Christmas markets across Europe have become outrageously expensive this year. However, if in some countries prices have increased gradually compared to the standard of living, in other countries the sharp increase in prices at Christmas markets this year has become a shock, writes euronews.com.
The Christmas market in Budapest (Hungary) was recently voted the best in Europe. Still, with the introduction of €21 hot dogs on the menu, the enthusiasm of those in the festive spirit began to fade.
Given that the average wage in Hungary is less than €830 a month, many locals are forced to forgo shopping at Budapest’s Christmas markets, where this year a portion of goulash costs €12 and cabbage rolls cost €17.
“This is not designed for Hungarian wallets,” complained Margit Varga, a guest from the southern city of Pécs.
But Hungary is not the only country with a holiday price hike amid inflation.
In particular, some guests have already managed to call the Christmas markets in Edinburgh (Scotland) “hell on Earth” with “outrageous prices”. Tourists complain on social media that hamburgers at local fairs cost £12 (€14) and mulled wine costs £7 (€8).
The situation is similar in the city of York (England), where a hamburger with fried potatoes also costs 12 pounds (14 euros), and a mulled wine – just over 5 pounds (5.80 euros). And this is even though traditionally the prices here were considered much lower than those in London. In London itself this year, mulled wine will cost an average of £5.70 (€6.60), hamburgers up to £14 (€16.20) and hot dogs £8.50 (€9.90).
In Germany, the home of Christmas markets, prices have also risen this year. For example, one of the visitors posted a photo of a €6 sausage from the Christmas market in Frankfurt on social media, saying that “prices have skyrocketed this year.”
It is also reported that in Berlin, some entrepreneurs have decided not to participate in Christmas markets this year, as it is not profitable. Yes, the cost price of a sausage is now about 2.70 euros, which makes it impossible to sell it at the price of 3.50 euros, which was at the fairs ten years ago.
At the same time, the price of mulled wine at Christmas markets in Berlin has increased by an average of 1 euro this year and is 4-5 euros or up to 10 euros with the addition of strong alcohol, and this is much more than the amount most visitors are willing to pay: a survey conducted by the German Civey. showed that a third of people are willing to pay €3-3.99 for a hot drink, while a quarter consider less than €3 to be an acceptable price.
At the same time, in Great Britain and Germany, many people blame the price increase on the organizers of Christmas fairs, who allegedly significantly raised the fees from the participants and the rent for a place in the Christmas town.