Prices are higher in Dublin than in the rest of the State for two-thirds of products surveyed by the Central Statistics Office, according to figures released yesterday.
Meat, fish and potatoes are substantially dearer in Dublin than outside the capital. In its first comparative study of prices in and outside Dublin, the CSO found that meat could be up to 17 per cent more expensive in Dublin, while potatoes cost up to 32 per cent more. Average fish prices were higher in Dublin by between three per cent and 16.1 per cent (for smoked salmon), with whiting almost 15 per cent dearer.
Certain foods cost less in Dublin, including leg of pork and topside roast beef, which were 1.2 and 1.3 per cent cheaper respectively. Most meat was dearer, with lamb, back rashers and ham, however, all costing more than 10 per cent more.
Fruit and carrots were slightly cheaper, as were dairy produce and staples such as bread, flour, sugar and tea.
The discrepancies in these products ranged from 1.6 per cent less in Dublin for a litre of orange juice to 11.2 per cent cheaper for a litre of low-fat milk.
Alcoholic drink bought for consumption at home cost roughly the same in Dublin and outside it, though lager and cider were cheaper.
However, prices were on average seven per cent higher in public houses, where a consumer could pay up to 14.5 per cent more for a half pint of lager.
There was only a minor differential in the price of tobacco products, which were 0.4 per cent more expensive in Dublin.
The CSO could not explain these differentials, except by pointing out that location, size of outlet, brand and quality all affected price. Mr Gerry Foley of the CSO also said the higher prices in Dublin public houses was expected, and had already been commented on.
When examining prices, the whole of the county of Dublin is included in the Dublin figures, according to Mr Foley.
The comparisons are based on averaged figures, but there is a big variation between the cheapest and dearest prices for products in the same areas, according to the figures.
For example, the average price of sirloin steak across the State was €13.235, but this included a price of €10.415 in the five cheapest outlets, and €17.95 in the five dearest. A leg of lamb cost on average €21.077 per kilo, but this ranged from €8.732 in the five cheapest outlets to €21.728 in the five dearest.
The figures were collected by 200 part-time surveyors, who visit hundreds of outlets on the second Tuesday of each month with a "food book", where they mark the prices of about 500 different varieties of product. Each pricer covers a number of outlets, which varies depending on the area being covered.
The material is then collated and compared by the CSO, which issues the monthly Consumer Price Index based on the figures.