By the MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network Editorial Team

According to research published today by global online hotel booking expert Hotels.com, Geneva has once again claimed the top spot for the world’s most expensive club sandwich, with an average price of NT$983 per sandwich. Taipei has been included in the global survey again this year, rising two places from last year to rank 24th, reflecting a slight increase in Taiwan’s cost of living. The club sandwich is a classic dish available at hotels worldwide, typically made with chicken, bacon, egg, lettuce, and mayonnaise. Hotels.com’s Club Sandwich Index (CSI) tracks the price of this classic dish to help travelers gauge the cost of their chosen destination.

The 2014 Club Sandwich Index covered the capital cities or major tourist cities of 28 countries, surveying a total of 30 hotels in each city — including three-, four-, and five-star establishments — to calculate the average price of club sandwiches sold at these properties. A total of 840 hotels worldwide were included in this year’s survey. Now in its third year, the Club Sandwich Index faithfully reflects the actual prices of sandwiches around the globe and the impact of currency fluctuations.

Among the Geneva hotels surveyed in this year’s Club Sandwich Index, the most expensive club sandwich was a gourmet offering from a five-star hotel, priced at NT$1,304, though some three-star hotels offered options for as low as NT$463. Paris, the city of gastronomy, ranked second in the index with an average price of NT$886. Helsinki, the capital of Finland, saw an increase in club sandwich prices compared to 2013, claiming third place with an average price of NT$735, pushing Oslo, the capital of Norway, out of the top three.

New Delhi, India, continued to hold the title of the world’s cheapest club sandwich, averaging just NT$265 per sandwich. Other cities where you can get a club sandwich for under NT$500 include Madrid (around NT$481), Rio de Janeiro (around NT$442), and Bangkok (around NT$361). Meanwhile, Beirut saw the sharpest drop in club sandwich prices, falling from NT$612 in 2013 to NT$511 in 2014.

Chen Chih-ya, Hotels.com’s Director of Public Relations for the Asia-Pacific region, said: “We compile the index using the most common club sandwich prices listed on hotel menus to help travelers easily compare their purchasing power across different countries. Next time you’re enjoying a club sandwich in Geneva, don’t forget you could buy three in New Delhi for the same price!”

Note: The 2014 average club sandwich prices were converted from local currencies to NT$ based on the April 15, 2014 exchange rate of 50.538 NT$ per British pound. The 2013 average club sandwich prices were converted from local currencies to NT$ based on the April 24, 2013 exchange rate of 45.48 NT$ per British pound.(Club Sandwich Index, CSI) tracks the price of this classic dish to help travelers gauge the cost of their chosen destination.

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