Underscoring that price levels varied across the bloc's members with the widest gaps for restaurants and hotels and for alcohol and tobacco, Eurostat says that "in 2017, price levels for consumer goods and services differed widely in the European Union (EU). Denmark (142% of the EU average) had the highest price level, followed by Luxembourg (127%), Ireland and Sweden (both 125%), Finland (122%) and the United Kingdom (117%)."
"At the opposite end of the scale, the lowest price level was found in Bulgaria (48%), while Romania (52%) and Poland (56%) were just above 50% of the average."
Croatia's price level was by 33% lower than the EU average.
Broken down by types of goods, food price levels were the highest in Denmark
In 2017, the price level of a comparable basket of food and non-alcoholic beverages across the EU was more than twice as high in the most expensive Member State than in the cheapest one. Price levels ranged from 62% of the EU average in Romania and 65% in Poland, to 150% of the average in Denmark, followed by Sweden (126%), Austria (125%), Luxembourg (123%), Finland (118%), Ireland (117%), Belgium, France and Italy (all 112%).
In Croatia, those prices were by four percent lower than the EU average.
Alcohol and tobacco most expensive in Ireland and the United Kingdom
Price levels for alcoholic beverages and tobacco with significant variations between the EU Member States
The lowest price level for alcoholic beverages and tobacco in 2017 was registered in Bulgaria (56% of the average), ahead of Romania (69%) and Hungary (70%).
At the opposite end of the scale, the highest prices were observed in Ireland (174%) and the United Kingdom (157%), followed at a distance by the three Nordic EU Member States – Finland (139%), Sweden (127%) and Denmark (123%). It should be noted that this large price variation is mainly due to differences in taxation of these products among Member States.
Croatia's alcoholic beverages and tobacco price level was by 27% lower than the EU average.
When it comes to consumer electronics, Croatia, together with Denmark, France, Cyprus and Portugal, was in the group with the highest level.
However, smaller disparities for consumer electronics, personal transport equipment and clothes were registered across the EU.
"Consumer electronics is a group of products where prices differed less among Member States, ranging from 86% of the average in Ireland to 110% in Denmark and France. Clothing is another group of products showing a smaller price disparity among Member States, with Bulgaria (80% of the average) cheapest and Sweden (134%) most expensive. With the noticeable exception of Denmark (144% of the average) and the Netherlands (121%), price differences among Member States were also limited for personal transport equipment, from 81% in Slovakia to 111% in Finland, Ireland and Portugal."