What you get for how much you earn from city to city changes dramatically. It's hard to figure this out because your job in one place versus the job you get next might be dramatically different because of the industry you're working in, the size of the organization, what other people are getting paid, your sheer desperation for work, the list goes on. But food is something that is generally consistent, especially with big global brands, Heinz, Coke, Kettle chips.
I went to the grocery store a few hours ago and found myself continuing to be shocked by how expensive food is in Toronto. Name brand foods that have direct comparisons to what's sold in London seem surprisingly overpriced here (of course, taking the exchange rate into account). So I decided to get onto Sainsbury's online grocery website and see for sure. I factored in whether the product was organic, name brand, etc to make sure I was being fair, so the butter was the cheapest butter than could be bought, and the chips/crisps were Kettle.
What I found surprised me. Of the 14 items I bought, 7 were more expensive in London, 7 in Toronto. Toronto food just seems so much more expensive cause you're buying so much more of it at one time. 4 litres of milk versus 2 litres in London, 450g butter versus 250, 220g Kettle chips versus 150 Kettle crisps, etc. It makes sense. Fridges are bigger here. So are the people - Actually, it always seems like people in the UK are shorter, but I just looked it up and they edge out Canadians on average by 0.05 of an inch. It's a surprising day all around.
Right, so here's the direct comparison, like for like between London and Toronto food prices. Of course eggs and bread are missing, but I didn't buy those today, so tough. The higher the number, the more expensive that item is in Toronto. So onions are over 3 times more expensive in Toronto (this one floors me, what could possibly make one onion three times better than another onion?), and juice is almost half the price here than in London.
The chocolate chips comparison might be a little weak because Sainsbury's - for some reason unfathomable to me - doesn't seem to sell mint chocolate chips. I know what you're thinking: 'What? That is maybe the most surprising thing of the day!' Yes. You, Reader, are correct. Think about that for a minute while I eat my mint chocolate chip and walnut cookies, that would be way cheaper to make here if it wasn't for all the butter in them.
EDIT: As my dear friend has just pointed out to me, I haven't included taxes on this. I was thinking it was 13%, but actually there's only HST added, which was an additional $0.53 on the prices calculated above. Negligible
What I found surprised me. Of the 14 items I bought, 7 were more expensive in London, 7 in Toronto. Toronto food just seems so much more expensive cause you're buying so much more of it at one time. 4 litres of milk versus 2 litres in London, 450g butter versus 250, 220g Kettle chips versus 150 Kettle crisps, etc. It makes sense. Fridges are bigger here. So are the people - Actually, it always seems like people in the UK are shorter, but I just looked it up and they edge out Canadians on average by 0.05 of an inch. It's a surprising day all around.
Right, so here's the direct comparison, like for like between London and Toronto food prices. Of course eggs and bread are missing, but I didn't buy those today, so tough. The higher the number, the more expensive that item is in Toronto. So onions are over 3 times more expensive in Toronto (this one floors me, what could possibly make one onion three times better than another onion?), and juice is almost half the price here than in London.
| ITEM | |
| milk | 1.18 |
| butter | 1.34 |
| juice | 0.54 |
| bananas | 1.42 |
| onions | 3.11 |
| tomatoes on vine | 1.10 |
| tomato soup | 1.06 |
| canned skipjack tuna | 0.88 |
| hummus | 0.96 |
| mcvities choc digestives | 1.54 |
| Carr's crackers/wheatthins | 0.93 |
| Kettle chips | 0.70 |
| walnuts | 0.87 |
| chocolate chips | 0.66 |
The chocolate chips comparison might be a little weak because Sainsbury's - for some reason unfathomable to me - doesn't seem to sell mint chocolate chips. I know what you're thinking: 'What? That is maybe the most surprising thing of the day!' Yes. You, Reader, are correct. Think about that for a minute while I eat my mint chocolate chip and walnut cookies, that would be way cheaper to make here if it wasn't for all the butter in them.
EDIT: As my dear friend has just pointed out to me, I haven't included taxes on this. I was thinking it was 13%, but actually there's only HST added, which was an additional $0.53 on the prices calculated above. Negligible
Do you think people buy stuff in larger amounts in Toronto because they travel further to get it? In London there are supermarkets everywhere so you can buy smaller amounts more often - or have I made that up? Plus, do more people drive in Toronto than London? Because I for one am too weak to carry 4 litres of milk on the damn tube.
ReplyDeleteyes, you're generally right, more people have cars for sure and that contributes to the size of groceries. In the suburbs definitely people are driving, in the city probably a little less. Most downtown neighbourhoods have a supermarket within walking distance(i haven't seen people carting their groceries on the bus/subway), and though lots of people have cars, most people don't drive them to work, so after work shopping will be on foot. I have 3 supermarkets 2 blocks from me. (supermarket haven? maybe).
Deletealso you're all greedy. hahaha
ReplyDeletefood and least produce is suuuuuuper cheap in London, but to be fare that's about the only thing that I can think of that is cheaper in London. Everything else seems waaaaaay more expensive.
ReplyDelete