Average prices in the region: 2009 snapshot

David Rogers18 said:The price tag on a pair of Nike sweats.

A denim jacket.

Washing machines.

Flat-screen TVs.

Cars.

And that’s exactly where the gap really starts to show... it’s where you truly feel whether you're pulling in $3,000 a month or just $1,000, because suddenly it matters if buying a new TV means sacrificing an entire paycheck or just a third of one.

Price of a Nike tracksuit—roughly $50, definitely under $100.

Denim jacket—starting at $15, maybe $25.

Washing machine—starts around $200.

What kind of TV are we talking about?

As for cars—I don't think that makes much of a difference since dealership sales events are pretty much the same everywhere.🤷
A Citroën C4 is sitting around $13,000 here right now, probably the same wherever you are.🤷

Ethan Morales22 said:Well, look, I gave you the average salary, so you can do the math yourself.
Of course, like you mentioned, it’s all relative. Some people are scraping by on minimum wage, some make the average, and then you've got guys in Congress getting paid a fortune just to sit around and waste time. 😁
But honestly, forget the iPod. You aren't out there buying one every other day or every single month. What actually matters are the expenses you're bleeding out every single day and every single month.

Besides, a phone is irrelevant here. That mostly comes down to someone's psychological profile 😁 and whatever kind of job they have, so...

At the end of the day, a Canadian is going to have way more left over after paying for groceries and utilities than an American, and an American is definitely going to be ahead of a Mexican.

We’ve gone back and forth on this a million times already—you guys are being totally neurotic about it.🤷

Drew Brooks8 said:Price of a Nike tracksuit—roughly $50, definitely under $100.

Denim jacket—starting at $15, maybe $25.

Washing machine—starts around $200.

What kind of TV are we talking about?

As for cars—I don't think that makes much of a difference since dealership sales events are pretty much the same everywhere.🤷
A Citroën C4 is sitting around $13,000 here right now, probably the same wherever you are.🤷

The whole thing I'm getting at is that the items I mentioned just can't have massive price swings between countries. Like, if a Panasonic TV goes for $450 in Canada but only $410 in Mexico, that's a huge deal because a Mexican might struggle to afford that TV even with a full month's paycheck, whereas a Canadian could pick it up with less than two weeks of work.

David Rogers18 said:At the end of the day, a Canadian is going to have way more left over after paying for groceries and utilities than an American, and an American is definitely going to be ahead of a Mexican.

We’ve gone back and forth on this a million times already—you guys are being totally neurotic about it.🤷

Yeah, it’s the truth. No matter how much we argue here about what’s pricier or what’s a bargain, the reality of the situation is exactly how you described it.

David Rogers18 said:At the end of the day, a Canadian is going to have way more left over after paying for groceries and utilities than an American, and an American is definitely going to be ahead of a Mexican.

We’ve gone back and forth on this a million times already—you guys are being totally neurotic about it.🤷

One of you actually started this whole mess.☕

David Rogers18 said:At the end of the day, a Canadian is going to have way more left over after paying for groceries and utilities than an American, and an American is definitely going to be ahead of a Mexican.

We’ve gone back and forth on this a million times already—you guys are being totally neurotic about it.🤷

You're the one with the complex when you write like that; we're talking about the hypothetical average person in Mexico or America, not making sweeping statements about being a "Mexican" or an "American."

And let's be clear—this doesn't account for the underground economy, people working two or three jobs, renting out spare rooms, or any other off-the-books income...

On average, Americans are living noticeably better now than they were ten years ago, and we can only expect that standard of living to keep climbing; this current phase is just a temporary stepping stone.

Drew Brooks8 said:Yeah, you're right. No matter how much we argue over which state is more expensive or where things are cheaper, the reality is exactly what you laid out.

Look, nobody is disputing that.

The whole social order mirrors the old geographic layout of our former states...😁

Except the situation gets really messy when you look at those two specific protectorate regions... 🤷

Ethan Morales22 said:Even a tiny $4 adjustment matters.

The average salary in America is $334.

silentangler19 said:Poor folks. I spend more than that just on gas alone...

I suspect the average south of the Danube is closer to $200. Your car would practically explode!😁

graniteowl88 said:I suspect the average south of the Danube is closer to $200. Your car would practically explode!😁

If you’re gonna quote me, include the emojis too! Don't just rip my words out of context like that! 😁

Ethan Morales22 said:If you’re gonna quote me, include the emojis too! Don't just rip my words out of context like that! 😁

It was just a playful little emoji. I didn't mean anything by it, even if you noticed. Besides, did you know that back when the internet first took off, smileys were actually called emoticons!

neonheron11 said:You're the one with the complex when you write like that; we're talking about the hypothetical average person in Mexico or America, not making sweeping statements about being a "Mexican" or an "American."

And let's be clear—this doesn't account for the underground economy, people working two or three jobs, renting out spare rooms, or any other off-the-books income...

On average, Americans are living noticeably better now than they were ten years ago, and we can only expect that standard of living to keep climbing; this current phase is just a temporary stepping stone.

Dude, you really think this is the first time you've heard people on some crazy internet forum rambling on about how Americans live just like people in the US, or how close they are to the standard of living in Canada, all based solely on what's in a grocery cart?
That kind of nonsense has been looping through these threads since way before you even made your first post on this site.

I mean, look at this thread—it hasn't even hit two pages yet and we've already got a handful of idiots chiming in.

David Rogers18 said:Is it really that hard to admit that comparing the budget aisle in one state to the high-end boutiques in another is just plain silly? Using arguments like "maybe it's not the cheapest" or "they only focused on New York City" is just totally missing the point.

Come on, man.

Look, I didn't conduct some massive scientific study, so I don't see how my "admission" would change anything. 🤷Does it seriously bother you that much?

Rebecca Watson said:Look, I didn't conduct some massive scientific study, so I don't see how my "admission" would change anything. 🤷Does it seriously bother you that much?

What’s the dominant retail chain in America? If we're talking big players—Walmart is the powerhouse in the US, Target is massive, and so on—so it would actually make sense to compare them against the biggest names in the States... rather than just pointing at whoever happens to be the cheapest, unless the cheapest one also happens to be the largest.

Alright, let me try to play neutral here between the East and the West! 😁

Comparing prices in Mexico City and Los Angeles is like night and day. Mexico City is way more affordable, so if you look at any average comparison, it’s pretty clear that Mexico City is going to come out cheaper, more or less. I’ve been over to Mexico City a few times this year and was honestly shocked—groceries, clothes, shoes, gas, even tickets for events... everything is significantly more expensive in Canada, not to mention LA.

It’s also common knowledge that Americans living right near the border of Canada stock up there, which just goes to show how much pricier things are in the States. When you weigh it all up, Americans end up being wealthier compared to everyone else except Canadians, but it’s nowhere near the massive gap you'd expect if you just did some quick math using average salaries. It's nothing like that.

Drew Brooks8 said:In America, fruit and vegetables are ridiculously overpriced. Back home, the price per pound for apples is almost a joke... and the most tragic part? We don't even appreciate what we have.

Oranges are actually pretty cheap right now... about 4-$1.75/lb... I'm eating them every single day.

I get lucky with apples because we grow them at home—so there's no need to buy them—and the same goes for kiwi; we harvested over 100 pounds this year 😍 ... meanwhile, at the grocery store, they charge up to $6.75/lb... or even more when they aren't in season...

Produce in our grocery stores is incredibly overpriced—it's pure stupidity since almost everything is imported while our local farmers are struggling 😠 We could easily feed ourselves entirely without needing imports, except for the exotic stuff that obviously can't grow in our climate.

William Gonzalez said:Alright, let me try to play neutral here between the East and the West! 😁

Comparing prices in Mexico City and Los Angeles is like night and day. Mexico City is way more affordable, so if you look at any average comparison, it’s pretty clear that Mexico City is going to come out cheaper, more or less. I’ve been over to Mexico City a few times this year and was honestly shocked—groceries, clothes, shoes, gas, even tickets for events... everything is significantly more expensive in Canada, not to mention LA.

It’s also common knowledge that Americans living right near the border of Canada stock up there, which just goes to show how much pricier things are in the States. When you weigh it all up, Americans end up being wealthier compared to everyone else except Canadians, but it’s nowhere near the massive gap you'd expect if you just did some quick math using average salaries. It's nothing like that.

That's pretty much the gist of it.

Betty Palmer8 said:What’s the dominant retail chain in America? If we're talking big players—Walmart is the powerhouse in the US, Target is massive, and so on—so it would actually make sense to compare them against the biggest names in the States... rather than just pointing at whoever happens to be the cheapest, unless the cheapest one also happens to be the largest.

I'm with you on that. That's exactly what I was getting at. I think I used the word "leader" poorly and maybe Bonislav didn't quite catch my drift. The big retail giants definitely take a lot of liberties in their home markets. But then you run into the same old issue—New York City doesn't represent the whole US, just like any major metro doesn't represent the entire country when it comes to purchasing power or local prices.

Picked up some groceries at the farmer's market yesterday:
3 kg of Granny Smith apples—$0.80
2 kg of Fuji apples—$0.50
4 kg of cabbage—$0.50
0.25 kg of white garlic—$0.60
2 kg of yellow onions—$0.50
2 kg of bananas—$1.15
2 kg of oranges—$1.00
Just a month ago, I was grabbing tomatoes for about $0.08 a pound..
Meanwhile, cars, appliances, gas, and construction materials are actually more expensive here than they are in Canada.