jaspertl

Don't remember where I read this...

Ireland was now the #1 most expensive country to visit.
Finland (I think it was Finland) was dropped down from the #1 position to #2.

It seems England or France would cost more.

Anyone have any information or comments on this?

WillTravel

I'm pretty sure Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Japan would be somewhere clustering around the top.

nytraveler

I'm really surprised. I have always found Rome and Paris to be the most expensive. Scandinavia - while certainly not having a lot of bargains - seems to have a lot of choices in the middle range - and not so much at the top cost levels like Rome or Paris hotels.

nytraveler

And I've always found Ireland much less expensive - similar to Spain or Portugal - but still more than emerging central europe.

Clifton

I always wonder what the cost index is when they come out with statistics like this. I'm not quite sure how you go about comparing.

I can see the point regarding Ireland if first you decide that in order to keep things on a level field, you decide that 5* hotels and 4 course dinners are the benchmark for price comparisons in each country.

But setting such parameters, while seemingly fair, aren't. Do you know how many 5* hotels there are in Ireland? Not many, percentage-wise. So there isn't a great deal of competition. The ones that I can think of are exclusive hotels within castles on estates. They're pricey. High end fine dining establishments aren't as common either as they might be in other places (heavily touristed Kinsale an exception). Dinner isn't the major meal of the day there.

As I said, I have no idea what the yardstick was, but 5* and wine with each meal is not the typical tourist experience in Ireland. B&Bs and pub dinners get a lot of discussion time. And it's not because of budget as much as that's just a common way to see the country and it feels "right". And that way isn't anymore expensive, I would think, than the UK or France, etc. B&B double around 50 Euro. Nice pub lunch (the big meal is lunch in Ireland), maybe 8 to 15 Euro per head, depending where you are, city or country, tourist area or off the path. I paid 19 Euro for a card that got me into most historic attractions and museums in the whole of the Republic. Guinness may withdraw a bit from the wallet if you let it, but overall... are those figures really that high for the average tourist experience?

indytravel

I always wonder what the basis for these comparisons are too.

I was in Norway, Sweden and Finland 2 years ago. Norway was by far the most expensive, then Sweden, lastly Finland. In fact I visited them in that order and I'm glad I did. If I'd have gone the other way I'd have turned around in Sweden and gone back to Finland never seeing Norway. I can't image price relationships have changed that much in 2 years. Then again...

StCirq

I don't know how they figure these things, and I haven't been to Ireland yet (I'm just waiting for ThinGorjus to read THIS), but France has always been very inexpensive by my standards, with England and the Scandinavian countries being at the top of the scale and the Germanic countries and Italy being somewhere in between. Spain has always struck me as very inexpensive in some ways and very expensive in others, so I really can't rank it for my own purposes. Haven't been to Finland.

Flyboy

I agree with StCirq and I'm not sure how much of it has to do with familiarity and being able to "operate" in a familiar environment or with some kind of overall objective cost index. In Paris or elsewhere in France, I'm always able to find a place to stay for a reasonable cost, higher quality restaurant meals for the same or less than in larger U.S. cities and reasonable airfares. That's the trifecta of the expenses to visit a place. (It is true that I almost NEVER go during the summer months because of much higher average airfare costs and because it makes sense to enjoy summer in our area of woods and waters anyway.)

Surfergirl

I think it depends on when you go, and if you reside in the U.S. and are converting U.S. currency, then it becomes a question of how much "bang for your buck".

2 years ago, we were in Scandinavia, and the dollar was strong, so it was not at all expensive (except booze). Finland was cheap.

Italy was the most expensive for us (14 years ago), and it'll probably be the same this summer when we go again.

France is middle of the road, except Paris, which always costs more (good reason for staying in 3* hotels).

But considering when you buy something, or stay at a hotel, where the tax is figured into it, what you see is what you get; unlike the States, where the price is only part of it -- if you add in the tax, you're up another 8 or so percent, so it ends up, tax included, probably costing you a little more buying the same thing in the States. Generalizing, of course.

Surfergirl

One more thing, it depends on what you buy. For example, it cost me $100 to see Coldplay last summer at the Hollywood Bowl. It cost me less than that to go to the V2003 Music Festival in Chelmsford, which was a whole day of great music AND Coldplay. Go figure.

rj007

I have been to the 4 countries mentioned by WillTravel and I would agree that you would have to rank those up near the top. That said, if you plan carefully, you can keep costs down. Iceland is expensive, yet I was able to keep my food and lodging to less than $70/day when I was there 2 months ago.

elina

Expensive Finland is a thing from the past, something like 15 years ago. Finland is the cheapest of Scandinavian countries, and way cheaper than for example UK and Ireland. The comparison you have seen was not the "most expensive European country", it was "the most expensive country that uses EURO", and Ireland became #1. Two most expensive countries in Europe are Iceland and Norway. And nowadays also UK. And none of them uses EURO, so they were not in that comparison.

Finland's prices equal to those in central Europe (Germany, Austria). Switzerland is more expensive. And unfortunately, what I have noticed lately, in Greece I pay more for a cup of coffee or eating in a restaurant than I pay in Finland.

elina

Plus in comparisons like that EVERYTHING is taken in, for example alcohol and cars. A car costs in Finland double (or even triple) what it costs in central Europe. So, unless a tourist comes to Finland to buy a car, or is a hopeless alcoholic, it is not more expensive than any other place.

That is why I drive a ten years old Peugeot which is starting to fall apart.

jaspertl

Elina,
Thanks for clarifiying that.

I wonder why Ireland is considered more expensive than England?

It WOULD be interesting to find out how they come up with these statistics.

SiobhanP

These studies were in the papers in Ireland a few months ago. I think it's based on inflation, vat rates (We are at the higher end) and wages (Others in europe do better than us). It's not necessairly tourist things that are expensive but everyday living. Restaurants are terribly overpriced here compared with the continent (I am not talking pub grub at lunch). I have paid far less for a meal in Paris than I would have in Dublin and ate much better. Apparently we pay the highest tariff on Mobile phones and are the biggest users of them in Europe.

Because we are an island as well most major items are shipped into the country adding to cost because we have little manufacturing these days due to the competitiveness of poorer countries where they can pay lower wages. Cars are also far more expensive than most other countries due to tax and import costs.

I was in Finland in 1985 and wow it was shockingly expensive compared to the U.S. but I can see how we are at the moment for everyday living. Since the euro changeover I do feel groceries have definately gone up as well as many everyday items.

One thing I read recently that a place was serving sparkling wine instead of champagne as the tax was less and they could offer it at a normal price per glass €5.00). A snipe or glass in a regular bar or hotel is €18-€20. I paid 4-5 per glass in Paris 2 years ago.

Neil_Oz

Siobhan, this sounds like CRAZY stuff! A glass of decent mid-range wine in a typical Australian restaurant is usually AU$5-6, or €3.00-3.50. And we're now being criticised by North American visitors for high restaurant prices. What's going on? I know that European countries are big taxers, but surely not by that sort of margin? Do you sometimes feel that someone's getting at you?

SiobhanP

Neil,

Wine would be €5-€6 for the small screw top bottles in a pub. I am basing this on Dublin prices and in the countryside they are a bit lower (not much).

At the end of the day you can stretch what you make to survive on. I am not rich and just making what I made 9 years ago in NY salary wise. But, its easier to get a mortgage here and I have my own place, as well I feel the quality of life is better here while the lifestyle is higher in the U.S. I don't have the luxury of shopping for clothese and not worrying about it on pay day.

I am looking for a cheap and cheerful holiday this summer in the sun and hopefully I will get the the U.S this autumn and then I will feel like I have money again . Nothing beats shopping in Woodbury commons outlets!

I can't believe people are complaining about the cost of wine in OZ. People always think they are not getting a good enough deal.

Neil_Oz

Thanks, Siobhan. Sorry, I was a bit unclear, it's not the price of wine they're complaining about, it's restaurant meals. For the record, for two courses in a mid-range place, drinks excluded, you're looking at maybe AU$40-45, say around €25, more if the owner is of the hungrier variety. Wine usually attracts a 100% (+) markup on bottle-shop prices, so think €20-25 for a better-than-average 750 ml bottle. Lots of restaurants let you bring your own, though, for a usually modest "corkage" charge. I suspect that a lot of American visitors are on tip-autopilot and handing over an unnecessary 15% tip to a surprised (but grateful) waiter.

Whatever the case, you should be able to indulge yourself a little in the States - enjoy.

SiobhanP

Neil 100% markup is quite good it can be 200-300% here in Dublin. I saw a bottle of Fleurie at an outrageous price a while back. It's hard to justify and many foodies agree over here.