Weekly Grocery and Food Budgets for Students Across Europe: A Country Comparison

How food prices compare across Europe

Eurostat tracks a comparative price level index for food, beverages and tobacco, setting the EU average at 100. A country above 100 costs more than the EU average for the same shopping basket, a country below 100 costs less. This is the clearest official way to compare what your weekly shop will likely cost relative to another country, since it strips out currency swings and measures actual price levels rather than headline exchange rates.

2025 food price index by country

Switzerland, Norway and Iceland all sit above every EU country on the same index, so budget more if you study in any of the three.

What this means for your weekly shop

Use the index as a scaling tool rather than a fixed number. If you know a realistic weekly grocery budget in one country, multiply by the ratio of the two index scores to estimate the same basket elsewhere. A student spending 40 euros a week in France (index 112) would need roughly 40 x (79/112), about 28 euros, for the same basket in Romania (index 79), and roughly 40 x (121/112), about 43 euros, in Denmark (index 121). Treat these as rough estimates, not official averages, since your actual spending depends on where you shop and what you buy.

Why food costs differ so much

Wages, VAT rates on food, and how much of the food supply is imported all push these numbers apart. Countries with strong domestic agriculture, such as Poland and Romania, keep staple prices low, while small, import-dependent economies like Luxembourg and Iceland pay a premium for the same goods delivered further.

Self-catering versus catered halls

Housing type changes your real food budget as much as the country you study in. Self-catering accommodation, the norm in Germany, the Netherlands and much of Scandinavia, gives you a shared or private kitchen and full control over your grocery spending. Catered halls, more common in the UK and Ireland, roll a fixed number of meals into your rent, so your effective food cost is set before you shop for anything extra. Check which model your accommodation uses before comparing food budgets between two countries, since the numbers are not directly comparable.

Reduced VAT keeps groceries cheaper than eating out

Most European countries apply a reduced VAT rate to basic foodstuffs, well below the standard rate charged on restaurant meals and prepared food. This gap between cooking at home and eating out holds everywhere in Europe, not only in cheaper countries, so a student on a tight budget saves more by cooking regularly than by chasing the lowest country on the index alone.

Discount supermarkets cut costs almost everywhere

Regardless of country, choosing a discount chain over a full-price national supermarket saves money on the same staples. Lidl and Aldi operate across most of the EU and consistently price basic groceries, bread, dairy, pasta, below the national mainstream chains. Spain has Mercadona, Poland has Biedronka, and most countries have at least one strong discount competitor. Store-brand products at these chains typically cost noticeably less than branded equivalents and often less than the store-brand lines at pricier supermarkets.

Building a weekly shopping list that travels well

Base your weekly shop around staples that stay affordable in almost every European country: pasta or rice, seasonal vegetables, eggs, and a discount-brand protein such as chicken thighs, lentils or tinned fish. Reserve imported or specialty items, foreign brands, out-of-season produce, pre-cut convenience packs, for occasional treats rather than weekly staples, since these carry the steepest markup regardless of which country you study in.

Local markets and student canteens

Outdoor markets and greengrocers often beat supermarkets on fruit and vegetables, especially for produce in season locally. Prices swing more through the year at markets than at supermarkets, so a diet built around what is in season costs less than one relying on imported produce year round.

University canteens add a second way to cut food costs. A CROUS restaurant in France, a Studentenwerk Mensa in Germany, or an equivalent subsidized canteen elsewhere typically prices a full meal well below a restaurant, and often below cooking the same meal from full-price supermarket ingredients. Check your student services office for the nearest subsidized canteen and its opening hours before you settle into a weekly grocery routine.

A few habits that stretch any food budget

Shop at the same discount chain each week to learn its markdown schedule for near-expiry items. Cook in batches with your flatmates to split the cost of staples like rice, oil and spices. Combine a weekly discount-supermarket shop with an occasional market visit for fresh produce, rather than relying on one or the other exclusively. Loyalty apps from major discount chains, such as Lidl Plus, add personalized coupons and last-minute markdown alerts on top of already-low shelf prices, sign up for the chain nearest your accommodation in your first week to catch these from the start.

Paying in a non-euro country

If you study in a country outside the eurozone, Poland, Czechia, Sweden, Denmark, your bank card usually converts prices automatically at checkout, but a fee-free student account or travel card avoids the markup a standard debit card adds on every foreign transaction. Check your bank's foreign transaction fee before you rely on card payments for your weekly shop.