This is despite inflation rising by 11.1% and the country in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.

One of the most popular toys, the Lego Ideas Grand Piano, priced at £344, has risen by 93% when compared to last Christmas.

The Schleich Lakeside Country House and Stable is 91% more expensive this year at £119 while the cost of the Lego Technic Bugatti Chiron has risen 87% to £333.

However, some popular toys have also decreased in price in the last 12 months. They include the Lego Santa’s Sleigh, which is down 346% at £39.99, the Barbie Dreamtopia Mermaid Styling Head, down 194% at £23.50, and the Melissa & Doug Super Smile Dentist Playset, down 128%, at £27.

The data was compiled by PriceRunner, the comparison website which compares prices on 2.6m products at over 6,000 shops.

While 68% of people say their money won’t stretch as far this year due to the cost of living crisis, 51% of the 2,000 asked by the website said they still plan to spend as much – or more – on presents this year.

The most popular toys for Christmas 2022

The ten most popular toys for this Christmas, according to those searching on PriceRunner, are the following. Prices vary considerably and the cheapest retailer listed on the price comparison website is mentioned below:

1. Lego Ideas Home Alone, £259.99 at the Lego Shop
2. Lego Creator Porsche 911, £119.99 at IWOOT
3. Lego Adidas Originals Superstar, £55.99 at the Lego Shop
4. Melissa & Doug Slice & Stack Sandwich Counter, £42.95 at Uberkids
5. Lego Disney the Disney castle, £309 at the Lego Shop
6. Funko Pop! TV Stranger things Demogorgon, £10.99 at Zavvi UK
7. Funko Pop! Harry Potter advent calendar, £79.15 at Amazon
8. Lego Creator Aquarium, 341.90 at the Lego Shop
9. Vtech Marble Rush Adventure Set, £48.99 at OnBuy
10. Smart Sketcher, Projector 2.0, £60.71 at Amazon

The following are the 10 cheapest toys of the 100 most popular toys people are searching for on the comparison website, and where to find them cheapest.

1. Barbie Travel Doll, £38.99 at Toy Dip
2. Funko Pop! TV Stranger Things Demogorgon, £10.99 at Zavvi UK
3. Nerf N-Strike Elite Tactical Vest, £11.90 at Onbuy
4. Funko Pop! TV Stranger Things Dustin, £11.95 at Magic Madhouse
5. Lego Star Wars 501st Legion Clone Troopers, £16.66 at Ocado
6. Smyths Curlimals Blue Badger, £20 at Argos
7. Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Smart Stages Chair, £20.59 at Early Learning Centre
8. Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar, £22.49 at Ocado
9. Playmobil 1-2-3 Christmas Crib Advent Calendar, £24.99 at Giddy Goat Toys
10. Lego Harry Potter Hogwarts Fluffy Encounter, £24.99 at JD Williams

The cheapest place to find popular toys

Prices vary considerably for the most popular toys so it’s worth comparing the price at different retailers. There are several comparison websites you could use, including Price Runner or Google Shopping.

You could also set up a free price alert to be notified when the price of something drops. Many big retailers, such as Tesco, Aldi, and Argos are also expected to have toy sales and discounts in the next few weeks.

With children’s toys and clothes especially, items are often lightly used then re-sold. If you can pick something up second hand, it will be a lot cheaper and websites such as Vinted, Facebook Marketplace and eBay are all worth a scan before you buy something brand new.

It’s also a good idea to keep an eye on your local charity shops to see what is being donated in the run-up to Christmas.

Evelina Galli, PriceRunner’s consumer expert, said: “We know from our research that two thirds of people say their money doesn’t stretch as far this year due to the cost-of-living crisis, so planning ahead, doing lots of research to find the best prices and sticking to a set budget is absolutely key to lessening those money worries.

“We know that three quarters of people who regularly shop online now use a price comparison website because they recognise they can more easily compare prices to find the cheapest products online, versus going from shop to shop on the high street. We’re trying to help consumers as much as we can to save money and buy items at the best possible price.”