The cheapest places to buy a country cottage have been revealed.

A new ranking has revealed the best places for Brits to buy a country house abroad, with Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece proving popular. The prospect of buying a Bulgarian house for £91,000 topped the list, which is reminiscent of the real estate boom times of the early 2000s, when television programs were literally filled with shows about country homes away from home.

Research by currency card specialists FairFX

While most Brits buying a home abroad prefer Spain or France, research by currency map specialists FairFX has produced a list of alternative destinations where house prices are most affordable. Bulgaria tops the list of the 10 most favorable destinations for buying a country house abroad. The report indicates that Bulgaria is the most affordable country to buy a second home with an average cost of £90,734. It is followed by Turkey and Greece with average house prices of £104,225 and £118,921 respectively. The most expensive destinations including Monaco, Switzerland and Belgium also feature in the ranking.

The research by international currency provider FairFX also indicates that property value is just one of the factors buyers should consider when choosing overseas properties. The political, economic and cultural environment also determines the attractiveness of investment.

Help potential buyers

The head of FairFX, Ian Strafford-Taylor, said their research helps potential second home buyers assess which country to choose by looking at the average cost of an apartment, as well as important elements that will be needed on arrival. To get the best value, it is important to consider all living expenses and the cash value of the home. It is also important to research the region in which the property will be purchased.

List of commodities needed and additional costs

In addition, FairFX has compiled a list of essential goods for the week for each country, including the prices of milk, bread, eggs, water and a bottle of wine. The list showed that Bahamian residents are expected to pay four times more for paramount goods than residents of the Czech Republic. These additional costs should also be considered when choosing where to buy a second home.

The most important factor that was not included in the study, however, is the ease and cost of reaching the destination. This plays an important role in how often the country house can be used and the annual cost of using it. It can also affect real estate values, as future potential buyers will be interested in places that are easy and cheap to get to.