The gap between prices in Dublin and outside the capital has widened slightly in the last six months, according to new figures.
The Central Statistics Office said that in May, the average prices of 79 items in its survey were 4.9% higher in Dublin, compared with a 4.3% difference in the last report in November.
Average prices were higher in Dublin for 49 items, lower for 28 and the same in two cases. Eight of 18 meat products were more expensive in Dublin, with back rashers 22.3% more expensive. But round steak was 5.9% cheaper in the capital. Nine of the ten fruit and vegetable items were more expensive in Dublin.
For other food and drink products, 10 of 16 were cheaper in Dublin, but orange juice was 18.6% dearer. For alcohol bought in pubs, average prices were almost 10% higher for all items in Dublin, though the CSO said average prices for drink in off licences showed few big differences.
Petrol and diesel prices were 1.5% dearer in Dublin, while cinema prices were almost 10% higher. Among the biggest price gaps were for hairdressing services, with gents' wash, cut and blow-dry almost 45% dearer in Dublin.
Separate CSO figures showed that factory gate prices rose by 0.8% in May compared with April, the biggest rise since August last year. This led to an annual drop of 3%. The biggest monthly increases came in the chemicals, meat products and office machinery sectors.
There was a 2.8% jump in prices of energy products, with petrol fuels surging by 9.3%. Petrol fuel prices have now jumped by 35% over the year.
