Around the world, eggs are a staple part of many people’s diets. Not only are they an excellent source of protein, but they also contain numerous other essential nutrients such as vitamin B12, vitamin D and iodine.
However, the cost of a dozen eggs worldwide can vary greatly, depending on a range of factors. In this article, we will aim to explore why the cost varies so much worldwide, and take a closer look at the global cost comparison of a dozen eggs.
Where in the World are the Most Affordable Eggs?
To answer this question, we will start by exploring the cost of a dozen eggs across every continent (except Antarctica), and then give specific examples from countries within those continents.
To keep it simple, all prices will be converted to US dollars.
So without further ado, let’s start at home, in North America.
North America
On average, the cost of a dozen eggs in the US is $4.25, which is a sharp increase in the average price from last year, which was $2.75. However, the price varies greatly within the US itself: a dozen eggs in New York can set you back $9.99, and in California just under $7.50.
On the other hand, the cost of a dozen eggs in South Dakota is $1.60, while in Utah it is just $1.20, which brings the national average price down.
In the United States, the general pattern is the higher the cost of living in a particular area, the higher the cost of eggs is going to be.
Further north in the continent, the average cost of a dozen eggs in Canada is $3.62, with the price being slightly cheaper in Ontario, which is where the majority of Canada’s eggs come from.
South America
Surprisingly, neither Brazil nor Argentina top the list of the highest price for a dozen eggs in South America, despite them both being the continent’s two largest countries, and home to some of South America’s most populous cities.
The city which will cost you the most for a dozen eggs in South America is the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo, where the average cost of a dozen eggs is $3.77 – significantly cheaper than the United States.
In fact, the Brazilian capital (Brasilia) comes in 5th place, just behind Sao Paulo, where the costs are $2.31 and $2.41, respectively.
Argentina does not even make an appearance in the top 10 or 20 most expensive places to buy a dozen eggs in South America, and its capital, Buenos Aires, comes in at 29th place, with the average cost of a dozen eggs in the capital of Argentina setting you back just $1.46.
Africa
As a general rule, the cost of a dozen eggs in Africa is lower than the global average.
Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, is where you will find it the most expensive, and even that is a mere $2.22 for a dozen eggs.
Compare that to its neighbor Egypt, where if you are visiting Giza (where the pyramids are), you are unlikely to pay over $1.15 for the same amount.
South Africa’s prices tend to fluctuate around the $1.50 to $1.70 mark, so sit just in between the continent’s cheapest and most expensive eggs.
Eastern Africa has relatively similar prices to South Africa, with prices ranging from about $1.40 to $1.85. Countries which are included in this data are Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
Europe
Prices in Europe are much more in line with those of the United States, and significantly higher than the prices we have seen in South America and Africa.
Switzerland is known as being one of the most expensive countries to live in, so it is little surprise that the cost of a dozen eggs in Switzerland is the highest, with 6 of the top spots in the most expensive dozen eggs in Europe all being in Switzerland. Lausanne is the most expensive, with the average cost at $6.82, 50 cents more expensive than the capital city, Bern.
Iceland is another expensive country, along with its Scandinavian counterpart Denmark, where prices are between $4.80 and $5.70.
As for the countries of the British Isles, Saint Helier in Jersey is the most expensive city for the price of a dozen eggs, with an average of $4.60. Dublin will set you back about $3.70, while in London you should expect to pay around the $3.50 mark.
Prices in Eastern Europe tend to be far cheaper than in Western Europe, though, and the most expensive cities are two which are incredibly popular tourist destinations – Prague (Czechia) and Budapest (Hungary) where you will pay between $3.40 and $3.50 for a dozen eggs.
The cheapest eggs in Europe are to be found in Russia, where throughout the country the prices fluctuate between $1.00 and $1.40.
Asia
Although Russia is classed as both a European and Asian country, for argument’s sake we will leave it out of this Asian section.
Being the largest continent on Earth, it will come as little surprise that the prices vary hugely in Asia. In fact, some of the cheapest eggs in the world can be purchased in Asia.
These eggs are to be found in Pakistan, where the cost of a dozen will set you back no more than $0.80 in the cities of Rawalpindi and Peshawar.
On the other hand, Israel, a country renowned for its high cost of living, has the most expensive price in Asia – $3.91 in Ramat Gan, and anywhere between $3.60 and $3.85 in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Another popular tourist destination in Asia is South East Asia, where, with the exception of Singapore (one of the most expensive cities to live in in the world) the cost of a dozen eggs is cheap. Prices in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia range from about $1.50 to $1.99. However, Singapore brings South East Asia’s average up, with the cost of a dozen eggs being around $3.00.
Oceania
Last but not least on our list is Oceania – where the cost of a dozen eggs is more similarly aligned with those of Europe and North America.
The cheapest place is, unsurprisingly, Fiji – where a dozen eggs cost an average of $2.50. This is significantly higher than in Africa and most of South East Asia, but is the cheapest place in Oceania. Most of Fiji’s eggs are bought and sold on its many islands.
On average, eggs are cheaper in Australia than in New Zealand. The cheapest areas to buy a dozen eggs in Australia are on the Gold Coast (around $3.00) and in Hobart (Tasmania), where you will pay around $3.40 for the same amount.
The cost of a dozen eggs in Australia’s most popular cities, Melbourne and Sydney are quite different: around $3.50 in Melbourne, and $4.15 in Sydney.
Over in New Zealand’s capital, Wellington, a dozen eggs costs around $4.60, and the location with the most expensive eggs in Oceania is also in New Zealand, in Auckland, where a dozen eggs are likely to set you back around $5.30.
Conclusions
Depending on where you live or are visiting in the world, the cost of eggs can vary greatly. The global average is around $2.00, but this is due to a number of factors, including how cheap they are in South Asia and East Africa, coupled with how expensive they are in states such as California and New York and countries like New Zealand, Singapore and Switzerland.
Globally, the cheapest eggs in the world are to be found in Pakistan, where a dozen will cost you less than $1.00. On the flip side of the coin, the most expensive eggs in the world are to be found in New York, with an average price of $9.99 for a dozen – nearly 10 times more expensive than in Pakistan, meaning that each egg costs around $0.83.
When compared to some of the cities in Pakistan, you could get 144 eggs (12 packs of a dozen each) for just under what you would pay for a dozen in New York.
Some other factors which have contributed to the sharp rise in cost of eggs globally are outbreaks of bird flu (particularly in Europe and North America), meaning many birds have to be isolated from one another and cannot produce eggs as regularly or to the same safety standards that are required.
Despite their cost, eggs still remain a popular food choice for many people across the world. On top of this, eggs are also an incredibly versatile food, and can be eaten on their own, cooked a range of different ways, and used in everything from cocktails to desserts, to being used when baking cakes or various pastries.
