Food at the supermarket is cheaper in the Netherlands than anywhere else in Western Europe. Prices are below the EU average, and especially bread and dairy products are more affordable.

The Central Bureau for Statistics based its conclusions on data from the European Union.

In 2015, food prices in the Netherlands were two percent below the EU average, while the other West European nations had above-average prices.

Denmark is the most expensive EU country with prices almost 45 percent higher, and the other Scandinavian countries are not far behind.

Switzerland and Norway, who aren’t member of the EU, are 73 and 59 percent above the average price, respectively.

The countries surrounding the Netherlands also pay more, with the United Kingdom at 11 percent, France nine percent and Belgium eight percent above the EU average.

Meat, alcohol and tobacco

Not everything at the supermarket is cheaper in the Netherlands, however. Meat is 11 percent more expensive than the EU average, and the same is true for alcohol (four percent) and tobacco products (nine percent).

The last time this survey was done (2012), alcohol was slightly cheaper than the rest of the EU.

Top 15 European countries with the most expensive food:
1) Switzerland
2) Norway
3) Denmark
4) Sweden
5) Austria
6) Finland
7) Ireland
8) Luxembourg
9) United Kingdom
10) Italy
11) France
12) Belgium
13) Cyprus
14) Malta
15) Germany