Average Filipino spends P23,000 yearly on beer — report

MANILA, Philippines — Not all beers are created equally — at least according to a report that found that the cost and consumption of the alcoholic drink varies significantly across the globe.

To track these differences, financial website Expensivity researched the prices of a 330 mL bottle of beer in supermarkets and bars worldwide. Local residents, online shops and online menus helped to collate the prices of well-known beer brands like Corona and Heineken.

From the list of 58 countries in the "World Beer Index 2021," the Philippines ranked near the middle of the pack overall in terms of average beer cost, average per capita beers consumed (per individual) and average per capita spend on beer.

According to the index, Filipinos spend an average $485.40 or P23602.82 (based on the currency exchange rate as of writing) per year on beer. This accounts to around P1,966 per month.

To put this in perspective, a Filipino based in the National Capital Region earning a daily minimum wage of P500 to P537, based on data from the National Wages and Productivity Commission, would only earn about P10,000 to P10,740 a month.

Meanwhile, Germans spend the most on beer at $1,907.78 yearly.

It turns out that we Filipinos are indeed mild drinkers, at least relatively in terms of beer. The average per capita beers consumed in the country is 114.16, or about nine beers a month per person.

The Czech Republic, on the other hand, has the highest consumption rate, with 468 beers per person per year or 39 beers monthly.

A possible explanation for this, however, is that Filipinos are drinking other alcoholic beverages.