodes cost well under €400 for 5 nights in May or September.
When are the cheapest periods for a sun holiday?
November to April for the Canary Islands; May, early June and September to mid-October for the Greek islands; year-round for Spanish Costa destinations, cheapest outside Dutch school holidays.
Do you need an all-inclusive hotel to stay under €400?
Not necessarily. In Alicante and Kos you can find budget apartments and guesthouses for €25 to 50 per night. All-inclusive is often more expensive than booking flight and hotel separately at affordable destinations like Kos and Paphos.
Are direct flights always more expensive than connections?
Not always. From Eindhoven, Ryanair and Transavia fly directly to Alicante, Valencia and Malaga for €50 to 80 return outside school holidays. Direct flights to Greek islands are sometimes cheaper than connecting via Athens in the shoulder season.