Tips on how you can enjoy the fabulous island of Mykonos, whilst on a budget

Mykonos, sitting in the Aegean Sea, in Southern Europe, makes up one of Greece’s 227 islands. She is part of the Cyclades, a group of around 24 inhabited islands, sitting between Athens and Crete. These islands are known for their picture-perfect whitewashed ‘sugar cube’ houses, with sky blue doors and roofs. Mykonos is a relatively small Greek Island, at 86 km², especially when you consider Crete, Greece’s largest island, which is nearly 100 times bigger. The island is approximately 10 km in length, meaning it can be explored in less than a day with ease (we will come on to this later).

Holidays to Mykonos first became popular in the 1960s as a trendy destination visited by celebrities, with movie stars such as Grace Kelly and Brigitte Bardot, as well Jackie Kennedy jetting to the island. Since then famous faces have continued to flock to the island, turning Mykonos into a must-visit located for the wealthy. In more recent years Mykonos has also become a very popular stop-off point for cruise liners, driving up the prices in the shops and restaurants for the affluent day-trippers, as they come off the ship. In 2010 the cruise port welcomed 550 ships with an estimated 700,000 passengers.

This has resulted in Mykonos, similar to Santorini for the same reasons, being around 30% more expensive than the other Greek Islands. This has led to a perception that Mykonos holidays are perhaps slightly overrated, and that your Greek holiday can be better spent elsewhere. Despite this, Mykonos is undoubtedly wonderful and, for some, their trip of a lifetime. Because of that, and if the high price of Mykonos is deterring you from visiting, it is definitely worth considering how you can stay and enjoy the magic that the island has to offer, without spending thousands of pounds in doing so.

First to consider is the time of year that you will be visiting. It goes without saying that traveling in the winter months will be significantly cheaper, but whilst still beautiful, 90% of Mykonos will be shut up, including the vast majority of bars, restaurants, hotels. The weather, although likely to be a lot more pleasant than back home, will at times be wet and dreary, and despite reaching temperatures of 12 degrees some days, will probably feel colder due to the winds. If this doesn’t deter you, the difficulty in actually reaching Mykonos at this time of year might. Direct flights from the UK usually start at the beginning of April, through to the end of October, so outside of this you will need to fly into Athens and then onwards to Mykonos, most likely the following day.

A better option is to travel either side of the peak season, in either April and May or in October. In April temperatures can start to peak at 17 degrees, and up to 21 in May, and by October will still be hitting the low 20s. These months will be considerably less expensive than going in the peak summer, and significantly less than during the school holidays, both for flights and accommodation.

Cost-saving when it comes to accommodation can be tricky; the phrase too good to be true is usually correct when you opt for an extremely cheap hotel. You can still save money though, firstly by booking early (8 months to a year in advance) and bagging the great value hotels before everyone else. It is also worth considering self-catering hotels over all-inclusive or full board options, which in most cases will be less expensive per night. Having the ability to cook meals yourself will also mean you aren’t forced to eat in pricey restaurants every day, and you will even save on drinks of an evening too, purchasing some bottles for your fridge in your local supermarket and enjoying them on your terrace or balcony, rather than pay the high bar prices. 

That is not to say you won’t want to eat in restaurants at all during your trip; lunch and dinners alfresco in the warm summer breeze without having to cook or clean is one of the best elements of a holiday. Mykonos has hundreds to choose from and it is just a case of steering clear of the expensive high-end restaurants and choosing to eat off the beaten track slightly. Yes, this may mean you won’t be seated on the waters’ edge of Mykonos Town harbor looking over to Little Venice, but there are many hidden gems, with equally, and sometimes even better, food. You may just need to wander a little further to find them. For a super low-cost option grab a Gyros from one of the many popular cafes around Mykonos Town. This delicious traditional Greek meal consists of meat, tzatziki, fried potatoes or fries, and a salad of choice wrapped up snug in a pitta bread, which can be snapped up for less than 5 euros. Grab one each and take a seat on the benches outside on the cobbled streets to enjoy and watch the hustle and bustle go by.

Finally, enjoying all that Mykonos has to offer need not be extortionate either. In order to explore the less popular, but no less beautiful parts of Mykonos you will need to consider your transport options. There is a bus service on the island, although only in service between May and September, which covers the center of Mykonos and main beaches. As with all island life, the bus option can be slow and steady and seldom runs on time. Alternatively, small cars can be rented for as little as £120 for a week in April, when you book in advance. For something a little more exciting ATV (all-terrain vehicle) rentals are popular and can cost around 20 euros per day. Exploring the island from top to bottom on either of these can be a great day in itself, and will allow you to find the cheaper, out-of-the-way cafes and bars along the way.

Getting to these more remote areas will also mean accessing the lesser-known, and free(!) beaches. Some beaches will require you to rent sunbeds and umbrellas for upwards of 20 euros a day, Principle Beach Club in Panormos for example is known for charging between 60 and 90 euros! Wonderful free beaches are here too, you just need to find them, such as Agios Sostis beach, in the north of Mykonos and Merchia Beach to the northwest. Bring your towel and a picnic and enjoy the sun, sea, and peace.

You can fly to Mykonos direct in season between April and October from London Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton, Stansted, and Manchester in around 4 hours.