Prices remain particularly high in Greece
After eight years of a financial crisis that has sent household incomes spiraling, Greece remains an expensive country.
Eurostat data show that Greek consumers pay more than all other European Union citizens for their telephony and postal services, with price levels standing almost 40 percent above the EU average rates, and even higher than the rates in Switzerland.
Greek consumers pay dearly for food too, as prices are also above the bloc’s average by about 4 percent, even though per capita gross domestic product in Greece came to just 67 percent of the average in the EU.
Other countries in the European south, such as Spain and Portugal, boast food prices that are below those of Greece or of the EU mean rate.
In Greece prices are also considerably higher than in other EU states for the purchase of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products. Passenger transport rates are also higher than in countries such as Italy and Spain, and even Luxembourg.
Furniture is also more expensive in Greece than in other far richer countries of the bloc such as Germany and France.
