The cheapest prices for in the European Union family of nations were in Poland for food and consumer items and in Bulgaria for alcohol, restaurants and hotels last year.
Prices for clothing were lowest in Hungary while the Czech Republic offered the lowest cost for consumer electronics and cars.
Conversely, food purchases and restaurant dining cost the most in Denmark. The country was also the most costly place to buy a car or motor bike. Clothing costs were second only to those in Sweden.
Buying alcohol, however, cost the most in Ireland, followed by the UK and Finland due to the taxes each country levies.
Portugal took only one high spot, namely being the third most expensive place to buy personal transport, such as cars. Only Denmark and the Netherlands were most expensive.
Prices in Portugal were otherwise consistently below the EU average, with restaurants and hotels 25% below average while buying food was 11% lower, alcohol 15% lower and clothing 10% lower. Electronic goods, however, were but a scant 5% lower.
Overall, prices were 19% below the EU average, putting the country in 11th position from the bottom. That shifted to the fifth cheapest country when compared to other eurozone nations.
Neighbouring Spain came close to average prices, just 8% below. Struggling Greece (at least in 2004, who knows what is virtually just around the corner now) was more expensive than Portugal, being 14% below average.
Denmark was the most expensive of all, 138% more than average. The UK and Ireland were still expensive, with prices 122% and 121% above respectively.
Comments
The idea that we are all one market is shown to be as hollow as France's support for the 200 year anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo .
Which usefully reminds us that a key driver for European integration by France is to finish off what Napolean started. This chap always intended an EU type arrangement that would stand together against the then current global sea power the UK.
So Nappy standardised the laws of conquered countries (oddly Portugal adopted them voluntarily!) and amongst much else insisted on a lingua franca - their original one.
And who remembers the French resistance to letting the UK join the EU (as it was) in the early days?
How can you dream of a French dominated Europe if the damned British - who stopped you first time around and will now do so again - are also in the room ? Braying like donkeys at the absurdity of attempting to link such a mixed bag of developed, developing and going backwards countries.
So what is the benefit of the EU? Apart from the single currency, itself not an original part of EU, this news item would read just the same if we had no EU.