Food Prices in Europe: Which Countries Are Expensive and Which Are Cheap?
Food is one of the biggest household expenses in Europe. On average, people in the EU spend about 11.9% of their budget on food, but in some countries like Romania, it can be as high as 20%.
Food prices differ a lot across Europe. Eurostat’s food price level index helps compare prices. If the EU average basket of food costs €100, the index shows how much the same basket costs in each country. A number above 100 means food is more expensive than the EU average, and below 100 means it is cheaper.
In 2024, North Macedonia had the cheapest food in Europe. A standard food basket there costs €73, 27% less than the EU average. On the other hand, Switzerland is the most expensive, with a basket costing €161.1, which is 61.1% higher than the EU average.
North Macedonia is not yet an EU member but has trade agreements with the EU. Switzerland is outside the EU and the EEA, but it has its own trade agreements.
Within the EU, Romania has the lowest food prices (€74.6), while Luxembourg has the highest (€125.7). Food is 25.4% cheaper in Romania and 25.7% more expensive in Luxembourg compared to the EU average.
After Switzerland, the next most expensive countries are Iceland (€146.3) and Norway (€130.6), both part of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). EFTA countries are not in the EU but cooperate with it on trade.
Food prices are also over 10% higher than the EU average in Denmark (€119.3), Ireland (€111.9), France (€111.5), Austria (€110.9), and Malta (€110.9).
The cheapest regions are Southeastern Europe and the Western Balkans. Besides North Macedonia and Romania, Turkey (€75.7), Bosnia and Herzegovina (€82.5), Montenegro (€82.6), and Bulgaria (€87.1) are much cheaper than the EU average. Serbia (€95.7) and Albania (€98.7) are also cheaper.
Among the EU’s largest economies, Italy (€104) and Germany (€102.9) are above the EU average, while Spain (€94.6) is slightly cheaper than the EU average.
Most Central and some Eastern European countries, like Slovakia, Poland, Czechia, and Hungary, have food prices that are below or close to the EU average.
In Western Europe, food prices are generally higher, and Nordic countries are some of the most expensive in Europe.
Why price differences matter for households
Ilaria Benedetti, an associate professor at the University of Tuscia, says that factors like production costs, supply chains, and exposure to global events affect food price differences.
She explained that smaller, open economies with currencies that fluctuate a lot faced bigger price increases during the pandemic and the Russia–Ukraine conflict because energy and farming costs went up.
Benedetti also said that these price differences matter because they affect households differently. In many Eastern and Southeastern European countries, food makes up more than 20% of household spending, while in richer countries it is usually below 12%. This means that price increases hit poorer households harder.
Labour costs and wages
Alan Matthews, a professor at Trinity College Dublin, says the main reason for higher food prices is differences in wages and incomes.
Countries with higher wages, like Denmark and Switzerland, have higher food prices because the cost of labour in farming, processing, and retail is passed on to consumers.
Taxes also make a difference. Some countries, like Ireland, have low or zero VAT on food, while others, like Denmark, charge the full VAT rate.
Matthews added that consumer choices also affect prices. People in Northern and Western Europe often buy more organic, premium, or branded products, which are more expensive.
Effects on food security
Jeremiás Máté Balogh, an associate professor at Corvinus University of Budapest, said that price differences affect food security, especially when combined with household income.
Richer countries can handle high food prices, but lower-income households in Central and Eastern Europe feel the burden more, even if food prices are lower in absolute terms.
Eurostat measures food prices but does not adjust for household income. For example, food is expensive in Denmark, but people there have higher incomes, so they can still afford it.
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