The German automobile association ADAC has conducted a research of prices of incidential charges (like Sun protector, Apsirin, T-Shirts, food and beverage, batteries, internet access, parking, sun screen rentals at beaches, ice cream, gas...) across the following 10 countries: Denmark, Germany, France, Greece, Italy, Croatia, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Turkey. They test-bought 48 classical products/services all at the same day during high season and came up with an average of these 48 items of €322.56.In Poland, however, you only pay 81% of this amount whereas in France, the most expensive country of all, you'd have to invest 125%! Here are the remaining ranks: Greece (87%), Portugal (91%), Spain (92%), Turkey (93%) and Germany (96%). The above average countries besides France are: Croatia (105%), Italy (112%) and Denmark (117%).
Posted by
Florida, USA
12172 posts
This is useful information.
Not surprising that France or Denmark are expensive.
Also not surprising that Poland is cheap.
Croatia being above average was surprising.
Also surprising that a German would be happy about being below average, LOL!
Posted by
Bothell, WA, USA
206 posts
Rick has a list on this site comparing cities:
http://www.ricksteves.com/news/travelnews/0805/apfels.htm
This was more helpful to me than generalizing with entire countries. For example, rural areas in just about any country are less expensive than the city.
Posted by
Pearland, TX, USA
852 posts
Thanks, Andreas, for sharing this information. It puts everything into a considered perspective, doesn't it? (for the moment, anyway)... P
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
France the most expensive? Outside of Paris, I have always found France one of the more affordable countries in western Europe.
Posted by
Halifax, N.S.
211 posts
Hmm, I think it depends on the items that were used to judge. I'm living in France right now, and I can tell you that batteries, internet access and sun screen prices all came as a shock to me.
I pay 20 euros a month for interent but with a catch of only 8GB of downloading per month
As for sunscreen anywhere from 14 euros and up...
Posted by
Seattle, USA
990 posts
This is interesting, though perhaps not as useful as if it were broken down more. For example, Turkey is generally a lot cheaper than most Western European destinations in terms of hotels, meals, and internal transportation. Gasoline is extremely expensive there, though, as is wine. But if you weren't planning to drive and you didn't drink wine, those higher costs wouldn't affect you.
Seems hard to believe that France beat out Denmark, however you slice it, though.
Posted by
SLC, Utah, USA
35 posts
I'd beg to differ with that--we spent 50E for a 2 bedroom apt, a 3 minute stroll from the Aegean last July. Groceries were absurdly cheap, we bought beach floats, suncreen and towels for under 8USD and meals hovered around 15E for two. Like the US, however, I'm sure prices fluctate from shop to shop.