Sky-High Prices: A Liter of Beer to Cost €15.90 as Oktoberfest Introduces Major Changes

A liter of beer at Munich’s Oktoberfest will cost as much as €15.90 this year, bringing the festival’s prices close to the symbolic €16 mark. The 191st edition will run from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4, with more than 6.5 million visitors expected.

Prices on the Theresienwiese will range from €14.80 to €15.90, according to figures released by Munich’s city administration. The average price will rise 2.38 percent from last year. The maximum price will apply at the Armbrustschützen-Festzelt and Bräurosl tents, while visitors looking for a cheaper Maß can go to the Museumszelt, where a liter will cost €14.80.

Wheat-beer drinkers will pay even more. A liter in Kuffler’s wine tent will cost €18.40. Munich says the tent owners set their own prices, while the city only checks whether they are appropriate. In large Munich restaurants outside the festival, a liter of beer currently costs between €7.70 and €13.40.

Nonalcoholic drinks are also becoming more expensive. A liter of tap water will average €11.13, Spezi will cost €12.84 and lemonade €12.35. The festival’s beer is also stronger than standard beer, with more than 6 percent alcohol and more than 13.5 percent original wort, according to Stefan Stang of the Association of Private Bavarian Breweries. The tradition comes from Märzen beer, which uses more sugar converted into alcohol so it can last until autumn.

The festival will bring several operational changes alongside the higher prices. Organizers have upgraded the official online portal for table reservations, tickets and beer tokens to combat the black market. Modernized tunnel systems using artificial intelligence will speed up checks at the main entrances. New environmental rules will require tents to use 100 percent renewable electricity and shorter, regional food-supply chains. Paths between large tents will also be widened by moving some attractions, and the popular Oide Wiesn area will be expanded.

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With more than 13.5 percent original wort and more than 6 percent alcohol, it surpasses standard beer.