LONDON, 24 September 2018: Fans of Oktoberfest, famed for its buckets of draft beer swilled down with sausage, sauerkraut and mash, might be a little peeved by the prospect of paying more for their beer this year.
The annual beer festival is now in full swing in downtown Munich, through to 7 October, but it is not at all good news for tipplers as the price of their favourite booze rises.
The latest research from ECA International shows that the average cost of a 500ml bottle of beer purchased at a bar in Munich is now EUR6.37, compared with EUR6.09 last year.
However, this is still considerably cheaper than the price of a beer in London where the average is EUR7.87, almost 25% more expensive.
The most expensive location in the world to buy a beer is Dhaka, Bangladesh – where one bottle would set you back an average of EUR14.71.
“Although the prices at Oktoberfest are slightly higher than last year, the cost of buying a bottle of beer at a bar is still significantly cheaper than many locations around the world” said ECA International production manager Steven Kilfedder. “Places such as Scandinavia, as well as the UK and Ireland, have higher taxes on beer and alcohol resulting in higher prices when visiting a bar whereas the alcohol taxes in Germany are comparably low.”
The findings come from ECA’s latest Cost of Living Survey, which compares a basket of like-for-like consumer goods and services commonly purchased by international assignees in 475 locations worldwide.
The survey allows businesses to ensure that their employees’ spending power is maintained when they are sent on international assignments. ECA International has been conducting research into cost of living for over 45 years.
Reykjavik is the most expensive location in Europe to buy a beer, Czech Republic is the cheapest
The Icelandic capital of Reykjavik is the most expensive place in Europe to buy a beer at a bar, with a whopping average cost of EUR 13.69.
Kilfedder explained “The cost of alcohol in Scandinavia has always been high and this year remains no different, with the price of a beer in Reykjavik well over double that of Munich. The main reason for this is the very high level of tax that is imposed on alcohol in all Scandinavian countries, which drives up the price of beer. For instance, Oslo is also significantly more expensive than most locations in Europe, with visitors paying EUR12.86 for a beer.”
The cheapest nation for beer in Europe is Czech Republic. In Brno, a bottle of beer at a bar would cost an average of EUR 2.48, over 60% cheaper than Munich.
Kilfedder said “The Czech Republic has long been known for cheap beer and the prices are among the cheapest in Europe, with Brno being the cheapest place to buy a bottle in the whole of Europe”.
London though is among the most expensive locations to purchase a beer, with an average cost of EUR7.87 a bottle. However, prices in Paris are even higher, with a beer typically costing EUR9.47 – 49% more expensive than in Munich.
Asian cities are among the most expensive places to buy beer.
Asian tourists to this year’s Oktoberfest are in for the biggest bargain, considering the high price of beer in many cities back home. Dhaka leads the way with the average beer in the Bangladeshi city costing 131% more than in Munich.
Likewise, the average cost of a beer in Singapore is over double that of Munich too, at EUR13.52, whilst the average amount on a night out in Hong Kong is EUR9.96 – 56% more expensive than at the home of Oktoberfest.
Kilfedder said “The cost of beer in Dhaka especially is extremely expensive as it is only allowed to be sold to foreigners in selected restaurants and hotels.”
In what may be a surprise location to some – Maseru, Lesotho is the city with the cheapest beer in the world according to ECA’s survey. The average bottle bought at a bar would cost just EUR2.40.
However, there are affordable prices in North and South America, with New York a notable exception
A beer would not break the bank in most North or South American locations, with a beer in Rio de Janeiro only costing an affordable EUR3.89 on average. Manhattan, New York on the other hand is unsurprisingly the most expensive location in the region, with a beer costing EUR8.66 – 27% more than in Munich.
And for those looking for an Oktoberfest experience in North America – Cincinnati, home of one of the biggest Oktoberfest celebrations outside of Germany, is slightly cheaper than the Bavarian original with an average price of EUR6.17 for a beer.
The price of a bottle of beer around the world (selected).
The price of a bottle of beer around the world (selected)
| Location | Price of beer (EUR) | % difference with Munich |
| Dhaka, Bangladesh | 14.71 | + 131% |
| Reykjavik, Iceland | 13.69 | + 115% |
| Singapore | 13.52 | + 112% |
| Oslo, Norway | 12.86 | + 102% |
| Paris, France | 9.47 | + 49% |
| London, UK | 7.87 | + 24% |
| Brussels, Belgium | 6.34 | – <1% |
| Madrid, Spain | 5.13 | – 19% |
| Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 3.89 | – 39% |
| Johannesburg, S. Africa | 3.34 | – 48% |
| Brno, Czech Republic | 2.48 | – 61% |
| Maseru, Lesotho | 2.40 | – 62% |
ECA International (www.eca-international.com) is a provider of knowledge, information and technology that enables businesses to manage their international reward programmes.
The Cost of Living Survey was carried out in March and September using a basket of day-to-day goods and services commonly purchased by assignees. The data used above refers to year-on-year movements between ECA’s March 2013 and March 2018 surveys. ECA’s Cost of Living Survey rankings began in 2005.
