Ski price index 2023/2024: You can still go on vacation cheaply in these ski areas
Ski holidays are expensive. But if you compare the prices in the individual regions, there are huge differences. We show where you can ski cheaply this winter – which ski areas offer the best price-performance ratio and where it gets really expensive.
The first snow has already fallen in the mountains and in some places the lifts are already whirring. But skiing is an expensive pleasure – especially in the large and well-known ski areas. The booking portal Holiday has therefore carried out a price comparison in European ski regions that have at least 20 kilometers of slopes.
The five cheapest ski areas in the ranking
The ranking was determined based on the average ski pass prices per person per day plus the average overnight prices for holiday apartments and houses per person per night in the winter season.* These costs were also compared to the total number of kilometers of slopes in a ski area, so that also the price per kilometer of slopes was determined:
1. Roubin les Buisses, France
- Average price per day and person for ski pass plus accommodation: 40 euros
- Costs per kilometer of slopes: 1.32 euros
The cheapest ski resort, Roubin Les Buisses, is located in the Alpes-Maritimes in southern France at an altitude of between 1420 and 1920 meters. It is a small but nice ski area with a total of 30 kilometers of slopes and seven lifts. Most of the slopes are easy to moderately difficult and are very suitable for families with children. There are a total of seven kilometers of black pistes for experts. The ski pass is unbeatably cheap and costs 20 euros per day in high season; overnight prices start at 26 euros per person per night.
2. Reallon, France
- Average price per day and person for ski pass plus accommodation: 43 euros
- Costs per kilometer of slopes: 1.43 euros
Second place goes to Réallon, a ski resort also located in southern France, about 130 kilometers southeast of Grenoble. The ski area goes from around 1560 meters up to 2146 meters below the peak of Les Aiguilles de Chabrières. A total of 30 kilometers of slopes are available to winter sports enthusiasts with a total of eight lifts. The majority of the slopes are easy to medium difficulty. The ski pass price for adults is 25 euros, prices for holiday accommodation are between 17 and 19 euros per night.
3. Lans en Vercors, France
- Average price per day and person for ski pass plus accommodation: 43 euros
- Costs per kilometer of slopes: 1.88 euros
This small and charming ski resort with almost 2,700 inhabitants in the Rhone Alps is only ten kilometers from Grenoble. It lies on a plateau in the Vercors Mountains. The ski area extends over 23 kilometers of slopes, which are between 1400 and 1800 meters above sea level. Here too, most of the slopes are easy to medium difficulty and ideal for beginners. Advanced skiers will also find black slopes – a total of two kilometers. Day tickets cost between 19 and 22 euros, accommodation from 18 euros in the low season.
4. Artouste – Laruns, France
- Average price per day and person for ski pass plus accommodation: 44 euros
- Costs per kilometer of slopes: 1.61 euros
An insider tip in the Pyrenees: Not far from the Spanish border is this 150-hectare ski resort, which is considered a paradise for freeriders. The region is proud not only of its affordable prices, but also of the fact that it is one of the few ski areas in France that does not use snow cannons and only relies on natural snow. In total, the ski area offers 27 kilometers of slopes and a snow park for boarders.
5. Seyne – Le Grand Puy, France
- Average price per day and person for ski pass plus accommodation: 44 euros
- Cost per kilometer of slopes: 1.98 euros
170 hectares in size and 24 kilometers of ski slopes: The Le Grand Puy ski area in the town of Seyne in the southwest Alps of France offers all levels of difficulty and is therefore ideal for the whole family. It is located at 1280 meters and goes up to 1700 meters above sea level. In addition to skiing, the region also offers ideal conditions for telemarking, snowshoe hiking and tobogganing.
The top 3 ski areas with the best price-performance ratio
To evaluate the price-performance ratio, Holidu extracted Google Maps data and related it to the average daily price for ski pass and accommodation. This resulted in a price-performance score of 1 to 10, with 10 being the best rating.
1. Sierra Nevada, Spain
- Average price per day and person for ski pass plus accommodation: 134 euros
- Costs per kilometer of slopes: 1.26 euros
- Value for money score: 10
The winner among the ski regions with the best price-performance ratio is the Sierra Nevada in Spain. The southernmost ski region in Europe is located in the Penibético mountain range and extends up to 3300 meters. With 100 kilometers of slopes and 24 lifts, the ski area is also large and offers a lot of variety – also with regard to the après-ski scene. Schmancker: The ski region offers fantastic views all the way to the Mediterranean and, on very clear days, even as far as Morocco. According to Holidu, the over 16,000 reviews on Google show high guest satisfaction with a rating of 4.4 stars. Ski tickets for one day cost between 47 and 57 euros.
2. Stubai Glacier, Austria
- Average price per day and person for ski pass plus accommodation: 125 euros
- Costs per kilometer of slopes: 1.92 euros
- Value for money score: 6.29
The Stubai Glacier in Austria comes in second. The ski area stands out on Google with over 10,000 reviews and a rating of 4.7 stars. The glacier ski area goes up to 3210 meters and is very large with 65 kilometers and 26 lifts. Freestylers will also find fantastic terrain there. The “Top of Tyrol” platform offers a breathtaking view of the surrounding peaks. A ski pass costs from 54 euros per day and upwards.
3. Le Grand Massif, France
- Average price per day and person for ski pass plus accommodation: 93 euros
- Costs per kilometer of slopes: 0.35 euros
- Value for money score: 6.14
Third place goes to the La Grand Massif interconnected ski area in France, which is located around 50 kilometers from Geneva. With 265 kilometers and 62 lifts, it is one of the largest ski areas in Europe. It connects the winter sports resorts of Flaine, Les Carroz d’Arâches, Morillon, Samoëns and Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval. Since the area mostly has easy to moderate slopes, it is ideal for families. A ski pass costs around 54 euros and accommodation costs between 84 and 101 euros, depending on the season. On Google, Le Grand Massif has a 4.5 star rating with more than 7,000 reviews.
The most expensive ski resorts in Europe
The following three ski regions emerged as the most expensive ski areas in the ranking:
1. Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
- Average price per day and person for ski pass plus accommodation: 258 euros
- Costs per kilometer of slopes: 2.15 euros
Cortina d’Ampezzo is one of the most famous and exclusive ski resorts in Europe, offering guests a lot of entertainment – on and off the slopes. The ski area has 120 kilometers of slopes and 27 lifts and offers a lot of variety. But all of this comes at a price: a day ticket for skiing costs between 67 and 74 euros, depending on whether it is high or low season. The average price for an overnight stay per person is 97 euros in the low season and a whopping 278 euros per night during the high season.
2. Obergurgl-Hochgurgl, Austria
- Average price per day and person for ski pass plus accommodation: 254 euros
- Cost per kilometer of slopes: 2.35 euros
Obergurgl-Hochgurgl takes second place among the most expensive ski areas. It impresses with its altitude of 1,793 to 3,030 meters and is therefore considered to have snow. A total of 108 kilometers of slopes with 26 lifts are available to winter sports enthusiasts. The price is high: day ski passes cost around 70 euros and overnight prices between 139 and 229 euros between high and low season.
3. Zermatt, Switzerland
- Average price per day and person for ski pass plus accommodation: 250 euros
- Costs per kilometer of slopes: 0.78 euros
In third place is Zermatt in Switzerland, which boasts the dream backdrop of the Matterhorn and is a superlative ski resort in terms of altitude, size and snow. After all, skiers can climb up to 3,899 meters – where the oxygen content is somewhat scarcer than in the valley. A total of 53 lifts and over 322 kilometers of slopes are available to winter sports enthusiasts, from which you can reach all the way to Italy. In addition: countless wonderful restaurants on the slopes, some of which are housed in beautiful old chalets. A day of skiing costs 88 euros and accommodation ranges between 135 and 190 euros, depending on the season.
* Holidu took into account the travel periods from December 25, 2023 to January 2, 2024 (high season) and from March 25, 2023 to April 2, 2025 (low season) for the ranking. The prices for day ski passes were taken from the official ski resort websites. If 2023/2024 seasonal prices were not available, 2022/2023 prices were used as a reference. The average daily price per person was calculated from the median price per night for accommodation and the average ski pass price.
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