A recent study by Chamber of Labor (AK) Styria has uncovered significant price differences for beverages in Styria's restaurants. The study shows a price range of over 60 percent for common drinks. AK market research As in previous years, the survey examined the costs of coffee, beer, spritzers, fruit juices, and spritz drinks in downtown Graz bars and restaurants, and this year expanded the survey to include the Styrian districts for the first time. In total, prices from 43 bars – 22 in Graz and 21 in the districts – were recorded with over 600 individual data points.
The collected data shows significant price differences between individual restaurants. A cappuccino costs between €3,5 and €4,9 in Graz, while outside the state capital, the price is between €3,1 and €4. A half-liter of beer costs between €4,6 and €5,9 in Graz, but between €4,2 and €5,3 in the districts. For a small beer (0,3 liters), guests in Graz have to pay between €3,9 and €4,9, while outside the districts, the price is between €3,7 and €4,4. Non-alcoholic beer (0,5 liters) is available in Graz for between €4,20 and €5,60, and in the districts for between €4,1 and €5,2.
The price range for a white wine spritzer (0,25 liters) is particularly striking, varying between €2,4 and €4,6 across Styria. For fruit juice or nectar diluted with tap water to half a liter, prices range from €2,2 to €5,1, depending on the brand. Andrea Büdenbender , a market researcher at the Styrian Chamber of Labor (AK), emphasized that it pays to choose carefully where you buy drinks, as the price differences between the most expensive and cheapest offers can be quite significant. As an example, she cited a "Verlängerter" (a long, dark coffee), where prices across Styria range from €2,9 to €4,7 – a difference of over 60 percent.
Interestingly, tap water is listed as a charge on many drink menus, but is never actually charged for other drinks. It's also noteworthy that in Graz, almost half of the restaurants surveyed—namely, ten out of 22—raised drink prices little or not at all. Nevertheless, a look at the overall price increase in Graz shows that it is around 3,4 percent, which is above the general inflation rate, according to Büdenbender. The study offers consumers valuable guidance on the Styrian restaurant landscape.