Let’s get real about skiing in 2026: a week in the big-name Alps resorts now costs more than a fortnight in the Maldives. Verbier, Courchevel, Zermatt. These aren’t ski holidays, they’re flex holidays for people with trust funds. Lift passes alone can hit £400. Add accommodation, food, equipment hire, and apres-ski drinks, and you’re looking at two grand minimum.

But here’s the secret the French ski industry doesn’t want you to know: snow falls on other mountains too. Mountains where a beer doesn’t cost £14 and a lift pass doesn’t require a payment plan.

These are the budget ski destinations that actually deliver –

BANSKO, BULGARIA

Lift pass: £180/week

Beer price: £2

Vibe: Eastern European party meets proper skiing

Bansko is the poster child for budget skiing, and for good reason. The resort has invested heavily in modern infrastructure. The gondola is new, the lifts are efficient and there’s genuine variety in the runs. You get 75km of piste, maxing out at 2,600m, with decent snow record.

The town itself is charming. With it’s UNESCO-listed old quarter with proper Bulgarian restaurants serving grilled meats and salads for pocket change. The apres-ski scene is lively without being obnoxious, and you can eat and drink like a king for what you’d spend on a single meal in Chamonix.

The catch: It gets crowded. The main gondola queue can be brutal on peak days. Book early season or late season to avoid the worst of it.

Best for: Beginners to intermediates, groups on a budget, people who like a night out

KRANJSKA GORA, SLOVENIA

Lift pass: £150/week

Beer price: £3

Vibe: Alpine charm without the attitude

Slovenia is quietly brilliant at everything, and skiing is no exception. Kranjska Gora is a small resort (30km of piste) but punches above its weight. The skiing is beginner-to-intermediate friendly, the village is genuinely pretty, and you’re a short drive from Lake Bled if you want a non-ski day.

What sets Slovenia apart is the quality-to-cost ratio. The food is excellent!  Think Austrian influence with Balkan flavours, and prices are half what you’d pay in Austria. The locals are friendly in a way that feels genuine rather than transactional.

The catch: Limited terrain for advanced skiers. If you’re chasing black runs and off-piste, this isn’t your spot.

Best for: Families, beginners, anyone who values charm over size.

GRANDVALIRA, ANDORRA

Lift pass: £200/week

Beer price: £3.50

Vibe: Surprisingly big, surprisingly good

People dismiss Andorra as a duty-free shopping trip with some skiing attached. They’re wrong. Grandvalira is the biggest resort in the Pyrenees with 210km of piste, and genuinely rivals mid-tier Alps resorts for variety. It’s particularly strong for intermediates, with long cruising runs and reliable snow.

The tax-free thing is real: alcohol, tobacco, and electronics are noticeably cheaper. This extends to ski gear so it’s worth buying anything you need here, rather than at home. Accommodation ranges from budget apartments to proper hotels, and eating out is reasonable by European standards.

The catch: The towns (Pas de la Casa, Soldeu) are functional rather than beautiful. Don’t come here for Instagram-worthy village vibes.

Best for: Intermediates wanting variety, groups mixing abilities, bargain hunters

BOROVETS, BULGARIA

Lift pass: £140/week

Beer price: £1.50

Vibe: Scrappy but loveable

Bansko’s older, scruffier cousin. Borovets is Bulgaria’s original ski resort is feeling a bit dated, a bit rough around the edges, but absurdly cheap and full of character. The skiing is limited (58km) but there’s a good mix of terrain including some genuine challenges.

What Borovets lacks in polish it makes up for in atmosphere. The apres-ski is rowdy, possibly a little too rowdy, which is either a feature or a bug depending on your preferences. It’s closer to Sofia than Bansko, making it easier to tack onto a city break.

The catch: Lift system is dated. Queues can be painful. Infrastructure is showing its age.

Best for: Budget-conscious groups, people who prioritise nightlife, anyone combining with a Sofia trip

JASNÁ, SLOVAKIA

Lift pass: £160/week

Beer price: £2.50

Vibe: Hidden gem with serious skiing

Slovakia is the most underrated ski destination in Europe. Jasná, in the Low Tatras, offers 50km of piste up to 2,024m, with a mix that’ll challenge intermediates and keep advanced skiers interested. The north face gets serious snow and there’s decent off-piste access.

The resort has invested in infrastructure like modern lifts and good snow-making, without losing its affordable Eastern European soul. Demänovská Dolina village is small but has enough restaurants and bars to keep you entertained, and the Slovak food (bryndzové halušky, anyone?) is hearty and delicious.

The catch: Getting there is a faff. Fly to Krakow or Vienna and drive, or take an even longer transfer from Bratislava.

Best for: Intermediates and advanced skiers seeking value, anyone bored of the obvious choices

THE MONEY-SAVING CHEAT SHEET

Book early (or late). January after the school holidays and March are cheaper than February half-term. Obviously.

Self-cater. Eating out every meal will kill your budget even in cheap resorts. Get an apartment, cook breakfasts and some dinners, eat out once a day.

Buy in resort (in Andorra). Ski gear, alcohol, anything you need. The duty-free savings are real!

Don’t rent at the resort. Equipment hire from town shops is always cheaper than the slope side places. Or bring your own boots. They make the biggest difference to your enjoyment and unless your feet are still growing, or you only want to go once, they are well worth owning (if your baggage allowance permits!).

Consider alternatives to flying. Train to Andorra via Barcelona is doable. Coach transfers to Eastern Europe are cheap. Driving makes sense for groups.

The Alps aren’t going anywhere. But neither is your bank balance at this rate. Try something different.