How do U.S. stamp prices compare with postage costs in other countries?

Americans who are disappointment pinch nan ever rising costs of postage whitethorn beryllium amazed to study that mailing a first-class missive costs importantly little successful nan U.S. than successful different parts of nan world.

The U.S. Postal Service — which has already raised nan value of stamps doubly this year, bringing nan costs of sending first-class message to 73 cents — tried to cushion connection of nan latest summation by noting that postage costs astatine location "remain among nan astir affordable successful nan world." 

It's a safe presumption that nan Postal Regulatory Commission will o.k. nan sixth value hike since January 2021, pinch nan five-cent summation past schedule to return effect connected July 14. Still, folks whitethorn not recognize what a comparative bargain postage successful nan U.S. is, astatine slightest erstwhile compared to mailing costs astir nan world. 

The U.S. ranks No. 5 successful a listing of postage costs successful a database of 30 countries, according to nan USPS' Office of Inspector General. The agency recovered that nan costs of a stamp successful nan U.S. had risen a full of 26% — from 36 cents to 50 cents — complete a five-year play from June 2018 to June 2023 — acold less, connected average, than successful nan different countries it looked at.

U.S. stamps besides costs nan slightest of nan 31 postal services erstwhile nan numbers were adjusted for purchasing powerfulness parity, a metric incorporating a country's productivity, economical maturation and costs of living. That adjusted-cost study had Italians paying $4.48 for a azygous first-class stamp arsenic of June 2023, making 63 cents for a First Class Forever stamp look rather nan bargain indeed. The nominal value of an Italian stamp came to $2.96 — nan priciest of nan 31 nations listed.

The USPS' latest postage hike comes arsenic nan agency, which successful November reported a $6.5 cardinal nonaccomplishment for fiscal 2023, tries to streamline. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is scheduled to look earlier a Senate proceeding connected Tuesday to talk astir nan agency's operations.