Groceries and Giveaways
Do you ever wonder how the price you pay for groceries stacks up compared to other towns and cities? Here at Money Propeller, with the help of several other bloggers, we have put together an infographic that shows what prices look like from coast to coast in Canada and the United States. Thanks to Pauline, we can also take a look at Guatemala.
There is quite a large variety in price results. All of the prices are listed in local currencies (except Guatemala is in USD). Medium cheddar cheese comes in a whole lot of different sizes, so the prices have been standardized to a 24 ounce block (680g). I was surprised at how varied different prices were, even in places that are fairly close together, such as within an hour’s drive, or within the same city. I think I am going to have to make a follow up infographic that compares prices between two grocery stores in my own town!
My town took the crown for having the most expensive toothpaste and “cheap wholewheat bread” didn’t seem to be available at the one store, coming in at a whopping $3.79. I was quite confused by that, as another grocery store in my town had a similar loaf for $1.69. That’s half as much! I’ve made mental note of it, but we don’t actually eat regular bread due to allergies, but I’ll know if I’m ever serving a crowd. Believe it or not, toilet paper was the cheapest in my town! Yes, it was on sale, but not by very much, maybe fifty cents. I was slightly surprised that we won at TP.
This infographic and giveaway are a part of the launch of Money Propeller, so if you are new here, thanks for stopping by! Check out some of our other articles, on Money, Career, Lifestyle, Travel, Housing and Blogging, or link up your own in our Friday Jet Fuel link ups. Feel free to pin and share the infographic! Beneath it, there is a rafflecopter giveaway with a grand prize of $200 US, open to anyone in the world (paid via Paypal, though) and a second prize of $50.
A Comparison of Grocery Prices in North America Infographic
Thank you so much to the following people for collecting prices! Check out their posts and observations on the results, too! My Life, I Guess Reach Financial Independence Financial Diffraction Shopping Detox Earn Save Grow The Shop My Closet Project Debt Free Guys Budget and the Beach Frugal Portland Budget for Health
*Part of Financially Savvy Saturdays on Femme Frugality*
Please leave a note in the comments if you would be interested in participating in a similar comparison in the future!
The information is fascinating and the more information, the more fascinating. I found it took approximately 5-10 minutes extra on a regular shopping trip to collect the prices.
Man, I had never really thought about the idea of groceries being priced so differently from one state to another. Living in NYC, I kind of wish there was a correspondent blogger in Manhattan that could have relayed the price of groceries around here because I feel like it would have to be one of the most ridiculously high of them all.
This is such an awesome infographic! I’m happy to participate in a similar study.
Rebecca @ Stapler Confessions recently posted…Tips For Saving Money on Back To School Shopping
That would be awesome!! Thank you so much!
I’ve noticed prices a little higher here in Colorado since moving from Idaho.
Interesting – isn’t it amazing how much they vary from place to place?
I wonder if the results would have changed if they measured an urban BC. The prices in Vancouver are nuts and I can’t imagine them being lower than that of small city Ontario. Groceries are so expensive nowadays, but they are just not something we are willing to cheap out on :).
Daisy @ Prairie Eco Thrifter recently posted…A Raw Diet is Healthy, But Is It Practical?
I’d love to have you next time! I think that the Vancouver prices will still be lower than northern Ontario.
Anne recently posted…Friday Jet Fuel #3
This is super interesting! I totally want to do the math for Pittsburgh now.
Femme @ femmefrugality recently posted…Financially Savvy Saturdays: Fourty-Eighth Edition
Please do! I want to make another one with more data points in a few months!
Good to know that Portland is on the cheaper side! 🙂 Thanks for sharing this resource with us — I’m crossing my fingers about the giveaway.
Melanie @ My Alternate Life recently posted…How Much Debt Would I Have If I Hadn’t Paid it Off?
Best of luck! That was a trader joe’s, if it helps you at all.
Well done graphics. Interesting information. Keep up the good work.
Thanks 🙂
Anne recently posted…Grocery Prices Across North America + CASH #Giveaway
I found this fascinating! I would love to help out in the future.
Thank you! I will keep you in mind for the next (bigger and better) one!
I LOST! Why oh why do I have to live in the most expensive place? Thankfully our Advil is cheap!
Amanda recently posted…Our $5 Trip to the ER
You can use that for the headache you get paying for your groceries!
Grocery prices have spiked like crazy this year. I was at Costco the other day and I just can’t believe how much a box of strawberries costs (and I live pretty close to a major city). Although the official statistics don’t show it, inflation is really starting to pick up (at least in agriculture).
Sarah Mansey recently posted…How Inflation and Demand Impact Gold and Silver Prices
I know that a lot of grocery prices have been on the rise for quite awhile! I felt a lot better seeing the American prices in this, because lots of bloggers post their food budgets and I have no idea how they manage to eat for so little.
I’m not surprised by Michigan prices, but what did surprise me was the california was not higher up in expenses. I thought it would be. Guess that’s something we have going for us!
Tonya@Budget and the Beach recently posted…Change of Plans/Link Love
I found the results quite surprising, too! I’d love to do this again with more sample points, especially across the US.
Anne recently posted…Grocery Prices Across North America + CASH #Giveaway
Interesting infographic, I love how you put the stuff together like this. Also, interesting to see that in Canada groceries are more expensive despite the exchange rate between these two currencies. I’m wondering why…
Suburban Finance recently posted…More Free Stuff for Grown Ups!
All of the pricing is in local currencies, so that the people reading it can relate, but even factoring in the exchange rate, the US prices are much lower!
Anne recently posted…Grocery Prices Across North America + CASH #Giveaway
Such a great compared prices Anne! I think that one shopping basket in my place will be around $15, but I’m sure the Advil price is $0.50 here.
Leah @ PF Pro recently posted…What Is The Difference Between HMO And PPO?
I would be very interested to know what it would cost for you and if certain items would be more because they are less common, like the cheese price for Pauline.
It’s so interesting the divide you see between Canada (high $30’s, low $40’s) and the US (high $20’s, low $30’s). About a $10 difference right there. Though I still dunno how Kathleen got $0.19/lb bananas at a big box grocery store 🙂 I can only find prices like that at an Asian grocery store.
Alicia @ Financial Diffraction recently posted…Murphy’s Law: The Emergency Fund.
Ya… and that price difference means the exchange rate still makes it completely worthwhile to buy the US baskets. That $10 would add up QUICKLY with a whole week’s worth of groceries and on other food!
Ya – makes me think she gave me a typo 😉 That’s at Trader Joe’s.
Great infographic, Anne! I love it! The disparity in prices can be quite extreme. I guess Montana’s the place to be for low prices.
debt debs recently posted…Money Lessons in Marine Life
It really, really surprised me, actually. That said, I don’t frequently buy at least half of the stuff in the basket, so perhaps that’s why I’ve never noticed the groceries being a lot cheaper in MT before? (We go there every few months.)