The countries paying the most for music concerts revealed
There’s nothing quite like seeing your favourite music artist perform live. With the increased demand for concerts, scoring one of those coveted spots at a live show can feel like striking gold, much like the thrill of forming a winning combination when playing slots. Whether it’s your first-ever concert or your hundredth, it is always an unforgettable experience.
However, the increased global cost of living means that seeing your favourite artist live now comes with a heftier price tag — but where in the world is this hitting fans the hardest?
Looking at the average cost of the most affordable concert tickets, we can reveal which nations have fans digging deeper into their pockets to see their favourite artists perform live. We’ll also highlight the most and least expensive artists to watch live.
Are concert tickets costing more than ever before?
With several top music artists like Taylor Swift and Oasis announcing their upcoming tour dates, the concert industry has witnessed record-breaking revenues in the last few years. However, this has come with ever-higher ticket prices.
According to Pollstar, global ticket sales for the top 100 tours as of mid-2024 increased by 8.7% compared to last year, amounting to over C$4bn ($3bn | £2.2bn | €2.6bn), a record-setting figure. Although the average number of tickets sold is 15% lower in 2024 than last year, the average price of a ticket was C$172 ($127 | £95 | €114), 9.4% higher than in 2023.1
This growth follows the jaw-dropping increase of over half (51.1%) in overall gross revenue from ticket sales from 2022 to 2023, which shows the continual rise in concert ticket prices. The top 100 tours across North America also saw an increase of almost a fifth (18.7%) in gross profit between 2023 and 2024, with average ticket prices also experiencing a 10% increase from C$162 ($120 | £90 | €107) to C$179 ($132 | £99 | €118). The drastic spike in average ticket prices most likely results from the concert industry's attempt to fully recover after the devastating effects of the pandemic.
Much like North America, global average ticket prices skyrocketed by almost a quarter (23%) in 2023, going from C$143 ($106 | £79 | €95) to C$177 ($131 | £98 | €117), while total grosses for the 2023 worldwide top 100 tours were up just under half (46%) to C$12 billion ($9 bn | £7bn | €8bn) from C$8 billion ($6 bn | £4bn | €5bn) the previous year.2
Despite the much-anticipated comeback of the British band Oasis, fans of the famous rock group have expressed their dismay at the extortionate ticket prices. The BBC reports that the last time Oasis played at Wembley Stadium was in 2009, where a standing ticket cost approximately C$80 | $59 | £44 | €53 (C$123 | $91 | £68 | €82 inflation-adjusted). For their return next summer, it will now cost fans just over C$272 | $201 | £150 | €180, fees included, highlighting an increase of a whopping 121%.3
Though the post-pandemic era has brought about a renewed surge of concertgoers worldwide, there is an overwhelming consensus that tickets and entry fees are becoming increasingly too expensive. A 2023 YouGov survey saw almost two-thirds (60%) of global consumers voicing their concerns about the increasingly high costs of tickets.4
Drake’s concert tickets top the list with a shocking 116% increase in ticket prices on average in the last five years
1. Drake
% change in average ticket price per person: 116.5%
Drake grabs first place as the artist with the highest ticket price increase, with a jaw-dropping increase of more than double (116%) within the last five years, which has understandably outraged fans.
In 2019, the Canadian rapper and singer announced his ‘Assassination Vacation’ tour, which generated a gross of almost C$59 million ($44m | £33m | €39m) and accounted for an estimated C$166 ($123 | £92 | €111) per person. However, by 2023, his ‘It’s All a Blur’ tour amounted to a gross income of more than C$189 million ($140m | £104m | €125m), with tickets skyrocketing to an average of C$359 ($267 | £200 | €239) per person.
2. Luke Combs
% change in average ticket price per person: 115.0%
American country singer Luke Combs is in second place with a ticket price increase of more than double (115%). Four years ago, Combs embarked on his ‘What You See Is What You Get’ tour, which cost just C$60 ($44 | £33 | €40) per person on average; however, due to the pandemic, these shows were rescheduled for 2021. Due to popular demand, his world tour in 2023 received a gross of almost C$181 million ($134m | £100m | €120m), up from C$15.7 million ($11.6m | £8.7m | €10m) in 2020, meaning ticket prices went up to an average of C$128 ($95 | £71 | €86).
Combs has continued to grow in popularity, especially thanks to his performance with Tracy Chapman at the 2024 Grammy Awards earlier this year. It not only brought chills to millions of fans but has garnered over 38 million views on YouTube and has set the stage for his upcoming ‘Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old’ tour.
3. Paul McCartney
% change in average ticket price per person: 81.3%
Paul McCartney completes this top three with an increase of over four-fifths (81.3%) in the average ticket price per person. Gaining worldwide fame with the famous English rock band The Beatles, he has also had 16 major music concert tours as a solo artist, nine of which were worldwide.
The singer, songwriter and musician’s ‘Freshen Up’ tour in 2019 accumulated more than C$153 million ($113m | £84m | €101m), with fans paying an average of C$184 ($137 | £102 | €123) per person. Despite his 2022 tour, named the ‘Got Back’ tour, receiving slightly lower gross profits of C$142 million ($105m | £78m | €94m), ticket prices rose to as much as C$334 ($248 | £186 | €223) per person.
The US is the most expensive country for a standard concert ticket, costing a whopping C$155 on average
1. United States
Average lowest ticket price: C$155 | $114 | £86 | €102
The United States tops the list as the most expensive country to purchase a standard concert ticket, costing as much as C$155 ($114 | £86 | €102) for the average lowest ticket price available on Ticketmaster. This is based on the 10 music artists we looked at who are currently on tour or have upcoming tours.
This is no surprise, as the US is a hub for major artists like Taylor Swift and Usher, making it a relatively high demand for concert tickets compared to other countries. Many US consumers also have more disposable income per household, which makes it easier to be affected by higher prices or ticket inflation.
2. United Kingdom
Average lowest ticket price: C$146 | $108 | £81 | €97
The UK follows closely behind, with the lowest standard concert tickets costing C$146 ($108 | £81 | €97) on average. Although spending a bit more to see your favorite artists is pretty common, concert tickets in the country have continued to see an upward trend.
One of the main reasons for this is that value-added tax (VAT) is added to the costs of concert tickets in the UK. Reports suggest that music fans pay a shocking one-fifth (20%) VAT on their tickets, almost double the EU average (10.3%).5
3. Australia
Average lowest ticket price: C$132 | $98 | £73 | €87
Australia ranks third with an average price of C$132 ($98 | £73 | €87) for the lowest standard concert ticket. Although the country is one of the most popular for touring artists, it is also quite distant from other major touring hubs such as Europe and the United States. As a result, the cost of touring is typically higher.
In addition, many ticketing sites in Australia and several other countries usually include website fees. These fees aren’t added until checkout and can be up to a fifth (20%) plus the concert ticket cost.
South Africa is the most affordable country for a standard concert ticket, costing an average of just under C$50
1. South Africa
Average lowest ticket price: C$49 | $36 | £27 | €32
South Africa takes first place as the most affordable country to purchase a standard concert ticket, with the lowest prices averaging at just C$49 ($36 | £27 | €32). Having internationally gained popularity in recent years, South Africa offers not only stunning scenery but also affordability due to its lower cost of living compared to the US and Europe.
One of the major artists touring this beautiful country is the American rock band Green Day. In January 2025, you can catch them in Johannesburg or Cape Town for less than C$50 ($37 | £28 | €33).
2. Spain
Average lowest ticket price: C$78 | $58 | £43 | €52
Spain is in second place with an average lowest ticket price of C$78 ($58 | £43 | €52), making it one of the most affordable countries in the world to enjoy a music concert without breaking the bank.
As one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, Spain is a hub for several major music artists, including Imagine Dragons, Twenty One Pilots, Gracie Abrams, the Jonas Brothers, and Ed Sheeran. These artists will all perform in this vibrant country during their upcoming tours.
3. Poland
Average lowest ticket price: C$80 | $59 | £45 | €53
Poland is the third most affordable country to see your favourite artist, with standard tickets costing an average of C$80 ($59 | £45 | €53). One main reason is that, unlike wealthier Western European countries, Poland is much more affordable; therefore, concert tickets tend to reflect the country’s purchasing power.
Much like in Spain, you can look forward to several popular bands performing in the country’s most popular cities in the coming year, including the Jonas Brothers, Imagine Dragons, and Twenty One Pilots.
Despite the spike in ticket prices, fans are willing to pay, and Swifties lead with over 7 million Google searches for tickets
1. Taylor Swift
Global Google searches: 7,275,000
With an impressive total of almost 7.3 million Google searches worldwide, American singer Taylor Swift proves that despite the ever-increasing ticket prices, her loyal fans are still willing to pay for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
As a result, Swift’s much anticipated ‘Eras’ tour is the first in history to gross over C$1.4 billion ($1bn | £750k | €900k) in profits, suggesting that a growing number of people are happy to spend a chunk of their disposable income on artists they really like and want to see.6
2. Oasis
Global Google searches: 6,142,200
Oasis nearly broke the internet after recently announcing they will reunite again for their ‘Live '25’ tour next year. Brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher were among the biggest rock sensations of the '90s. So their unexpected return has caught the attention of fans with over 6.1 million Google searches for ‘Oasis tickets’ globally. As a result, the increased demand for tickets may mean ticket prices will likely continue to rise.
3. Olivia Rodrigo
Global Google searches: 3,382,000
With almost 3.4 million global Google searches, Olivia Rodrigo ranks third. Despite being a relatively new artist on the scene, Rodrigo has quickly gained the attention of fans worldwide. This has resulted in a high demand for tickets to her ‘GUTS’ world tour, which is set to end early next year. However, reports have shown that many fans were disappointed and blindsided by the expensive costs.
Methodology
To calculate the average year-on-year percentage difference in the average ticket price per person, we used the Billboard Boxscore, looking at the top 40 tours from 2019 to 2023. We divided each artist's overall gross profits for the year by the total attendance to calculate the average price per person.
We calculated the percentage difference by comparing the average price per ticket for each artist’s previous tour to their most recent tour, which was then ranked in order. This was done on 26/09/2024.
To find the average lowest ticket prices available by country, we first looked at 10 upcoming concerts from some of the most anticipated artists using sources such as Variety and Wikipedia. We then noted down the locations, dates of their performances and the lowest available ticket price using Ticketmaster. The averages for each country based on each artist's performances were then calculated and ranked in order. This was collected on 20/09/2024.
We used the Google Keyword Planner to highlight the most popular artists, looking at the number of global searches for concert tickets from 01/09/2023 to 31/08/2024. The list of artists used is based on the most in-demand tours of 2024/25.
All figures were taken from their original currency and then converted into four major currencies, including CAD, USD, GBP and EUR, using Google Finance; this data was updated on 30/09/2024. All figures were rounded to one decimal place.
References
3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2kdxlv8x05o
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