All the world loves beer. It’s brewed commercially in about 160 countries around the globe, from Albania to Zimbabwe. It’s even made in nations with an alcohol-eschewing Muslim majority, like Egypt, Morocco, Syria, and Turkey.
Beer is the most widely consumed alcoholic beverage on the planet, in fact, and the third most popular drink of any kind, after water and tea. It is also almost certainly the oldest fermented beverage in the world. Chemical traces of beer dating back as early as 3500 B.C. have been found in Iran’s Zagros Mountains. Some authorities have even suggested that the cultivation of barley for beer production by the Sumerians around the same time represents the beginnings of agriculture, and hence of civilization itself.
Beer may be consumed in almost every corner of the globe, but what people are willing — or forced — to pay for it varies significantly from one place to another.
The banking and investment counseling site Expensivity recently published its World Beer Index 2021, tracking beer costs and consumption around the world. To arrive at the average cost of a bottle of beer in the capital cities of some 58 nations on six continents, researchers compared the prices of a typical 330 ml (about 11 ounce) container of beer on a local online supermarket site and in a hotel bar in each locality. Where possible, such well-known brands as Corona and Heineken were used. (Both are representatives of some of the world’s 15 most valuable alcohol companies.)
The study further computed each country’s per capita annual beer consumption and, by extension, how much each resident spends on beer every year. The most expensive place to buy beer, it turned out, was a small Middle Eastern country where only foreign visitors are allowed to purchase alcohol. The cheapest, on the other hand, was a large African nation.
Click here to see what beer costs in 58 countries around the world.
Nobody spends more each year in total on beer than the Germans, while residents of Haiti spend less in a year per capita than a single bottle would cost in the aforementioned Middle Eastern country. Haitians also drink less beer than anybody else — four bottles annually per capita, compared to 468 bottles in the Czech Republic.
As for the U.S., we manage to down 282 brews apiece each year, and spend $1,338 to do so. Of course, consumption varies from place to place. These are the states drinking the most beer.
58. Doha, Qatar
> Population in 2018: 633,401
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $11.26
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 25.12– #53 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $282.85– #44 out of 58 major cities
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57. Amman, Jordan
> Population in 2018: 2,064,582
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $9.40
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 8.44– #56 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $79.34– #55 out of 58 major cities
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56. Beijing, China
> Population in 2018: 19,617,963
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $7.71
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 127.37– #38 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $982.02– #18 out of 58 major cities
55. Paris, France
> Population in 2018: 10,900,952
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $6.39
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 140.15– #35 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $895.56– #21 out of 58 major cities
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54. Bern, Switzerland
> Population in 2018: 422,153
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $6.23
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 223.73– #24 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $1393.84– #06 out of 58 major cities
53. Tokyo, Japan
> Population in 2018: 37,468,302
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $6.16
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 88.24– #44 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $543.56– #34 out of 58 major cities
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52. London, England
> Population in 2018: 9,046,485
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $5.97
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 243.94– #19 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $1456.32– #05 out of 58 major cities
51. Rome, Italy
> Population in 2018: 4,209,710
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $5.83
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 120.07– #39 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $700.01– #23 out of 58 major cities
50. Copenhagen, Denmark
> Population in 2018: 1,320,826
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $5.20
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 233.47– #23 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $1214.04– #10 out of 58 major cities
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49. Singapore, Singapore
> Population in 2018: 5,791,901
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $5.17
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 84.85– #45 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $438.67– #39 out of 58 major cities
48. Moscow, Russian Federation
> Population in 2018: 12,409,738
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $5.08
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 264.73– #14 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $1344.83– #07 out of 58 major cities
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47. Lisbon, Portugal
> Population in 2018: 2,927,316
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $5.06
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 189.82– #30 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $960.49– #20 out of 58 major cities
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46. Bangkok, Thailand
> Population in 2018: 10,156,316
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $4.82
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 142.36– #34 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $686.18– #26 out of 58 major cities
45. Washington D.C., Us
> Population in 2018: 5,206,593
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $4.75
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 282.00– #11 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $1339.50– #08 out of 58 major cities
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44. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
> Population in 2018: 7,563,912
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $4.74
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 33.11– #51 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $156.94– #50 out of 58 major cities
43. Berlin, Germany
> Population in 2018: 3,552,123
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $4.64
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 411.24– #03 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $1908.15– #01 out of 58 major cities
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42. Amsterdam, Netherlands
> Population in 2018: 1,131,690
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $4.60
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 278.11– #12 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $1279.31– #09 out of 58 major cities
41. Seoul, South Korea
> Population in 2018: 9,963,497
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $4.56
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 130.51– #37 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $595.13– #32 out of 58 major cities
40. Vilnius, Lithuania
> Population in 2018: 536,055
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $4.55
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 348.80– #07 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $1587.04– #03 out of 58 major cities
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39. Mexico City, Mexico
> Population in 2018: 21,580,827
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $4.46
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 233.64– #22 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $1042.03– #13 out of 58 major cities
38. Warsaw, Poland
> Population in 2018: 1,767,798
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $4.37
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 397.80– #04 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $1738.39– #02 out of 58 major cities
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37. Athens, Greece
> Population in 2018: 3,155,600
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $4.25
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 194.73– #28 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $827.60– #22 out of 58 major cities
36. Manila, Philippines
> Population in 2018: 13,482,468
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $4.25
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 114.16– #40 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $485.18– #37 out of 58 major cities
35. Edinburgh, Scotland
> Population in 2018: 524,930
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $4.18
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 244.00– #17 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $1019.92– #16 out of 58 major cities
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34. Kathmandu, Nepal
> Population in 2018: 1,329,732
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $4.13
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 39.45– #49 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $162.93– #49 out of 58 major cities
33. Cardiff, Wales
> Population in 2018: 364,200
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $4.06
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 244.00– #17 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $990.64– #17 out of 58 major cities
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32. Vienna, Austria
> Population in 2018: 1,900,547
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $3.99
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 389.09– #05 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $1552.47– #04 out of 58 major cities
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31. Ottawa, Canada
> Population in 2018: 1,363,159
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $3.96
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 243.27– #20 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $963.35– #19 out of 58 major cities
30. New Delhi, India
> Population in 2018: 28,513,682
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $3.90
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 25.00– #54 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $97.50– #53 out of 58 major cities
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29. Cairo, Egypt
> Population in 2018: 20,076,002
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $3.80
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 15.03– #55 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $57.11– #56 out of 58 major cities
28. Minsk, Belarus
> Population in 2018: 2,004,672
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $3.72
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 158.91– #33 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $591.15– #33 out of 58 major cities
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27. Valletta, Malta
> Population in 2018: 212,768
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $3.65
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 176.48– #31 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $644.15– #31 out of 58 major cities
26. Istanbul, Turkey
> Population in 2018: 15,462,452
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $3.61
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 73.31– #47 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $264.65– #45 out of 58 major cities
25. Brussels, Belgium
> Population in 2018: 2,049,510
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $3.47
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 298.69– #10 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $1036.45– #14 out of 58 major cities
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24. Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
> Population in 2018: 1,068,113
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $3.44
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 88.73– #43 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $305.23– #43 out of 58 major cities
23. Santa Cruz, Bolivia
> Population in 2018: 1,600,000
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $3.42
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 194.13– #29 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $663.92– #29 out of 58 major cities
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22. Georgetown, Guyana
> Population in 2018: 109,934
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $3.39
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 202.40– #26 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $686.14– #27 out of 58 major cities
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21. Baku, Azerbaijan
> Population in 2018: 2,285,729
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $3.18
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 164.00– #32 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $521.52– #36 out of 58 major cities
20. Jakarta, Indonesia
> Population in 2018: 10,516,927
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $3.17
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 6.73– #57 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $21.33– #57 out of 58 major cities
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19. Yerevan, Armenia
> Population in 2018: 1,080,324
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $2.96
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 35.98– #50 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $106.50– #51 out of 58 major cities
18. Budapest, Hungary
> Population in 2018: 1,759,497
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $2.84
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 245.27– #16 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $696.57– #25 out of 58 major cities
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17. Colombo, Sri Lanka
> Population in 2018: 599,821
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $2.77
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 32.80– #52 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $90.86– #54 out of 58 major cities
16. Madrid, Spain
> Population in 2018: 6,497,124
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $2.74
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 417.18– #02 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $1143.07– #12 out of 58 major cities
15. Panama City, Panama
> Population in 2018: 1,783,490
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $2.74
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 372.85– #06 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $1021.61– #15 out of 58 major cities
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14. Bogota, Colombia
> Population in 2018: 10,574,409
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $2.72
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 246.31– #15 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $669.96– #28 out of 58 major cities
13. Port Au Prince, Haiti
> Population in 2018: 2,636,763
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $2.66
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 3.76– #58 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $10.00– #58 out of 58 major cities
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12. Kigali, Rwanda
> Population in 2018: 1,057,836
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $2.52
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 80.73– #46 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $203.44– #47 out of 58 major cities
11. Brasilia, Brazil
> Population in 2018: 4,469,585
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $2.52
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 277.16– #13 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $698.44– #24 out of 58 major cities
10. Prague, Czech Republic (Czechia)
> Population in 2018: 1,291,552
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $2.49
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 468.39– #01 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $1166.29– #11 out of 58 major cities
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9. Santiago, Chile
> Population in 2018: 6,680,371
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $2.40
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 199.10– #27 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $477.84– #38 out of 58 major cities
8. Skopje, North Macedonia
> Population in 2018: 584,208
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $2.34
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 132.64– #36 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $310.38– #42 out of 58 major cities
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7. Tbilisi, Georgia
> Population in 2018: 1,077,333
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $2.30
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 92.56– #41 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $212.89– #46 out of 58 major cities
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6. Tunis, Tunisia
> Population in 2018: 2,290,777
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $2.09
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 91.89– #42 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $192.05– #48 out of 58 major cities
5. Accra, Ghana
> Population in 2018: 2,439,389
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $2.05
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 48.02– #48 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $98.44– #52 out of 58 major cities
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4. Sarajevo, Bosnia And Herzegovina
> Population in 2018: 342,577
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $1.96
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 330.76– #08 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $648.29– #30 out of 58 major cities
3. Buenos Aires, Argentina
> Population in 2018: 14,966,530
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $1.79
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 234.56– #21 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $419.86– #40 out of 58 major cities
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2. Kyiv, Ukraine
> Population in 2018: 2,956,706
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $1.76
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 212.78– #25 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $374.49– #41 out of 58 major cities
1. Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Cape Town, South Africa
> Population in 2018: 7,355,000
> Avg price of a bottle a beer: $1.68
> Avg number of beers consumed per person annually: 322.42– #09 out of 58 major cities
> Avg spending on beer per person annually: $541.67– #35 out of 58 major cities
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