Cost of a pint in the UK 127% higher than world average

24-Jul-2023 - Last updated on 25-Jul-2023 at 13:56 GMT

Rising costs: pint of beer in the UK 127% more expensive than world average (Credit: Getty/Nastasic)

A pint of beer in the UK is 127% more expensive than the worldwide average cost, new research from Finder UK has revealed.

The financial experts compiled the figures using data from cost-of-living sites Expatistan and Numbeo to estimate the average prices of beer in the most populated cities in 166 countries.

According to the survey, the cost of a pint in the UK was estimated to be £5.90 as of June this year, which is 127% higher and “significantly more expensive” than the global average of £2.60.

Finder UK head of communications and consumer advocate Matt Mckenna said: “Pubs are struggling with rising costs, and this has been passed on to consumers in the form of higher pint prices.

“Shrinking profit margins are certainly an issue for pubs but it is hard to imagine that many Brits will lose their love of heading to the pub for a pint after work or at the weekend.”

Lowest and highest priced

The data showed Qatar sold the most expensive pints of beer in world on average at £10.47, followed by UAE at £9.93 and Oman at 8.68.

Comparatively, Burundi in Africa was estimated to sell the cheapest pints in the world, costing just 46p. Lesotho, Libya, Togo and Malwai were also among the lowest priced places for a pint of beer.

The cheapest beer in Europe was estimated to be in Moldova with pints costing £1.36 on average, followed by Kosovo (£1.44), Belarus (£1.69) and Bulgaria (£1.70).

Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Finland were found to be the most expensive places for a pint in Europe, coming in at £7.81, £7.13, £6.54 and £6.33 respectively.

This comes as the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) last week revealed the cost of a pint of draught lager in a UK pub had increased almost 12% in the year to June 2023, while draught bitter prices saw an 8.8% upswing.

Tough decisions

ONS estimated the average cost of a pint of lager had risen from £4.09 in June 2022 to £4.57 this year while a pint of draught bitter increased from £3.50 to £3.81 year-on-year.

Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) national chairman Nik Antona said: “Despite some easing of inflation rates, the latest ONS data shows that pubgoers will continue to feel the squeeze with the price of a pint continuing to climb.”

Moreover, the data showed the cost of a pint of draught lager in the UK had soared by 25% over the last five years while bitter prices had seen a 24.5% hike.

In addition, analysis of Government data by the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) earlier this year revealed beer duty on a pint in the UK was more than Germany, Spain, Czechia, Portugal, Austria and Belgium all put together, at 54.2p per 5% ABV pint.

BBPA chief executive Emma McClarkin said: “A pint should be affordable for everyone but the last few years we’ve seen prices increase even though brewers and pubs are doing the best they can to absorb costs and protect customers.

“The cost of everything in our supply chain is soaring around us, whether it’s key ingredients, energy or upcoming increases in duty, businesses are having to make tough decisions to remain viable.”