Festive meal far more expensive in Cyprus than in Greece
Shoppers in Cyprus will this year pay as much as 255 euros for the food in a Christmas dinner for six, a survey has shown, with the average cost of the Christmas spread in Nicosia at €119 remaining way above the cost of what residents of Greece will pay.
On December 12 to 21, the Cyprus Consumers Association conducted a survey on the cost of the Christmas dinner as part of its foundation’s mission to protect consumers and provide them with more complete information.
Three retail price surveys were carried out in total. The prices were obtained from the four largest supermarkets in Nicosia as well as six smaller supermarkets. It should be noted that the survey only included 35 food and drink items and covered Nicosia and Paphos. The survey used the data to calculate the cost of a Christmas spread for four and six people. The cost of the Christmas dinner included the quantities of each item that a family of four and a family of six would normally require. A 5% surcharge was added to the total cost for the various extra items needed at the table, such as water, lemon, salt, oil, vinegar, napkins, and so on.
Findings showed that for an “opulent” table including 35 items in Nicosia, a family of four will pay €166, while a family of six will pay €241. A similar spread in the Paphos district costs €178 and €255, respectively.
A “budget” table includes 19 of the 35 items. In Nicosia, a family of four will pay €92, while a family of six will pay €119. A Christmas meal in the Paphos province costs €95 and €127, respectively.
That compares with the findings in Greece by the Institute of Commerce and Services of the Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Enterprises (INE ESEE) that has calculated the average cost of a Christmas dinner for six people this year at just €92.5, up some 12% from last year.
The Cypriot survey also found that low-income families in Cyprus are expected to include just 11 out of 35 items, so a family of four will pay €24 and a family of six will pay €37 in Nicosia and in Paphos.
Significant price differences between outlets were observed for Christmas treats. However, as these items can differ significantly in terms of the ingredients used in their preparation, and even in their exact weight, their comparison cannot be considered reliable and objective. They are therefore not commented on in the survey report.
