Even with cooling general inflation, the US holds the top spot for the priciest pint of Guinness in 2026, costing $7.89. Our analysis, using normalized USD rates and current FX data, explores the impact of currency fluctuations on pint prices across the UK and Ireland, where costs have surprisingly surged by up to 33%. Delve into this comprehensive "pint inflation" breakdown to discover where your dollar goes furthest this year.
The United States named the most expensive place to buy a pint of Guinness this St. Patrick’s Day, despite higher price hikes across the UK and Ireland.
Key takeaways:
- The US is currently the most expensive place to buy a pint of Guinness at $7.89, despite experiencing the lowest price hikes (17%) over the last 5 years.
- The UK experienced the highest increase in the cost of a pint of Guinness, with costs increasing by 33% between 2022 and 2026, while Ireland saw prices increase by nearly 25%.
- Looking at normalized USD rates across all three territories, the data revealed the UK to be the cheapest place to buy a Guinness at $6.85 (£5.10) a pint.
As we approach St. Patrick’s Day, the US has been unveiled as the most expensive country to buy a pint of Guinness.
According to reports by Guinness Storehouse, 950,000 pints of Guinness are consumed in the US every day and the popular holiday remains a firm favourite across the States. An estimated 61% of the population planned to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in 2025, with cities such as Chicago, Boston and New York all throwing city-wide celebrations.
Despite the festivities, and even with the US seeing the largest downward trajectory in CPI (Consumer Price Index) inflation, it remains the most expensive territory in which to purchase a pint of 'the black stuff'.
New data has compared the trend in prices of a pint across the US, UK and Ireland over the last five years, with the US coming out on top as the most expensive of the three territories for a pint of Guinness, despite experiencing the lowest percentage in price hikes between 2022 and 2026.
The research, collated by forex trading platform OANDA using normalised USD rates, reveals that a pint of Guinness is effectively 3% cheaper for a dollar-holding traveler in London than in Dublin, and 13% cheaper than in the United States.
In the US, prices peaked at $6.71 in 2022. By January 2026, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics states the US saw its CPI inflation rate fall to 2.4%, the lowest across the US, UK and Ireland - yet the price of a pint of Guinness has far outstripped the general rate of inflation.
The cost of a pint now sits at $7.89 - a price increase of 17% over the last five years.
The UK, meanwhile, has faced the most persistent inflation and seen Guinness prices rise by a third (33%), with the average cost of a pint jumping from £3.84 ($4.88) in 2022 to £5.10 ($6.85).
Ireland, the original home of Guinness, experienced a 25% price increase from 2022 to 2026. Five years ago a pint of Guinness in Dublin would cost on average €4.66 ($5.34), with prices now sitting at an average of €6.08 ($7.07).
Average Price of a Pint of Guinness (2022–2026)
| Year | UK (£) | UK (USD Standardized) | Republic of Ireland (€) | Ireland (USD Standardized) | USD ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3.84 | 4.88 | 4.66 | 5.34 | 6.71 |
| 2023 | 4.15 | 5.27 | 5.4 | 5.89 | 6.97 |
| 2024 | 4.48 | 5.69 | 5.64 | 6.15 | 7.23 |
| 2025 | 4.9 | 6.22 | 6.08 | 6.63 | 7.49 |
| 2026 | 5.1 | 6.85 | 6.08 | 7.07 | 7.89 |
In all three markets, the research shows the price increase for a pint of Guinness over the five year period has far exceeded the country's cumulative general CPI inflation rate.
The US recorded the biggest downward trajectory, with its annual CPI inflation rates decreasing from 8% to 2.4%. In comparison, the UK’s CPI rates have dropped from 7.93% to 3% according to the Office of National Statistics, while Ireland too saw a similar trend, falling from 7.8% to 2.7% reports the Central Statistics Office.
Despite this lower general inflation, pint costs still experienced a significant rise. This could be as a result of increases in wholesale costs and a strong global demand for Guinness in recent years.
Reports share Diageo, the company producing Guinness, has implemented repeated price increases due to higher operating costs and increased investments in the brand. This has occurred alongside increasing retail costs, such as labor, rent and energy, driving the price of Guinness higher even when overall inflation is declining.
Despite the US seeing the most movement when it comes to CPI inflation, recorded costs show it still remains the most expensive when purchasing a pint of Guinness - meaning for the dollar-holding tourist this St Patrick’s Day, the luck of the Irish may actually be found across the pond in London this year.
Methodology
To understand why a pint of Guinness costs more in some regions despite being brewed locally, economists and analysts use normalised USD rates.
Using live exchange rates of $1.3436$ for the British Pound and $1.1625$ for the Euro, and the local price of Guinness the normalised costs were revealed as:
- United Kingdom: 5.10 X 1.3436 = $6.85
- Republic of Ireland: 6.08 X 1.1625 = $7.07
- United States: $7.89 (Base)
Inflation Comparison and Country Rankings (2022–2026)
While the price of Guinness is influenced by a host of factors, the underlying "pint inflation" is heavily dictated by each country’s Consumer Price Index (CPI). Between 2022 and early 2026, all three regions experienced historic inflationary peaks, but the persistence of these price hikes varied significantly.
| Year | United States | United Kingdom | Republic of Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 8.00% | 7.92% | 7.80% |
| 2023 | 4.12% | 6.79% | 6.30% |
| 2024 | 2.95% | 3.27% | 2.10% |
| 2025 | ~2.90% | ~3.40% | 2.20% |
| Jan 2026 | 2.40% | 3.00% | 2.70% |
Footnotes
Sources used:
The data provided is based on a mix of official government statistics, industry reports, and recent financial news from 2022 to 2026:
¹National Retail Federation - St Patrick’s Day
“Consumers have always been ready to don green and grab a pint on St. Patrick’s Day, but they’ve really outdone themselves recently. The holiday has grown in the past several years, and 2025 is no exception: 61% of consumers plan to celebrate the holiday — on par with last year’s record and a jump from just 55% in 2019.”
[Source: NRF.com - National Retail Federation]
²Bulletin, The Independent
“Diageo has announced a 5.2 per cent price increase for Guinness draught, effective from April.
This marks the second consecutive year of price hikes, following a 4.2 per cent rise last year, which Diageo attributes to increasing operational costs and the need to invest in its brands.” [Source: Bulletin, The Independent]
CPI Inflation rates: Office of National Statistics:https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/timeseries/d7g7/mm23 Central Statistics Office: https://www.cso.ie/en/statistics/prices/consumerpriceindex/ US Bureau of Labor Statistics
Ireland: Central Statistics Office (CSO): The CSO's Consumer Price Index is the gold standard for these figures. It tracked the average price of a pint of stout at €4.90 in 2022, rising to €5.62 by late 2023. https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2026/01/13/price-of-a-pint-of-guinness-set-to-climb-by-around-20-cent/
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/price-of-pint-of-guinness-to-rise-as-diageo-blames-industry-wide-pressures/a994849475.html
https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/exact-date-guinness-price-increases-36642819
https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/diageo-confirms-another-increase-in-the-price-of-a-pint/ https://www.jezebel.com/guinness-cost-of-pint-inflation-euro-ireland-united-states-rising-prices
UK:
Office of National Statistics (ONS): Used for the 2022–2024 benchmarks, where the average UK pint of draught lager/stout was recorded around £4.10–£4.70. The Morning Advertiser Beer Report 2025/2026:This industry trade publication tracks specific brand pricing. Their 2025 report showed Guinness averaging £4.95 in the North East but significantly higher in the South.
https://news.sky.com/story/pint-of-guinness-to-get-more-expensive-from-april-13494565#:~:text=The%20price%20of%20Guinness%20and,the%20latest%20Money%20news%20here https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/price-pint-beer-lager-pubs-uk-map-b2681561.html
US: FinanceBuzz: Conducts an annual "Cost of a Pint of Guinness" survey by state. Their 2024 data showed a national average of $7.23, which rose to $7.49 in 2025. 2026 Projections: FinanceBuzz’s March 2026 report cited a 5.3% year-over-year increase, bringing the current national average to $7.89. https://financebuzz.com/cost-of-guinness-by-state#:~:text=From%202025%20to%202026%2C%20the,of%20Guinness%20in%20every%20state
Other media: https://www.timeout.com/london/news/why-is-guinness-so-popular-right-now-
https://www.diageo.com/en/investors/results-reports-and-events/annual-report-2025 https://nrf.com/blog/celebrating-st-patricks-day-with-small-retailers
https://www.guinness-storehouse.com/en/whats-hoppening/cheers-from-around-the-world
This article and its contents are intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered trading advice. Forex trading is high risk. Losses may exceed deposits.
