The cost of a Christmas meal has gone up this year by almost 20 per cent, the consumers association revealed on Wednesday.

Prices also differed across cities, however tomatoes marked the biggest price increase at 131 per cent.
Cucumbers were found to have gone up by 113 per cent, while the cost of meat was up by around 20 per cent.

The study by the association was carried out by December 9 and 17, which found the biggest price decrease was in merlin oranges and onions at 17 and 15 per cent respectively.

The association looked at 35 food and drink items at different price ranges: luxury, average and cheapest, in Nicosia, Limassol and Paphos.

A luxury Christmas meal for a family of four in Nicosia would cost €212 and €303 for a family of six.
This marks an 11.79 per cent increase compared to last year.

In Limassol, the cost of Christmas dinner amounts to €198 for a family of four and €281 for a family of six.
Where Paphos is concerned, a luxury Christmas meal is at €215 for a family of four and €308 for a family of six.

The average meal which includes 19 of the 35 items costs on average €123 for a family of four and €157 for a family of six. This marks a 19.22 per cent increase compared to last year, the association said.

In Limassol, the cost for a four-member family amounts to €121 and €157 for a family of six. In Paphos, the figures are at €122 and €158 respectively.

For the most cost-effective Christmas meal which includes 11 out of 35 items, the dinner would cost €31 in Nicosia for four people and €44 for six. This marks a 14.83 per cent increase compared to 2023.

In Limassol, the figure amounts to €33 and €48 respectively, while in Paphos it averaged at €34 and €51.