The price gap between Dublin and the rest of the country is widening according to new analysis which shows consumers in the capital pay considerably higher prices for alcohol, fresh meat and fish and services.
The price analysis conducted by the Central Statistics Office shows prices are on average 3.5 per cent higher in Dublin in May compared to a differential of 3.2 per cent in the same month last year.
Cinemas tickets and hairdressing - the only two service included in the study - were markedly higher in Dublin with a night at the movies costing 19 per cent more in Dublin while ladies pay 17.5 per cent more for a wash cut and blow-dry that their country counterparts.
Alcohol consumed on a licensed premises in Dublin is on average 5 per cent higher than outside Dublin with the greatest difference recorded was for a half-pint of lager where average prices in Dublin were 13.9% higher.
Dublin has historically been services by less pubs per head of population than the rest of the country because of the difficulty of transferring licences.
Fresh produce such as a leg of lamb (14.3 per cent), salmon steak (12.1 per cent) and back rashers (17.6 per cent) are all higher in Dublin. However Dublin is consistently cheaper for a range of staple foods such as pasta (17.5 percent), bread (7.7 per cent), butter (7 per cent) and milk (6.9 per cent).
The CSO analysis demonstrates that prices of goods and services are determined by factors such as outlet location and size, brand and quality. The lower prices for essential foods in Dublin suggests consumers are benefiting from price competition between large supermarket operators and that there is considerable potential for supermarkets to expand across the country.
Average unleaded petrol prices were 0.9 per cent lower in Dublin while average diesel prices were 0.5 per cent lower.