According to a joint study by Numbeo and Deutsche Bank Research titled “Mapping the World’s Prices,” while a one-kilometer ride in Switzerland costs nearly $5, the same trip in the Philippines costs just 23 cents.
Which Countries Have the Most Expensive Taxis?
The highest taxi fares are in Switzerland and Luxembourg, which are characterized by generally high prices for goods and services. Another significant factor is that residents of neighboring France and Germany commute to work in these countries, creating high demand for taxis.
One kilometer in Switzerland costs an average of $4.70, and in Luxembourg, $4.06.
Surprisingly, Albania—a relatively poor country—ranks third. A one-kilometer taxi ride there costs an average of $3.67—much more than in neighboring countries.
Among the reasons are the country’s tourism boom, high fuel taxes, and, most importantly, the absence of international ride-hailing platforms such as Bolt, Yandex, or Uber.
Next are the island nations of Bahrain and Mauritius, where a kilometer in a taxi costs $3.45 and $3.19, respectively. A kilometer-long taxi ride costs more than $3 on average in Japan and the Netherlands.
Rounding out the top ten countries with the highest taxi fares are Germany ($2.86), Belgium ($2.75), and Mexico ($2.72).
The high cost of taxi rides in Mexico is due to the dominance of taxi drivers’ unions in the market, which are comparable to monopolistic syndicates.
Which Countries Have the Cheapest Taxis?
The cheapest taxis are found in the island nation of the Philippines: $0.23 per kilometer. Average prices are slightly higher in India ($0.26), Egypt, and Iran (both $0.30).
These countries have low labor and vehicle maintenance costs, as well as high competition in the industry.
However, taxis are only the cheapest when low purchasing power is not taken into account: for residents of these countries, the cost of a ride can be high.
Other countries with low taxi fares also fit this description. The top ten countries with the lowest taxi fares also include Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan ($0.33 each), Tunisia and Moldova (both $0.34), China ($0.35), and Indonesia ($0.39).
Our neighbors
Ukraine ranks 14th from the bottom, with a standard fare of $0.45 per kilometer. Taxi fares in Russia are the same.
In Romania, however, taxis are significantly more expensive—$0.80—which puts it on par with countries such as Turkey, Latvia, and Singapore.
