Is it cheaper to spend a week in Paris, Hawaii, or down the Shore? We investigated.

Is it really cheaper to go to Europe than the Jersey Shore? Some readers — especially those facing soaring Shore rental costs — seem to think so.

“It is absolutely true that you can go to Paris, Rome, London, or any other European spot for less than it costs to rent, eat, and partake of what the shore has to offer,” Lisa Guercio of Philadelphia first wrote to us in 2023, with Shore prices still in a post-COVID inflationary high.

Reached this week, Guercio stood by her assessment, mostly. “The only thing I would add now is that in the past two to three years costs in Europe have gotten more expensive too,” Guercio said this week.

Can you still really jet off at the last minute to, say, Paris, for less money than slogging it with your linens and towels down the A.C. Expressway and Garden State Parkway (about $15 in tolls eastbound, another $6 for the bridge on the way home) to check in to a weekly rental in Ocean City?

We put it to the test, asking Philly travel agents for quotes on trips to Honolulu, Paris, Puerto Rico, via Paul Ferdinand of Rainbow Voyages, and to Ireland and Tuscany through independent travel agent Rebecca Wzorek.

Brian Logue, managing partner of the Anchor Group in Ocean City, says Shore rental prices have cooled since the post-COVID high.

“Some owners got a little happy with their prices, a little ambitious,” Logue said. “They were slow to react when people started to travel and market slowed. The pricing has adjusted to a new realty.”

As always, the best deal at the Shore is a friend with a beach house. Here’s what we found.

Ferdinand found that a week in Honolulu from Aug. 12 to 19, could rival a week at the Shore in price.

“Besides being a spectacularly beautiful place, Honolulu has a cultural, artistic, and food scene going on that’s quite unique,” Ferdinand said.

Round-trip airfare runs $660 per person with one connection each way. He priced an oceanview room at the three-star Park Shore Waikiki at $2,030 total, including all taxes and fees.

“You can lay in your bed and have a completely unobstructed view of the Pacific and Diamond Head through the floor to ceiling windows in the room,” he noted.

“Try getting a house for a week at the Shore for that price,” he said, accurately.

Food: Our food writer Kiki Aranita recommends the set menu at Helena’s Hawaiian Food, where the kalua pig and pipikaula short ribs run about $30. For a more casual option, the mix plate at Rainbow Drive-In — with barbecue beef, boneless chicken, and mahi mahi with a side of gravy — costs $16.10.

Beaches: Free.

Drinks: Coconut water: $4.90 at Helena’s. A can of Aloha spirit blonde ale from Waikiki Brewery runs about $3.

The Main Liners Shore House Rentals Facebook page is popping with last-minute deals, including a two-bedroom, two-bath condo at 9401 Sunset Drive, dubbed Bayfront Bliss by Taylor Palmer of Coldwell Banker.

“ … just steps from downtown Stone Harbor! Enjoy stunning sunsets every night and easy walks to local favorites like Fred’s Tavern, Springer’s Ice Cream, Coffee Talk, and The Reeds at Shelter Haven,” the listing touts.

Palmer is quoting $3,200 for Aug. 9—16 and notes that October weeks are available.

On Airbnb, a similar two-bedroom bayfront condo that sleeps four has recently been reduced to $3,750.

Realtors say some summer buyers list their new properties for last-minute rentals. Options include a four-bedroom “barefoot bungalow” on 87th available starting mid-August for $995 a night, seven-night minimum ($6,965 total), and a townhouse near 86th and Third listed for $4,500 for the week.

Food: The Hawaiian poke with tuna at The Watering Hull on 96th Street costs $26.

Beaches: $17 per person, per week.

Drinks: A Slacktide Schoolie on draft is $8.

Ferdinand found a deal for four for a week in San Juan, with the wide beaches and calm waters of Isla Verde.

“Marriott is in the apartment business down there and manages a luxury building Casa Costa,” Ferdinand said. “Studio and one bedroom units come equipped with full kitchens.”

The rate for a studio from Aug. 12 to Aug. 19 is $2,239, whether it’s just two adults or two adults with two children under 12, he said.

Air is $429 roundtrip on Frontier out of Philadelphia, but Avelo has seats from Wilmington on Wednesdays and Sundays ranging from $109 to $159. Even with added bag fees, the total cost — including airfare — still comes in below many weekly Shore rentals.

Food: At Jacinta Cuisine, Duck Ropa Viejo tacos will run you $18, and the very tempting “Bloody Mary linguine pasta with mussels, clams and shrimp,” runs $39.

Beaches: Free.

Drinks: A local Medalla Light will run you $5.

Prices on Long Beach Island vary widely for the second week in August, ranging from $2,500 to a whopping $45,000 for an 11-room beauty on the lagoon.

Food: Polly’s Clam Bake (serves two) is $42.99 and comes with corn, potatoes, and garlic bread.

Beaches: $20 tags per person, weekly.

Drinks: Ship Bottom Brewery’s LBI Lager, 12 pack, $21.99.

In Wildwood, a room at the Brittaney Motel was listed at $198 per night, totaling $1,386 for the week.

Wildwood food: Smoked half chicken at the delicious Wildwood BBQ: $18.

Beaches: FREE!

Drinks: A six pack of Unfiltered Baker’s Double from Mudhen is $14.99.

Ferdinand found a great deal in the City of Lights.

“Forget about visions of a drab and dreary three-star hotel tucked away in some backwater neighborhood,” Ferdinand said. “The 9Hotel République offers crisp contemporary rooms near Place de la République and the trendy Marais district.“

Rooms come with a queen-size bed — a rarity in many small Paris hotels — he noted (lines included). And, “There’s an honor bar in the lobby,” he added.

Total price of the trip is $3,012.40 for two, departing PHL on a nonstop American Airlines flight on Aug. 12 and returning Aug. 19.

Tickets are $927.00 per person round trip, and the hotel costs $1057.00, including the French VAT.

“I’ve also made an allowance for the Paris city tax of €8.45 per person, per night, payable locally at the hotel, which totals $198.50," he said. “That’s included in the total price of the trip.”

Europe is starting to look pretty good in August.

Food: At Le Ju’ the “incontournable” tagliatelle with mushrooms and truffle cream costs €15.

Drinks: A glass of French beer Desperados costs €6.80.

“Tell me where you can take a family of 14 for $7,500,” says Logue, referring to a house available at 608 Atlantic Ave. in Ocean City. “You can’t even take them to dinner for $7,500.”

“It doesn’t feel cramped,” he said.

His advice to last minute bookers: negotiate. “The key is don’t wait too long. A lot of these owners, they might just decide they’ll use it.”

Logue also has a second-floor unit at 919 Central Ave. — with four bedrooms and two baths — available Aug. 9-16. It sleeps 18 and is listed at $6,000 for the week.

Logue is skeptical about the European or Honolulu comparisons, especially for families. “My memories aren’t of places we flew to,” he said. “The Shore is in our DNA.”

Food: Plain pie at Manco’s costs $25.75.

Beaches: $20 weekly tag per person.

Drinks: None, dry town.

Rebecca Wzorek of Travels with Rebecca, doesn’t think you’ll necessarily spend less to go to Europe than the Jersey Shore, but it still might be less than you think.

She just planned an 8-night week in Ireland for a couple that came to $6,800, with flights.

“While a week in Europe can be affordable, it’s rarely the same price as a Jersey Shore rental,” she said. “However, for a bit more, and the proper assistance from a skilled travel agent, you can absolutely explore the world in comfort.”

Their itinerary took them from Dublin to Limerick, Killarney, and Galway, and included a Killarney National Park Horseback ride.

If people are trying to recreate the big family Jersey Shore house feel in Europe, Wzorek suggested perhaps a private villa in Tuscany.

She found a seven-bedroom, five-bathroom villa with a private pool that sleeps up to 13 people. “Can easily be shared among two or three families and costs $10,808 for a week in August,” she noted.

Food: The Flaming Fire Cracker wood-fired pizza at J.M. Reidy’s in Killarney — topped with spicy tandori chicken, fior di latte mozzarella, hot honey, pickled jalapeños, nduja sausage, sriracha chili sauce — runs €16.

Drinks: An espresso martini with specialty house espresso costs €13.

As far as beach houses with private pools go in Margate, this one has vacancies in August. The four-bedroom home is 200 yards from the beach, includes an elevator, and is a five-minute walk to Lucy the Elephant and two blocks from Wawa. It’s listed at $1,741 a night, totaling $12,185 for the week.

Food: Fried oysters over grilled romaine at Steve & Cookies costs $19. For a splurge, Leidy’s double-cut stuffed pork chop is $44.

Beaches: $20 per person for the season.

Drinks: Bottle of Kona Brewing Co. Hanalei IPA is $7.