


From Modelo to Carlsberg, beer prices have climbed sharply across the global economy over the past five years.
While inflation has been a driver, taxes often make up a significant share of the final price. Today, a bottle can cost as little as $0.82 in Shanghai and as high as $4.75 in Sydney in U.S. dollars.
This graphic, via Visual Capitalist's Dorothy Neufeld, shows the price of a 0.5L bottle of domestic beer across major global cities, based on data from Deutsche Bank.
Below, we show the average cost for a beer in 67 cities worldwide in 2025.
In Australia, beer prices are driven up by significant taxes, with beer prices at least 76% higher than in New York City.
Also placing high in the rankings is Singapore (#3), with taxes also playing a role, reflecting government-led initiatives to deter residents from consuming alcohol. In nearby Malaysia, a bottle of beer in Kuala Lumpur averages $3.32—about 30% more than in New York.
Across Europe, the gap is stark: Ireland leads with the priciest pours at $3.33 a bottle, while Prague—where beer is consumed more than anywhere else in the world—offers the cheapest at just $1.06.
To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the top countries by beer consumption in the world.