Chicken, bacon, egg, lettuce and mayonnaise in a sandwich. How much would you pay for such a humble offering?
The answer could depend on where you are because Hotels.com has just released a comparison chart from cities around the world of the cost of the staple of any room service menu, the Club Sandwich.
And as you might have guess from the big clue we gave with the main picture, the world’s most expensive Club Sandwich can be found in Geneva where you can expect to fork out $30.45. As someone remarked, this is to be expected in a city which is full of international public servants on expense accounts and steady incomes.
Paris is second at $27.45; with the only Australian city on the list, Sydney, 9th at $20.53. You can munch on a relative bargain Club Sandwich in Delhi, with an average cost of $9.11.
The Club Sandwich Index is published to help travellers know the costs associated with visiting a particular city. It’s based on input from 840 hotels in 28 countries in three, four and five star categories.
Now in its second year, the Index reflects changes in the actual price of a Club Sandwich across the globe as well as the effect of currency fluctuations. On the whole, the news is good because prices are falling. A Club Sandwich in Geneva in 2013 is almost $3 less than the most expensive city (Paris) last year.
"The Club Sandwich, available on hotel menus across the globe, is the perfect spending barometer, helping tourists factor into their travel plans the everyday cost of simple items such as food and drink,” said Alison Coupar of Hotels.com.
“The price changes when comparing 2013 to 2012 hide a complex story of factors from changes in the local price of basic food items through to currency fluctuations. The beauty of the CSI is that it gives travellers a simple price comparison to show how far their money may stretch in each country."
In case you’re planning to travel some time this year, here’s the complete Club Sandwich Index. Alternatively, try eating something else and have your fill of Club Sandwich's before leaving home. A quick run to the local supermarket and I bought the ingredients to make my own - including organic chicken - for a little under $7.
Ranking |
City |
Country |
Average Price |
1 |
Geneva |
Switzerland |
$30.45 |
2 |
Paris |
France |
$27.45 |
3 |
Oslo |
Norway |
$26.72 |
4 |
Stockholm |
Sweden |
$23.12 |
5 |
Copenhagen |
Denmark |
$22.33 |
6 |
Rome |
Italy |
$22.26 |
7 |
Tokyo |
Japan |
$20.70 |
8 |
London |
UK |
$20.65 |
9 |
Sydney |
Australia |
$20.53 |
10 |
Hong Kong |
Hong Kong |
$19.80 |
11 |
Helsinki |
Finland |
$19.74 |
12 |
Seoul |
South Korea |
$18.55 |
13 |
New York |
USA |
$17.51 |
14 |
Moscow |
Russia |
$16.87 |
15 |
Amsterdam |
Netherlands |
$16.66 |
16 |
Berlin |
Germany |
$15.92 |
17 |
Singapore |
Singapore |
$15.42 |
18 |
Toronto |
Canada |
$15.25 |
19 |
Dublin |
Ireland |
$15.05 |
20 |
Madrid |
Spain |
$14.77 |
21 |
Rio De Janeiro |
Brazil |
$14.40 |
22 |
Beijing |
China |
$12.61 |
23 |
Buenos Aires |
Argentina |
$11.89 |
24 |
Bangkok |
Thailand |
$11.80 |
25 |
Bogota |
Columbia |
$11.41 |
26 |
Taipei |
Taiwan |
$11.37 |
27 |
Mexico City |
Mexico |
$10.54 |
28 |
Delhi |
India |
$9.11 |