Price of Bottled Potable Water Around the World

By T. V. Antony Raj

Drinking a good amount of water is essential to maintain our health. Water helps us to conserve energy, lose weight, and combat disease by hydration.

Though all bottled potable water cannot be deemed healthier than tap water, in most parts of the world the demand for bottled water is increasing day by day even in regions where tap water is considered safe to drink. New York City offers its residents some of the purest, most delicious drinking water on the planet. Over 1 billion gallons are brought in every day from upstate reservoirs. However, most people in NYC just buy brand-name bottled water.

Recently, the authorities in the state of Tamilnadu, India, sealed hundreds of plants producing bottled water. Even so, many people in the state still buy bottled waters some of which do not meet the ISI standards and marketed illegally.

. Bottled Water Consumption in Ten Countries (1999 and 2004)

Americans buy an estimated 42.6 billion single-serving (1 litre or less) plastic water bottles each year. People in Western Europe consume almost half of all bottled water produced, amounting to more than 100 litres per person every year.

Bottled Water is already having significant adverse effects on the ecosystem of countries all over the world, especially in developing countries.

The cost of manufacturing, packaging, and transporting bottled water is more expensive than tap water.

Table 1 lists countries where the average price of a 1.5 litre bottled potable water costs USD$ 1.60 (IND₹ 100.58, EUR€ 1.20) or more. The conversions are at prevailing rates of exchange.

Table 1: List of Countries where price of 1.5 Liter Bottled Water
costs USD$ 1.60 or more.

Country	USD$	IND₹	EUR€
Norway	3.32	208.24	2.49
Australia	2.84	178.24	2.13
Zimbabwe	2.75	172.55	2.06
Finland	2.60	163.03	1.95
New Zealand	2.51	157.36	1.88
Iceland	2.47	154.91	1.85
Venezuela	2.39	149.75	1.79
Guernsey	2.32	145.85	1.74
Sweden	2.29	143.88	1.72
Puerto Rico	1.97	123.61	1.48
Canada	1.92	120.19	1.44
Costa Rica	1.90	119.22	1.43
Papua New Guinea	1.83	114.80	1.37
Hong Kong	1.81	113.32	1.36
United States	1.75	109.80	1.31
Ireland	1.69	106.18	1.27
Brunei	1.61	100.80	1.21
United Kingdom	1.60	100.58	1.20

Table 2 lists countries where the average price of a 1.5 litre bottled potable water costs USD$ 0.50 (IND₹ 31.37, EUR€ 0.38) or less.

Table 2: List of Countries where the price of 1.5 Liter of Bottled Water costs USD$ 0.50 or less.

Country	USD$	IND₹	EUR€
Sudan	0.50	31.37	0.38
Vietnam	0.50	31.37	0.38
Turkey	0.49	30.93	0.37
Afghanistan	0.49	30.50	0.36
Thailand	0.48	30.03	0.36
Hungary	0.45	28.29	0.34
Egypt	0.44	27.34	0.33
Iran	0.41	25.54	0.31
Syria	0.40	25.10	0.30
Indonesia	0.39	24.77	0.30
Tunisia	0.36	22.75	0.27
Nepal	0.35	21.91	0.26
Algeria	0.34	21.31	0.25
Bangladesh	0.32	20.19	0.24
India	0.32	20.00	0.24

Table 3 is an alphabetically ordered list of 122 countries showing the average price of 1.5 liter of bottled drinking water.

Table 3: Price of 1.5 Liter of Drinking Water across the World

Country USD$ IND₹ EUR€

Afghanistan	0.49	30.50	0.36
Albania	0.67	41.80	0.50
Algeria	0.34	21.31	0.25
Argentina	1.28	80.60	0.96
Armenia	0.62	38.61	0.46
Australia	2.84	178.24	2.13
Austria	0.67	41.80	0.50
Azerbaijan	0.79	49.40	0.59
Bahrain	1.33	83.19	1.00
Bangladesh	0.32	20.19	0.24
Belarus	0.70	43.92	0.53
Belgium	1.27	79.42	0.95
Bolivia	1.08	67.69	0.81
Bosnia And Herzegovina	0.68	42.67	0.51
Botswana	1.17	73.52	0.88
Brazil	0.88	55.02	0.66
Brunei	1.61	100.80	1.21
Bulgaria	0.55	34.21	0.41
Cambodia	0.55	34.51	0.41
Canada	1.92	120.19	1.44
Chile	1.36	85.14	1.02
China	0.66	41.20	0.49
Colombia	1.30	81.61	0.98
Costa Rica	1.90	119.22	1.43
Croatia	1.05	65.80	0.79
Cyprus	1.28	80.26	0.96
Czech Republic	0.66	41.63	0.50
Denmark	1.43	89.65	1.07
Dominican Republic	0.91	57.00	0.68
Ecuador	1.00	62.74	0.75
Egypt	0.44	27.34	0.33
El Salvador	0.80	50.20	0.60
Estonia	1.07	66.88	0.80
Ethiopia	0.65	40.91	0.49
Finland	2.60	163.03	1.95
France	1.07	66.88	0.80
Georgia	0.60	37.65	0.45
Germany	0.67	41.80	0.50
Ghana	1.00	62.74	0.75
Greece	1.33	83.60	1.00
Guatemala	1.01	63.62	0.76
Guernsey	2.32	145.85	1.74
Honduras	1.00	62.74	0.75
Hong Kong	1.81	113.32	1.36
Hungary	0.45	28.29	0.34
Iceland	2.47	154.91	1.85
India	0.32	20.00	0.24
Indonesia	0.39	24.77	0.30
Iran	0.41	25.54	0.31
Iraq	0.75	47.06	0.56
Ireland	1.69	106.18	1.27
Israel	1.13	70.79	0.85
Italy	0.53	33.44	0.40
Jamaica	1.44	90.06	1.08
Japan	1.33	83.75	1.00
Jordan	0.58	36.57	0.44
Kazakhstan	0.78	48.97	0.59
Kenya	1.00	62.70	0.75
Kuwait	0.53	33.14	0.40
Latvia	0.85	53.54	0.64
Lebanon	0.80	50.20	0.60
Lithuania	0.77	48.43	0.58
Luxembourg	1.07	66.88	0.80
Macao	1.16	72.85	0.87
Macedonia	0.55	34.42	0.41
Malaysia	0.63	39.41	0.47
Malta	0.73	45.98	0.55
Mauritius	0.80	50.43	0.60
Mexico	0.92	57.42	0.69
Moldova	0.61	38.22	0.46
Monaco	1.05	66.05	0.79
Mongolia	0.51	32.23	0.39
Montenegro	0.67	41.80	0.50
Myanmar	0.53	33.36	0.40
Namibia	1.27	79.62	0.95
Nepal	0.35	21.91	0.26
Netherlands	1.33	83.60	1.00
New Zealand	2.51	157.36	1.88
Nicaragua	1.00	62.74	0.75
Nigeria	0.93	58.62	0.70
Norway	3.32	208.24	2.49
Oman	0.51	31.98	0.38
Pakistan	0.42	26.30	0.31
Palestinian Territory	0.85	53.09	0.64
Panama	1.15	72.16	0.86
Papua New Guinea	1.83	114.80	1.37
Peru	1.00	62.70	0.75
Philippines	0.69	43.56	0.52
Poland	0.64	40.21	0.48
Portugal	0.67	41.80	0.50
Puerto Rico	1.97	123.61	1.48
Qatar	0.55	34.47	0.41
Romania	0.75	47.20	0.56
Russia	0.93	58.08	0.69
Saudi Arabia	0.53	33.46	0.40
Serbia	0.54	33.97	0.41
Singapore	1.20	75.60	0.90
Slovakia	0.80	50.16	0.60
Slovenia	0.80	50.16	0.60
South Africa	1.17	73.44	0.88
South Korea	1.15	72.32	0.86
Spain	0.67	41.80	0.50
Sri Lanka	0.56	34.88	0.42
Sudan	0.50	31.37	0.38
Sweden	2.29	143.88	1.72
Switzerland	1.08	67.97	0.81
Syria	0.40	25.10	0.30
Taiwan	1.02	63.91	0.76
Tanzania	0.94	58.83	0.70
Thailand	0.48	30.03	0.36
Tunisia	0.36	22.75	0.27
Turkey	0.49	30.93	0.37
Uganda	1.00	62.57	0.75
Ukraine	0.73	46.02	0.55
United Arab Emirates	0.54	34.16	0.41
United Kingdom	1.60	100.58	1.20
United States	1.75	109.80	1.31
Uruguay	1.35	84.44	1.01
Uzbekistan	0.53	33.54	0.40
Venezuela	2.39	149.75	1.79
Vietnam	0.50	31.36	0.38
Zimbabwe	2.75	172.55	2.06