The Historical Price Comparison
What did a Maß cost in today's euros? An interactive journey through 200+ years of Oktoberfest beer prices — from Gulden to Euro, adjusted for inflation.
Select a year
Nominal (EUR equivalent) / Inflation-adjusted (2025 EUR)
1810–2026
Currency Conversion Factors
Gulden Era
1810–1870
Bavaria used the Gulden. A Maß cost a few Kreuzer — affordable for common workers.
1 Gulden ≈ €12 (2025 purchasing power)
Mark Era
1871–1923
German unification brought the Mark. Beer prices rose steadily with industrialization.
1 Mark ≈ €6.50 (2025 purchasing power)
Reichsmark Era
1924–1948
The Reichsmark replaced the hyperinflated Papiermark. War and austerity shaped prices.
1 Reichsmark ≈ €5 (2025 purchasing power)
Deutsche Mark Era
1948–2001
The Wirtschaftswunder drove decades of steady price growth. Beer became big business.
1 DM = €0.51129 (fixed) + inflation since 2002
Euro Era
2002–today
The Euro brought perceived price jumps. Post-COVID inflation accelerated the trend.
Euro: CPI-adjusted to 2025
Cheapest beer (real terms)
1810
0.36 EUR(0.03 Gulden)
Most expensive (real terms)
2026
14.84 EUR(15.3 EUR)
What Else Could You Buy?
For the price of a Maß in 2025 you could also get:
- 2.5 cappuccinos
- 1 cinema ticket (no popcorn)
Sources & Methodology
Nominal prices from Stadtarchiv München, stadt.muenchen.de, pressenet.info, and ganz-muenchen.de. Inflation adjustment uses Bundesbank CPI data and historical purchasing-power estimates from the Bayerisches Landesamt für Statistik. Currency conversions: 1 Gulden ≈ €12 (2025), 1 Mark ≈ €6.50, 1 Reichsmark ≈ €5, 1 DM = €0.51129 + CPI.