World Beer Index: Cheapest pints on the planet revealed to Lancashire holidaymakers
With the World Cup set to take place in the tiny oil-rich gulf nation in 2022, the news that a pint costs an eye-popping £9.47 in Qatar will be unwelcome to fans, who will be feeling the economic squeeze as a result of the country's strict Islamic laws which limit alcohol distribution and consumption. Maybe catch Gareth Southgate's boys on the telly, instead.
For those looking to plan a holiday around the prices of locally-sources draught beers, the message from the index is simple: head to East Asia or central Europe to sample six of the seven cheapest pints in the world, with the easiest on the wallet being Vietnam (£0.74). Beach holiday, anyone?
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Hide AdAside from the alcohol-sparse gulf regions such as Qatar and the UAE (£8.22), other countries to avoid if you're sniffy about the price of your amber fluid include Norway (£8.60), Iceland (£8.03), Israel (£6.65), and Singapore (£6.39), while some would be surprised to see France (£5.37) at 11th on the list of priciest pints compiled by travel experts, MyBaggage.com.
Alternatively, for those looking for a cheap drink, China (£0.78), Tunisia (£1.01), Bulgaria (£1.01), and Romania (£1.23) are all very attractive options, with a new potential city breaks or a long-haul trip to the far East sure to provide ample entertainment. Looking for cheap English-speaking nations? The USA (£3.45) and Canada (£3.87) are notably cheaper than Australia (£4.91) and New Zealand (£4.77).
“Whether seeking sun, sea, sand, snow, sights or cities, the price of booze is a good way to gauge how expensive a destination generally is," said a spokesperson for MyBaggage.com. “To help UK tourists plan their next getaway, our researchers have put together the world’s first Beer Index, which shows the typical cost of a pint of draught beer in a local restaurant, converted in to pounds sterling from local currency."
World Beer Index:
1. Qatar: £9.47
2. Norway: £8.60
3. UAE: £8.22
4. Iceland: £8.03
5. Israel: £6.65
6. Singapore: £6.39
7. Switzerland: £6.09
8. Sweden: £6.07
9. Finland: £5.86
10. Hong Kong: £5.49
11. France: £5.37
12. Denmark: £5.23
13. Australia: £4.91
14. New Zealand: £4.77
15. Italy: £4.39
16. Netherlands: £4.35
17. Canada: £3.87
18. Austria: £3.76
19. USA: £3.45
20. Greece: £3.41
21. Germany: £3.41
22. Estonia: £3.41
23. Japan: £3.14
24. South Korea: £2.66
25. Morocco: £2.64
26. Malta: £2.44
27. Spain: £2.35
28. Turkey: £2.32
29. Latvia: £2.10
30. Thailand: £1.98
31. Croatia: £1.97
32. Peru: £1.83
33. Dominican Republic: £1.71
34. Sri Lanka: £1.70
35. Argentina: £1.64
36. South Africa: £1.63
37. Poland: £1.60
38. Brazil: £1.57
39. India: £1.51
40. Egypt: £1.51
41. Portugal: £1.47
42. Mexico: £1.37
43. Russia: £1.36
44. Czech Republic: £1.26
45. Hungary: £1.24
46. Romania: £1.23
47. Bulgaria: £1.01
48. Tunisia: £1.01
49. China: £0.78
50. Vietnam: £0.74