The average cost of a 500ml bottle of beer purchased at a bar in Munich is 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,” says Steven Kilfedder, production manager at ECA International.
“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.
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 EUR13.69.
Kilfedder explains: “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 EUR2.48, over 60% cheaper than Munich.
Kilfedder says: “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 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 tourists to this year’s Oktoberfest are in for the biggest bargain, considering the high price of beer in many cities in the region. 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, while the average amount on a night out in Hong Kong is EUR9.96 – 56% more expensive than at the home of Oktoberfest.
Kilfedder says: “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.
“The Lesotho capital may not be everyone’s first thought as a tourist location, but visitors to the African location would be able to enjoy the cheapest beer prices in the world,” Kilfedder says. “However, this is mostly a result of the weak currency in the African nation in comparison to the euro.”
Johannesburg’s beer is 48% less than in Munich, at EUR3.34.
A beer would not break the bank in most North or South American locations, with a beer in Rio de Janeiro 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 EUR 6.17 for a beer.