European Countries Where Prices Have Decreased the Most
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}<b>Ireland</b> The Celtic Tiger has become a pussycat. There are deals to be had almost everywhere in Ireland, especially if you need a hotel. The average hotel room in Ireland is now $35 a night cheaper than in 2007. This year the Irish government cut the Value Added Tax (VAT) rate on many tourism-related items from 13.5 to 9 percent. <a href="http://www.budgettravel.com/slideshow/5-european-countries-where-prices-have-decreased-the-most,7685/#ixzz1YPZjJ6oc" target="_blank"><b>Click here to see the full results.</b></a> (Barry Joyce)
<b>United Kingdom</b> Here’s a bloody shocker: Prices in the U.K. have gone up only 0.2 percent in the past four years—at least for Americans. The major reason Britain is such a bargain is that the dollar has increased in value by about 22 percent versus the British pound. A beer in the U.K. is 10¢ cheaper now than in 2007, while a one-day, center-city tube pass is down 9¢, to $12.98. <a href="http://www.budgettravel.com/slideshow/5-european-countries-where-prices-have-decreased-the-most,7685/#ixzz1YPZjJ6oc" target="_blank"><b>Click here to see the full results.</b></a> (AP)
<b>Greece</b> We’ve heard more bad news about Greece lately than anywhere else, so why isn’t it our No. 1 bargain? Even though the Greek government bumped up the VAT to 23 percent, the highest of any Mediterranean country, the average Greek hotel room ($162) is $4 cheaper than in 2007 and meals increased only 8 percent. <a href="http://www.budgettravel.com/slideshow/5-european-countries-where-prices-have-decreased-the-most,7685/#ixzz1YPZjJ6oc" target="_blank"><b>Click here to see the full results.</b></a>
<b>Austria</b> With prices only 5 percent higher than they were in 2007, Austria is a relative bargain. A one-day metro card for the Vienna subway is now $8.20. The average hotel room costs $151 per night in Austria.<a href="http://www.budgettravel.com/slideshow/5-european-countries-where-prices-have-decreased-the-most,7685/#ixzz1YPZjJ6oc" target="_blank"><b>Click here to see the full results.</b></a> (Tina Mann)