Romania has the lowest prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages in the EU

By Emea Riga
According to Eurostat, the price of food and alcohol in Romania was the most advantageous for retail consumers.
Food price levels highest in Denmark, lowest in Romania. In 2019, the price level of a comparable basket of food & non-alcoholic beverages across the EU was almost twice as high in the most expensive Member State as in the cheapest one. Price levels ranged from 66% of the EU average in Romania and 70% in Poland, to 129% of the average in Denmark, followed by Luxembourg and Austria (both 124%), Finland (119%), Ireland (116%), France (115%), Sweden (114%), Malta (113%) and Belgium (112%).
Price levels for alcoholic beverages & tobacco showed significant variations between the EU Member States. The lowest price level in 2019 was registered in Bulgaria (62% of the average), ahead of Poland (74%), Hungary and Romania (both 75%). At the opposite end of the scale, the highest prices were observed in Ireland (188%), followed at a distance by Finland (157%), Sweden (131%), France (126%) and Denmark (119%). It should be noted that this large price variation is mainly due to differences in taxation of these products among the Member States.
Restaurants & hotels is another category where large differences in price levels were observed. Price levels ranged from 60% or less of the EU average in Bulgaria (45%) and Romania (54%) to 156% in Denmark.
Consumer electronics is a group of products where prices differed less among the Member States, ranging from 91% of the average in Poland to 111% in France.
Clothing is another group of products showing a smaller price disparity among the Member States, with Bulgaria (79% of the average) cheapest and Denmark (132%) most expensive, followed at a distance by Sweden (118%) and Finland (115%).
With the noticeable exception of Denmark (138% of the average) and the Netherlands (121%), price differences among the Member States were also limited for personal transport equipment, from 82% in Slovakia to 114% in Ireland.