For ardent beer lovers looking to expand their horizons beyond local breweries, beer can be a serious hidden travel cost. In some corners of the world, beer is pleasantly easy on the pockets. In other places – not so much.
For instance, if you’re from Brussels, where the average cost of a 330 ml bottle of beer is about 3 dollars, and are visiting Tokyo - be prepared to pay double for the same quantity. On the other hand, you’d be thrilled to see 330 ml beers priced at as little as 2 dollars while visiting Madrid, Spain.
How much beer costs in a country is useful information to have in advance when planning a beer fund for a vacation, and financial site Expensivity understands this only too well. So for their World Beer Index 2021, this company analysed two sets of data from the capital cities of 58 countries around the world. One set focused on the cost of beer at a supermarket, shedding light on the prices of commercially well-known global brands like Heineken and Corona. The second set looked specifically at the price of 12-ounce bottles of beer at hotel lobby bars, standardized into U.S. dollars.
They then combined the results from these two sets of data together for a quick analysis of the ‘average’ cost of getting a beer in a particular country.
Not only that, Expensivity also used statistics provided by the World Health Organisation to note the amount of alcohol consumption per capita along with the percentage of annual beer consumption.
Here’s a look at what they found!
Key Findings
- Qatar has the most expensive beer in the world, with an average price of US$11.26 per 33cl (330ml) bottle
- The cheapest beer is in South Africa, where the average price is $1.68 per bottle
- The Czech Republic has the highest consumption rate, with 468 beers per person per year
- Germans spend an average $1,907.78 per year on beer, the top figure in our study
Qatar Has The Most Expensive Beer
According to Expensivity, Doha, Qatar wins the "World Cup" for having the most expensive beer in the world. Indeed, at an average price of $11.26, going out drinking in Qatar could cost you a lot of money. The predominantly Muslim country introduced a 100% tax on alcohol imports way ahead of the 2022 World Cup. Not only that, visitors need a special permit to drink alcohol. While China's beer is priced at $7.71, Expensivity asks readers to consider that it is an average of the price of a hotel beer ($13.61) and a supermarket beer ($1.81). "It’s clear the steep prices are aimed at visitors. Beer is cheapest in South Africa, where a culture of buying in bulk tends to keep prices down," states Expensivity in their report.
The International Beer Index in Full
According to Expensivity, the ten countries with the highest average annual beer bill each have beer that costs upwards of four bucks. Their data also suggests that Poland, which secures second place in the most expensive list may owe its $1,738-average beer bill to bachelor parties hosted at hotels. Bosnia, on the other hand, is an exception among the big drinkers. Expensivity notes that this country is in eighth place for beer consumption by bottle (331 per year) but still ranks 30th for overall spend ($647.21), since the average price falls under two bucks.
Germany Spends the Most Money On Beer
With spirits accounting for the jaw-dropping 97% of booze consumed in Haiti, Expensivity notes that Haitians are most likely just not that into beer. The country's annual beer bill of $10.02 is the lowest beer consumption and spend in Expensivity's report. On the other end of the spectrum, Germans are spending a little less than $2k per year on beer. Expensivity found 15 countries where beer is more expensive than Germany. However, with a consumption rate of 411 bottles per person annually, Germany, a nation known for its rich beer culture and a stringent (delicious) beer purity law that has stood the test of time certainly pays the most in total.
Czechia and Spain Drink The Most Beer In The World
This comes as no surprise but the Czech Republic wins the title of the biggest beer-drinking nation in the world, with 468 beers consumed per person per year. This could also be a result of the fact that the capital city of Prague which is also known for being the ultimate destination for bachelor parties, is the fourth most-visited place in Europe. Expensivity notes that like Spain, in second place, the Czech Republic's beer consumption may be significantly magnified by visiting party animals.
As mentioned earlier, Haiti drinks the least amount of beer, counted per bottle or per spend while most of the countries that recorded a low beer intake most likely owe their low numbers to the primarily Muslim populations with Armenia being an exception. Expensivity states that the west Asian country drinks just 40 beers per person annually, with brandy, vodka and wine being local favourites.
Check out the full report here.
Source: Expensivity
