Czech Republic Has Cheapest Electronics, Cars in Europe

Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Commission, recently released figures on consumer goods across 37 European countries (the 28 EU member states, three EFTA countries, five candidate countries, and one potential candidate).

The data analyses the average prices of consumer goods in each country, and expresses the result in price level indices (PLIs), which compares a country’s price levels to the EU average.

Across all categories, the most expensive consumer goods were found in Switzerland, at 54% above the EU average. Denmark rated the most expensive among EU countries, at 38% above the average.

The cheapest goods were found in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, at 47% of the EU average; Bulgaria rated the lowest average prices among EU countries at 48%.

Overall, the Czech Republic ranked 26th out of the 37 countries, with average prices for consumer goods at 64% of the EU average. In all categories, the Czech Republic rated cheaper goods than the EU average.

In two categories, however, the country rated the least expensive goods across all 37 countries.

In the Consumer Electronics category, the Czech Republic registered prices at 85% of the average, tying it with Poland for the least expensive electronics in Europe. The most expensive electronics were found in Iceland, at 148% of the average.

And in the Personal Transport Equipment category, the Czech Republic registered the lowest prices at 75% of the EU average; Denmark rated the most expensive at 151%.

Cheapest drinks in Europe? Prices for alcohol in Macedonia come in at 38% of the EU average; in Norway, alcoholic beverages are 239% more expensive than the average (the Czech Republic comes in at 72%).

The data for this study was obtained through price surveys in each country that examined more than 2400 individual consumer goods.