Like The "deme Dos" Days

[citygirl]

Steve - you can't compare where you live to NY or LA though. If you want to look at prices for a small town in the US, that would be more realistic comparison. I just pulled this from US Bureau of Labor Stats and used the midwest prices as thats most apt comparison: http://www.bls.gov/regions/mid-atlantic/data/AverageRetailFoodAndEnergyPrices_USandMidwest_Table.htm

Average price 12 eggs in USD: 1.48
Average price potatoes (they give per lb so X 4.5 to give us approx 2 kilos): $2.56
Average price bread for a lb is 1.26. I multipled by 2 which is more than enough for a week. 2.52

So total for those 3 things - enough for the week : $6.56 USD. That's less than you are paying now in small town in Argentina. Pretty eye-opening.

 

[chris]

We have had these discussions for years on this board. As prices began to rise some years ago expat apologists for the K government found every excuse possible to justify or minimize inflation. Then over time most of them returned to the US or Europe, incapable of dealing with instability and high inflation. We can go on and on comparing prices but to do so we have to also compare salaries, consider the numerous sales and discounts available in countries like the US that can make a pair of jeans, for example, considerably less expensive in the US than in BA. We must also consider quality. If you want quality food, for example, you must pay more. A loaf of bread at Hausbrot was 75 pesos the other day. In my own case I find the COL increasing at a rate that may make it impossible for me to stay here. This is the first time in many years that I have truly felt threatened by inflation here. I am happy for those who are managing well.

 

[Somewhereinba]

I am amazed by the ability of low and middle class Argentines to survive and not lose their minds.. How people can afford to these price increases and still go on holidays is amazing to me. Either parents have a lot of money or people are earning a lot more than statistics say.

 

[steveinbsas]

Either parents have a lot of money or people are earning a lot more than statistics say.

Might the latter also mean they are earning a lot more than they are reporting?

 

[Ries]

Steve - you can't compare where you live to NY or LA though. If you want to look at prices for a small town in the US, that would be more realistic comparison. I just pulled this from US Bureau of Labor Stats and used the midwest prices as thats most apt comparison: http://www.bls.gov/r...dwest_Table.htm

Average price 12 eggs in USD: 1.48
Average price potatoes (they give per lb so X 4.5 to give us approx 2 kilos): $2.56
Average price bread for a lb is 1.26. I multipled by 2 which is more than enough for a week. 2.52

So total for those 3 things - enough for the week : $6.56 USD. That's less than you are paying now in small town in Argentina. Pretty eye-opening.

Maybe in you live in appalachia- but I live in a small town- the nearest town is population 140.
And eggs here are four bucks.
I have not seen $1.48 eggs in ten or fifteen years. I know a bunch of people who raise chickens and sell the eggs- and they cant afford the chicken feed at under 3 bucks a dozen.
Bread for a buck 28? is it made of cardboard?
Good bread around here starts at 4 dollars a loaf and goes up from there. I pay seven for the really good black olive baguettes.
I have lived on the West Coast all my life, but I travel a fair amount- and those prices are representative of most urban areas in the USA, and something like 80% of americans live in urban areas.

those prices you quoted are from the 1970s.

I live 3 months of the year, every year, in Buenos Aires, and 9 in the USA- and I find most things, aside from chinese imports, are double the price in the USA. I find better, cheaper, shoes, clothes, hardware, art supplies, and almost all food in Buenos Aires.
I grow cherries and blueberries and apples- and know what they sell for- and they are way cheaper in Argentina.
I sometimes lease my field to guys who raise cattle or pigs- and they are both way cheaper in Argentina.
I make many things myself- and know prices.

The things that are expensive in Argentina are things that are imported, and its because of taxes, duties, and high frictional costs - bribes, unions, antiquated layers of middlemen.
But produce, eggs, bread- much much cheaper in Argentina.
Beer is half the price.
Wine- dont even start.
Campari, up here, is $45 USD for a bottle. The chino sells it for about ten dollars US on Guemes.

 

[Rich One]

Steve - you can't compare where you live to NY or LA though. If you want to look at prices for a small town in the US, that would be more realistic comparison. I just pulled this from US Bureau of Labor Stats and used the midwest prices as thats most apt comparison: http://www.bls.gov/r...dwest_Table.htm

Average price 12 eggs in USD: 1.48
Average price potatoes (they give per lb so X 4.5 to give us approx 2 kilos): $2.56
Average price bread for a lb is 1.26. I multipled by 2 which is more than enough for a week. 2.52

So total for those 3 things - enough for the week : $6.56 USD. That's less than you are paying now in small town in Argentina. Pretty eye-opening.

City Girl thanks again for your invaluable contributions for bringing some light to this issue , so many confusing statments

 

[citygirl]

Ries, you can argue with the BLS but those are the objective prices from May 2016.

And I just pulled up prices from Wegmans (very nice supermarket chain in Northeast)

12 eggs. $1.19
22 oz Wegmans bread (packaged) $1.19 or baguettes fresh baked family size 28 oz for $4.00
Premium Russet Idaho Potatoes 5 lb bag (so even more)$1.99

Even less than in my previous example. Prices don't lie. I am sure you are spending more but empirically, the numbers are what they are.

 

[citygirl]

Hit reply too soon. On a good note, meat, esp premium cuts, continue to be much cheaper in Argentina than in the US.

 

[EJLarson]

Maybe in you live in appalachia- but I live in a small town- the nearest town is population 140.
And eggs here are four bucks.
I have not seen $1.48 eggs in ten or fifteen years. I know a bunch of people who raise chickens and sell the eggs- and they cant afford the chicken feed at under 3 bucks a dozen.
.
those prices you quoted are from the 1970s.

I live in a big place - Houston, and prices are much lower here than in your town. I was curious, so I went to the nearby Kroger to check today. While you can pay more, the non-sale price for a dozen house-brand medium eggs is 1.78 - and no time travel involved. The other prices you quoted for staples are likewise 30-50% less.

None of the above was true when I lived in Valdez, Alaska - most expensive place I've ever lived, but with good reason: 4000 people and 300 road miles from Anchorage. So it's meaningless to compare small-town cost of living to national averages, which include the much cheaper big cities (for staples - not everything).

 

[khairyexpat]

Good news from reliable sources (I`m not an economist like so many on this board .... ZERO background):
Inflation will be in check for the next near future!

And I approve this message.

I`m a bit disappointed in expats` eggs, potato and bread level of discussion. Depressing.

You`re welcome ... you`re welcome.
You don`t have to thank me. It`s all free and gratis. Good day eh !!!!!!