Official figures confirm Ireland ranks among highest for cost of living in Europe
Data from the European Commission's statistics body Eurostat this week highlighted that Ireland is the most expensive country in the EU for spirits, beer, wine, tobacco, and pain medication, when all taken together.
Irish people are not imagining it when they voice exasperation at the cost of living - official data show we are among the most expensive in Europe for the likes of medication, alcohol and tobacco, but also public transport, housing costs, maintenance, and bills.
Data from the European Commission's statistics body Eurostat this week highlighted that Ireland is the most expensive country in the EU for spirits, beer, wine, tobacco, and pain medication, when all taken together.
Alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and narcotics prices in Ireland are 86.9% higher than the EU average, Eurostat found. Ireland is only behind non-EU members Norway and Iceland overall in the European rankings.
🍸🍺How did the price of #alcohol in your #country compare to other #EU countries in 2020?
— EU_Eurostat (@EU_Eurostat) August 30, 2021
Highest:
🇫🇮 Finland = price level index of 193
🇮🇪 Ireland = 181
🇸🇪 Sweden = 166
Lowest:
🇭🇺 Hungary = price level index of 73
🇷🇴 Romania = 74
🇧🇬 Bulgaria = 81
👉https://t.co/OPA9M7phcS pic.twitter.com/q7XKDViHtG
It follows on from data released earlier this summer by Eurostat in relation to housing costs. Ireland is massively above the entire bloc of member states, at 77.7% higher than the EU average.
Eurostat includes the likes of rent, maintenance, utility bills and repairs in its list of housing costs, and Ireland is only behind Switzerland, a non-EU member that the statistics body included for comparison purposes, along with the Nordic countries.
When it comes to hospitality, Ireland is behind only Switzerland and the Nordic countries of Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland.
Eurostat data show that Ireland is seventh in terms of the cost of restaurants, cafés, pubs, hotels, hostels and more.
We are not much better when it comes to recreation and leisure spending, according to the data.
Defined by Eurostat as the cost of audio-visual, photographic, and information-processing - in other words, items like phones, tablets, cameras, and computers - Ireland stands only behind Switzerland, the Nordic countries and a handful of EU states such as Austria and Luxembourg.
Package holidays and owning pets are also included in that category.
Phone costs and broadband connection is also more expensive than most countries, with Ireland seventh in the EU and affiliated countries like Norway and Switzerland.
With a major focus on the shift from private to public transport in the coming years to meet the targets of the newly-signed Climate Bill, the prices consumers face has laid bare the challenge ahead.
According to the Eurostat data, when it comes to transport by rail and bus, Ireland is fifth overall, far ahead of the EU average. Aviation and driving costs are also included in this category.
Buying a car in Ireland is also far more expensive than most of our European neighbours. We are only behind Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands when it comes to costs.
It puts into context why there was a massive market for Irish drivers going to the UK before Brexit to import high-end vehicles such as Audi, BMW, and Mercedes, because of the savings that could be made, even when vehicle registration tax upon importation back to Ireland was factored in.
When it comes to switching to emissions-friendly modes of transport, cycling is also just as expensive, the data show.
Interior design measures such as bedrooms, carpets, and furnishings sees Ireland ranked in ninth place overall.
Of all the EU member states, Bulgaria ranks as cheapest in a range of categories such as clothing, housing, and public transport.
