Meal kit provider HelloFresh has released a study that uncovers the cost of baking a batch of traditional Christmas cookies in 60 US cities and 30 countries using current ingredient prices.

Due to the economic strain caused by the pandemic and global supply shortages, the price of staple ingredients has been rising. To provide a like-for-like comparison of current prices between different cities and countries, the study reveals the cost of baking a batch of Christmas cookies in each location, using the same recipe and ingredients, including butter, eggs, flour, sugar and baking soda.

For an easier price comparison, the study also shows how much the price of baking cookies in each location deviates from the median cost. The results reveal the most expensive and the cheapest locations to bake a batch of Christmas cookies using current ingredient prices.

Some of the study’s key findings:

  • Baking a batch of Christmas Cookies in the US costs $6.10.
  • Sweden is the most expensive country to bake Christmas cookies ($12.83), followed by the Dominican Republic ($11.74), Denmark ($10.97), New Zealand ($10.57), Russia ($9.81) and Switzerland ($9.75).
  • Ecuador is the cheapest place to bake Christmas cookies at $3.50 per batch, followed by Poland ($3.62), Spain ($3.80), Germany ($4.04) and Chile ($4.20).
  • The most expensive place to bake Christmas cookies in the US is San Diego, California at $12.40 per batch, followed by Burlington, Vermont ($12.08) and Los Angeles, California ($11.41).
  • Charleston, South Carolina is the cheapest place in the US to bake Christmas cookies at $2.23 per batch, followed by Charleston, West Virginia ($2.90) and Des Moines, Iowa ($4.13).

“We all know that cookies play a pivotal role during the holidays whether it be a way to bond with family and friends or a way to come together during the most festive time of year,” says Carol England, culinary development manager at HelloFresh. “The pandemic put a lot of stress on consumer wallets so we were interested to learn more about which cities and states are seeing the best bang for their buck when it comes to holiday ingredient shopping.”

The full results of the study, sources and methodology can be found at HelloFresh’s website.