🟩 25 Simple but Interesting Economics Extended Essay Topics (manageable but not overused)

1. To what extent has the minimum wage increase affected youth unemployment in [country] since 2020?
2. How effective are government subsidies in increasing the consumption of electric vehicles in [country]?
3. To what extent has the rise in fuel prices impacted consumer spending in rural areas of [region]?
4. How does a sugar tax influence consumer behavior in soft drink consumption in [country]?
5. To what extent does tourism contribute to the GDP of [small country or island nation]?
6. How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the elasticity of demand for gym memberships in [city]?
7. To what extent does the advertising of organic products influence consumer choice in [country]?
8. How do seasonal variations affect the prices of fresh fruits in [country]?
9. What is the impact of interest rate changes on housing affordability in [city]?
10. How has the introduction of ride-sharing apps affected the income of traditional taxi drivers in [city]?
11. To what extent does price discrimination exist in the airline industry in [region]?
12. How do petrol price fluctuations affect the demand for public transportation in [city]?
13. To what extent has inflation influenced consumer savings behavior in [country] over the past five years?
14. How effective are anti-smoking campaigns in reducing cigarette consumption in [country]?
15. To what extent has the gig economy influenced labor market flexibility in [city/country]?
16. What is the effect of VAT on small businesses in [country]?
17. How does the cost of higher education affect student enrollment in public vs. private universities in [country]?
18. To what extent does the price of coffee impact the revenue of independent cafés in [city]?
19. What is the role of market failure in the housing crisis of [city]?
20. To what extent does brand loyalty affect the price elasticity of demand for smartphones in [country]?
21. How do government-imposed price ceilings affect the availability of rental housing in [city]?
22. To what extent has e-commerce affected traditional retail store revenue in [city]?
23. What is the impact of inflation on the purchasing power of pensioners in [country]?
24. How has the increase in transport costs affected the price of imported goods in [country]?
25. To what extent does fast food pricing influence teenage consumption patterns in [country]?

🟦 25 Unique and Not Overused Economics EE Questions (creative, yet manageable)

26. To what extent has influencer marketing altered consumer demand for fashion brands among teenagers in [country]?
27. How do consumer preferences for eco-packaging affect the pricing strategy of cosmetics companies in [country]?
28. To what extent has the rise of ethical banking affected savings choices in [country]?
29. How does behavioral economics explain spending habits during Black Friday sales in [country]?
30. To what extent does the rise of “Buy Now, Pay Later” services impact short-term demand in the electronics sector?
31. What is the effect of digital payment systems on microenterprises in rural [country/region]?
32. How has the scarcity of GPUs (graphics cards) affected prices in the gaming industry during crypto booms?
33. To what extent does TikTok advertising influence marginal utility perception in Gen Z consumers?
34. How do music festival ticket pricing strategies reflect market segmentation in [country]?
35. What is the impact of meme stocks on traditional stock market behavior among young investors?
36. To what extent do celebrity endorsements affect the cross-elasticity of demand between sportswear brands?
37. How has the popularity of plant-based diets impacted pricing and revenue in the meat industry in [country]?
38. To what extent do social media trends influence the demand curve for luxury goods among millennials?
39. What is the impact of subscription models (e.g., Spotify, Netflix) on consumer choice in digital markets?
40. How does the presence of monopolistic competition affect prices in the bubble tea market in [city]?
41. How has the resurgence of vinyl records affected demand in the music retail sector?
42. To what extent has the rise of coworking spaces affected demand for traditional office rentals in [city]?
43. How do public perceptions of “greenwashing” impact the success of sustainability branding in [industry]?
44. What is the effect of esports sponsorships on brand profitability in gaming-related industries?
45. To what extent does dynamic pricing affect consumer surplus in the online ticketing market?
46. How does scarcity marketing (limited edition releases) influence willingness to pay in the sneaker industry?
47. To what extent have reusable packaging initiatives affected profit margins in the takeaway food sector?
48. How does the presence of “free shipping” offers influence price elasticity of demand in e-commerce?
49. To what extent do reviews and ratings influence the demand for digital learning platforms?
50. What is the economic impact of secondhand marketplaces like Depop or Vinted on fast fashion brands?

🟥 25 Complex and Challenging Questions for IB Eco EE (for ambitious students

51. To what extent does central bank digital currency implementation affect monetary policy effectiveness in [country]?
52. How has the elasticity of substitution between labor and capital evolved in the automation of [industry]?
53. To what extent does game theory explain the pricing decisions of OPEC in the oil market?
54. What is the long-term impact of universal basic income trials on consumer spending and labor market participation in [region]?
55. How does the structure of a carbon market affect emissions reduction efficiency in the EU?
56. To what extent does behavioral economics challenge the assumptions of rational choice theory in investment decisions?
57. What is the impact of cross-border tax arbitrage on foreign direct investment in developing economies?
58. How does asymmetric information affect premium pricing in the health insurance industry in [country]?
59. To what extent does the Tragedy of the Commons apply to overfishing in [region]?
60. How has monetary policy transmission changed due to the rise of fintech platforms in [country]?
61. To what extent has the gig economy exacerbated income inequality in [urban area]?
62. How do negative interest rates influence consumer behavior and savings in [country]?
63. To what extent does the concept of bounded rationality explain financial bubbles in emerging markets?
64. How does the application of behavioral nudges affect household energy consumption in [country]?
65. To what extent does economic nationalism affect trade flows in the post-Brexit UK?
66. How do changes in marginal tax rates affect labor supply decisions among high-income earners in [country]?
67. What is the role of intergenerational equity in the economic analysis of climate change policy?
68. How does inflation targeting compare with nominal GDP targeting in stabilizing the economy in [country]?
69. What is the impact of quantitative easing on income distribution in [country]?
70. How do network effects influence pricing strategies in tech monopolies like Apple or Google?
71. To what extent has price volatility in the cryptocurrency market influenced investor utility maximization?
72. How does herd behavior explain market crashes in the tech sector?
73. To what extent does financial speculation influence food price inflation in developing countries?
74. How has the concept of opportunity cost evolved in the context of environmental sustainability?
75. What is the economic effect of patent law reforms on pharmaceutical innovation in [country]?

🟨 25 IB Economics EE Current and Up-to-Date Questions (topical and researchable)

76. To what extent has inflation in 2022–2024 reduced real wages in [country]?
77. How has the Russia–Ukraine conflict affected global grain prices and food security in [region]?
78. What is the effect of AI-driven automation on employment in the banking sector in [country]?
79. To what extent have green energy subsidies contributed to renewable energy adoption in [country]?
80. How has the economic slowdown in China affected raw material exports in [developing country]?
81. To what extent do sanctions on Russia affect the European energy market?
82. What is the economic impact of digital nomad visa programs on local economies in [country]?
83. How have interest rate hikes by the Fed affected global capital flows in 2023–2025?
84. To what extent has TikTok shop changed consumer purchasing habits in [country]?
85. How has the introduction of carbon border taxes affected trade relations in the EU?
86. To what extent does the rise in remote work influence commercial real estate demand in [city]?
87. What is the impact of AI content creation tools on freelance creative industries?
88. To what extent has fast fashion recovery post-COVID-19 contributed to global textile waste?
89. How has the surge in e-bike usage affected public transport demand in [city]?
90. What is the role of BRICS expansion in shifting global economic power dynamics?
91. To what extent have tech layoffs in 2023 influenced unemployment rates in Silicon Valley?
92. How has the 2024 EU Digital Markets Act affected pricing behavior of Big Tech firms?
93. To what extent does ESG investing align with long-term shareholder value in global markets?
94. How has the rise of climate activism impacted demand for sustainable financial products?
95. What is the effect of housing inflation on intergenerational wealth transfer in [country]?
96. How does the rise in digital currencies affect central bank control over monetary policy in [country]?
97. To what extent has ChatGPT adoption disrupted labor dynamics in content marketing sectors?
98. How has rising tuition inflation in 2023–2025 affected student loan borrowing in [country]?
99. What is the impact of global chip shortages on car manufacturing in [country]?
100. To what extent does hybrid work impact the productivity of employees in tech industries?

🟪 10 Fun and Unusual Questions for Your Economics Extended Essay (academic, but quirky)

101. To what extent does the resale market of luxury handbags reflect real market value and scarcity?
102. How do economic principles explain the pricing of rare Pokémon cards in secondary markets?
103. What is the impact of coffee shop density on consumer loyalty in hipster districts of [city]?
104. To what extent can the black market for Taylor Swift concert tickets be considered a market failure?
105. How does the presence of free toppings influence marginal utility in frozen yogurt bars?
106. What economic forces drive the boom in pet influencer marketing on Instagram?
107. To what extent does “couch economy” behavior during Netflix binges reflect opportunity cost trade-offs?
108. How do auction dynamics on eBay simulate real-world supply and demand behavior?
109. To what extent is the popularity of astrology apps an example of irrational consumer behavior?
110. What is the economic impact of “quiet quitting” trends on labor productivity in Gen Z?