S/O: High COL vs. low COL? How much do basic food items cost you?

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

This is decidedly unscientific, and I know prices can vary based on good sales, but I'm wondering generally how much some basic food items cost around you. Can anyone list the cost of some basic food items they buy? Organic or not, doesn't matter. I'm just wondering what people are paying. I feel like I live in a high COL area, and for housing, it's very true. But WRT food and gas, I think maybe we're on the lower end. So here are some prices I can think of off the top of my head (and people can list different things):

 

Half gallon of organic milk: $3.89

Whole organic chicken: $2.89 a pound ($2.59 a pound through our farm co-op)

Whole conventional chicken: $1.69 a pound

1 lb. box of organic mixed-greens salad: $5.99/6.99

5-lb bag of brand-name white (wheat) flour: $2.99

 

Regular unleaded gas: $3.79 a gallon (:svengo:)

 

Also, do you feel like you live in a high COL area or a low one?

[Parrothead]

I pay about the exact same prices as those on your list. I only buy King Arthur flour - both white and wheat. And I haven't purchased a chicken in so long I don't remember the price per pound.

[Wheres Toto]

I mostly buy some things when they are on sale. I'm looking at my local store flyer now.

 

Gallon organic milk - $5.99 (regular price)

Purdue chicken leg quarters are on sale - 77c/pound (40% off the regular price)

Oscar Meyer bacon is on sale right now for $3.89/pound, it's usually $6.99/pound.

a Purdue roaster is on sale - $1.13/pound (40% off the regular price)

Kellogg's cereals are $1.99 on sale

 

Gas I can get for $3.59 a gallon if I go to a cash-only, no brand gas station.

 

I think NJ is definitely considered a HCOL area but I don't think we pay a lot more for food or gas.

[justLisa]

That's a tough one because I don't buy organic meat or milk. The other stuff is sometimes organic at Costco. I buy produce mainly at Costco because we go through a lot of it. I'll have to make a better not of prices next time.

 

I can buy a huge tub of mixed organic greens or spinach for under $5. It's either 3.99 or 4.99.

 

Costco has 2 packs of whole chickens for .99 a pound. Organic I am not sure.

 

Flour, I buy in 50 pound bags so it's cheap. At the grocery a 10 pound bag of named brand bread flour is around 7.50.

 

Oh and gas is over $4 a gallon. Again at Costco gas it's cheaper. Probably around 3.90 right now. IT changes so often

Edited September 25, 2012 by 425lisamarie

[Jenny in Florida]

Half gallon of organic milk: $3.89

Whole organic chicken: $2.89 a pound ($2.59 a pound through our farm co-op)

Whole conventional chicken: $1.69 a pound

1 lb. box of organic mixed-greens salad: $5.99/6.99

5-lb bag of brand-name white (wheat) flour: $2.99

 

Regular unleaded gas: $3.79 a gallon

 

Unfortunately, I don't buy most of the things on your list.

 

I do buy flour, but not the name brand. I buy the Target house brand for $2.14 / five pound bag. (It often goes on sale for $1.99.)

 

I'm paying about the same price for gas, though.

 

I think Orlando is just below the national average in COL.

Edited September 25, 2012 by Jenny in Florida

[mommymilkies]

Half gallon of organic milk: $4.23

Whole organic chicken: About $18 each

1 lb. box of organic mixed-greens salad: $4.99

5-lb bag of brand-name white (wheat) flour: $4.99

 

Regular unleaded gas: $3.79 a gallon

 

I don't buy some of these things, so I'll name what I do. Our area is pretty low COL. I can't afford organic chicken, so I buy cruelty-free, no abx, etc. chicken for 7.99/3 lbs. of breasts in the freezer.

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

The types/organic-ness don't have to match, those were just what I could think off the top of my head. I'm just as interested in prices of other things too (I know the general prices of a lot of things, though I couldn't come up with any right now :lol:).

 

And Costco does rock, and I definitely do spend way too much money every time I go!

[TravelingChris]

I don't buy organic milk but do buy non Growth hormone, non antibiotic milk and it is usually 3.19 a gallon but goes on sale sometimes to 2.99 or 2.50.

 

I think the chicken may be more expensive here.

 

I think I pay less for flour.

 

I think our gas is much the same but I have to get midgrade for my car.

 

Our salads are much less expensive here.

 

We are in a lower cost of living than when I lived in the DC area. I think we may be higher than some areas since this area can afford it and I think that is a major determinate of cost- what can the market bear. Overall this state has not done as well in the depression we have had but my area of town has been much more fortunate than many areas. However, we will have a huge impact if the sequestration happens with no adjustment and I can see prices falling if that happens.

[justLisa]

That's a great deal. I wish we had a Costco around. Although I'd probably spend way too much money there. LOL

 

I used to spend too much. Now I just buy what I know we will use and make/portion/freeze and things like that.

 

And I can buy a HUGE bag of frozen berries for cheap.

[Crimson Wife]

I don't buy certain things on your list because my youngest is on a wheat and dairy-free diet. But I looked up the cost at my local Safeway. Trader Joe's would likely be cheaper at least for the items they carry, but they don't have online grocery shopping.

 

Half gallon of organic milk: $4.89

Gallon of conventional milk: $4.29

Whole organic chicken: n/a

1 lb. organic chicken breasts: $8.99

1 lb. organic chicken thighs: $5.49

Whole conventional chicken: $1.69 a pound (sale price)

1 lb. box of organic mixed-greens salad: $6.59

5-lb bag of King Arthur white (wheat) flour: $4.69

5 lb. bag of Safeway white flour: $3.69

 

Gas is $3.97 at Costco, $4.09 at the cheapest regular station.

[In The Great White North]

I buy the Target house brand for $2.14 / five pound bag. (It often goes on sale for $1.99.)

 

Your Target has food??

[justLisa]

Your Target has food??

 

Ours has a big grocery dept. They actually have certain things I go there just for.

[Jenny in Florida]

The types/organic-ness don't have to match, those were just what I could think off the top of my head. I'm just as interested in prices of other things too

 

Let's see. Items I bought last week:

 

Store-brand vanillla soymilk: $2.69 / half gallon

Earth Balance margarine: $3.99 / tub

Store-brand pasta: $.79 / pound (sale)

Florida Crystals organic sugar: $3.99 / 3 pounds

Store-brand orange juice: $3.99 / gallon

Cabot cheddar: $2.04 / 8-ounce chunk

Store-brand dry black beans: $.99 / 12-ounce bag

Goya dry chickpeas: $1.29 / 14-ounce bag

Store-brand dry lentils: $.89 / pound bag

Store-brand frozen, unsweetened strawberries: $7.99 / 4-pound bag

Store-brand old-fashioned oatmeal: $2.49 / 42-ounce container

Edited September 25, 2012 by Jenny in Florida

[Wabi Sabi]

I live in the midwest (Indiana) with a fairly LCOL and I'd say that the prices in the original post are just about exactly what you'd pay for the same items here.

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

Your Target has food??

 

Ours does too--mostly non-perishable and frozen, but some dairy/cold-stored and a very little bit of (usually sad-looking) fresh food.

[Jenny in Florida]

Your Target has food??

 

Yep. We have SuperTargets here, which have a full grocery section. Our little, older Target close by got remodeled last year and now has a smaller grocery section, too. As someone else said, it's mostly dry goods and frozen stuff. But they also have dairy and some fresh produce.

 

I love Target.

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

Cabot cheddar: $2.04 / 8-ounce chunk

Store-brand dry black beans: $99 / 12-ounce bag

 

That's a great price for Cabot! Your beans, on the other hand, are outrageously priced :lol:

 

Yeah, that all seems standard for here too. I paid $1.19 for a pound of Whole Foods brand black beans (black bean soup last night, yum!). $3.17 for our Cabot. The rest is about the same unless I can catch a great sale or have a coupon (our stores all double).

[Jenny in Florida]

That's a great price for Cabot! Your beans, on the other hand, are outrageously priced :lol:

 

Yeah, that all seems standard for here too. I paid $1.19 for a pound of Whole Foods brand black beans (black bean soup last night, yum!). $3.17 for our Cabot. The rest is about the same unless I can catch a great sale or have a coupon (our stores all double).

 

Ooops! See, this is what happens when I go back and forth to the pantry to check the sizes of various packages.

 

That should have been $.99, of course. Ugh.

 

I buy the cheddar at Target, which consistently has the best price. Publix has it on sale this week 2 / $5, which is still more than the regular price at Target.

[Dory]

Milk ranges from $3-$4 per gallon Canadian which would be $3.07-4.09

chicken ranges from $2.50-3.50 a pound

10lb bag of white flour is $15.

 

Regular unleaded gas would cost $4.52/ us gallon. That's the best price for fuel we've had for awhile.

[LostSurprise]

Our prices in the upper, rural Midwest are similar to the OP (although both greens and flour are cheaper here). We also pay a bit more for gas.

 

We do have local specialties I pay less for: potatoes (all the country east of here grows them), cranberries (all the country west), and cheese (it IS Wisconsin after all and we live within 15 minutes of a cheese factory). I won't eat corn unless my mom brings it up to me. Corn raised up here is for cattle.

Edited September 25, 2012 by LostSurprise

[bobbeym]

Store-brand organic milk - 5.39 gal

Organic roaster chicken - $13-15/lb I think

Store-brand boneless chicken breast - $8.99/3lb frozen

Organic mixed green salad - 3.99 1lb or 7.59 5lb

Land O Lakes salted butter - 3.99/lb

store brand peanut butter - 3.50/18oz jar

grass-fed angus, ground - $3.99-4.50/lb

store brand dry beans - $.79-1.50/lb

 

I have no idea where Houston falls as far as COL ranges.

[melissad2]

Eggs $1.99/dz

Milk $3.89 gallon

Sugar $2.49/4lb

Bread $1.89

Flour $2.19

Gas $3.49

Bacon $2.50/12oz pkg

 

This is upstate SC which I believe is usually low COL. That price for eggs is the highest I've ever seen! They are usually around a buck.

[Laura Corin]

Half gallon of organic milk: $3.89 USD4.50

Whole organic chicken: $2.89 a pound ($2.59 a pound through our farm co-op) USD 4.42

Whole conventional chicken: $1.69 a pound About the same

1 lb. box of organic mixed-greens salad: $5.99/6.99 About USD 12 (I couldn't find it by the box though, so I multiplied up smaller bags).

5-lb bag of brand-name white (wheat) flour: $2.99 About USD 3.50

 

Regular unleaded gas: $3.79 a gallon () About USD 8 per gallon last time I checked.

 

ETA: A lot of this I don't buy - I buy free-range chicken, for example. I checked on the website of my supermarket.

 

Laura

Edited September 25, 2012 by Laura Corin

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

Half gallon of organic milk: $3.89 USD4.50

Whole organic chicken: $2.89 a pound ($2.59 a pound through our farm co-op) USD 4.42

Whole conventional chicken: $1.69 a pound About the same

1 lb. box of organic mixed-greens salad: $5.99/6.99 About USD 12 (I couldn't find it by the box though, so I multiplied up smaller bags).

5-lb bag of brand-name white (wheat) flour: $2.99 About USD 3.50

 

Regular unleaded gas: $3.79 a gallon () About USD 8 per gallon last time I checked.

 

ETA: A lot of this I don't buy - I buy free-range chicken, for example. I checked on the website of my supermarket.

 

Laura

 

Oh my word, that's quite a disparity. I know that even though we feel like we pay a lot, we actually pay less than most of the world for our food, but seeing the actual numbers is surprising, especially for the gas.

 

ETA: I'm curious about how much you pay for your free-range chicken. The chicken from our farm co-op is both organic and free-range for $2.59 a pound, but that's the best price I've ever seen. The $2.89/pound at the store is just organic, not free-range.

Edited September 25, 2012 by Sweet Morning Air

[justamouse]

I just filled my van up with unleaded. 4.17 a gallon. I almost keeled over. Then he said that it just went down, it WAS 4.19.

 

HOW the heck is anyone feeding anyone with these prices????

 

Milk 4.0 a gallon for regular, 7 for Organic.

eggs. 1.99 regular, 4 organic

whole chicken 5.00, organic 25.00

flour, no name, 1.69 King Arthur 5.00 (for 5 lbs)

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

HOW the heck is anyone feeding anyone with these prices????

 

DH and I both do much, much better eating very low carb, but I just don't see how that's possible for us right now unless I up my grocery budget significantly, and I'm already trying to bring it down!

[LucyStoner]

Gas is north of $4 a gallon.

 

Milk is $3.50 a gallon regular, $6ish organic

Eggs are $7.99 for 5 dozen conventional and $3-4 a dozen organic free range (we get some from shared chickens however.) $1.99 per dozen for a one dozen conventional box.

Flour- $6+ a 5 pound bag. I buy flour 25 and 50 pounds at a time however. We pay about $27 for the 25 pound bag of Bob's Red Mill Gluten free flour. Way more for rice and almond and amaranth etc.

Chicken- I can get an organic whole fryer on sale for $10-12. Leg quarters are a buck a pound conventional. A conventional whole chicken is $4-5 on sale.

[Laura Corin]

I just filled my van up with unleaded. 4.17 a gallon. I almost keeled over. Then he said that it just went down, it WAS 4.19.

 

HOW the heck is anyone feeding anyone with these prices????

 

 

There are some things we don't pay so much for as you do in the US. My medical bill (through taxes) is much lower, for example. British cars tend to be smaller: I drive a Ford Focus hatchback, which is considered a perfectly normal family car. When I have time I go to Lidl or Aldi before going to the standard supermarket.

 

I occasionally order online, so I have a weekly shopping list that I can give you:

 

Bag of apples

Bag of small oranges

1 pineapple

Bag of grapes

Several heads of broccoli

Stringless long beans

Sugar snaps

New potatoes

Large potatoes

Tomatoes

Olive dip

Cheddar cheese

Speciality cheese

Soy milk

Milk

Bacon

Free range chicken breast

Sausages

Smoked Mackerel

Ham (for baking at home)

Two one-serving chocolate sponge puddings

Fresh ravioli

Tortilla wraps

Crumpets

Tinned mackerel

Tinned tuna

Tinned chopped tomatoes

Dry pasta

Whole grain breakfast cereal

Whole grain rice cakes

Chocolate finger biscuits

Chocolate chip cookies

Chocolate

Chargrilled vegetable pasta sauce

Tonic water

Frozen sliced mixed peppers

Long-life orange juice

Bin liners

Dishwasher tablets

Stain-remover spray

Batteries

 

That came to around £80, so USD129. Almost everything I bought was on sale - I never go with a menu in mind. Instead, I construct my menu based on what is cheap this week.

 

That's not enough veg for a week - I already had frozen veg at home. There were also dried lentils, beans and rice at home and I had bought bread separately.

 

We don't eat much meat and we rarely eat prepared food. Out of that whole list, there are bakery goods (I don't bake), breakfast cereal, fresh pasta, pasta sauce and sausages. Pretty much everything else is cooked from scratch. I try not to double up expenses. For example, the bought pasta sauce would be eaten with dried pasta, not the fresh ravioli. The fresh ravioli would just be dressed with olive oil.

 

Laura

Edited September 25, 2012 by Laura Corin

[Laura Corin]

ETA: I'm curious about how much you pay for your free-range chicken. The chicken from our farm co-op is both organic and free-range for $2.59 a pound, but that's the best price I've ever seen. The $2.89/pound at the store is just organic, not free-range.

 

So that's £2.49/2.2 per pound = £1.13 per pound

 

£1.13 = USD1.80 for free range non-organic.

 

Laura

[Shelsi]

We live in LCOL now but we used to live in a HCOL area (D.C. area) and my groceries skyrocketed when we moved to the LCOL. They were way cheaper in the D.C area than out here in the boonies. And I think that's the crux of it: I live in the middle of nowhere N.M. now and I'm thinking that it costs so much more in transportation to get it here that much be why the prices are higher - also I do wonder if some of it is because there is no competition. We have a Walmart and 1 Albertsons that's independent (?? I don't get it either) and their prices are a good 2-3x more than Walmart.

 

Anyways in my LCOL town:

Half gallon of organic milk: $4-something; not quite sure because the only organic available is Horizon and I won't buy from them.

Whole organic chicken: We buy in bulk once a year, 12 chickens, $6/lb (which is why we almost never eat chicken).

Whole conventional chicken: No idea, I won't eat conventional chicken.

1 lb. box of organic mixed-greens salad: Not sure but I can get regular spinach that's pre-washed for about $5.50 - they don't really sell organic produce here except on very rare ocassion

5-lb bag of brand-name white (wheat) flour: We're GF so we don't buy regular flour.

Regular unleaded gas: $3.79 a gallon

[Lily_Grace]

Half your list wasn't available here.

 

Milk is the same, flour's about the same, and chicken is a little higher. I have my choice of local or frozen chicken, not organic or non.

 

Gas is approximately $9/gallon, but we pay roughly half that - $4.23/gallon at last count. :) We walk and bike a LOT.

[prairiewindmomma]

Laura, I've often wondered if doing a straight currency conversion really makes sense in comparing British and US prices--especially food prices. If a basic wage is £10/hr. (similar to $10/hr here)....a lot of the food prices we saw on our latest trip match up as if they were straight $ prices. Same with housing, clothing, and a number of other items.

 

The one area where I truly saw a price difference was in gasoline prices...gas here in the US is so.much.cheaper than in the UK or Europe.

 

In my neck of the woods:

Half gallon of organic milk: $4ish

Whole organic chicken: $7.50

Whole conventional chicken: $2.19/lb. at Costco; $3.49/# elsewhere

1 lb. box of organic mixed-greens salad: $3.99 at Costco; $6.99 elsewhere

5-lb bag of brand-name white (wheat) flour: $3.50

 

Regular unleaded gas: $3.79 a gallon today--it was $3.89 last Friday

[QueenCat]

This is decidedly unscientific, and I know prices can vary based on good sales, but I'm wondering generally how much some basic food items cost around you. Can anyone list the cost of some basic food items they buy? Organic or not, doesn't matter. I'm just wondering what people are paying. I feel like I live in a high COL area, and for housing, it's very true. But WRT food and gas, I think maybe we're on the lower end. So here are some prices I can think of off the top of my head (and people can list different things):

 

Half gallon of organic milk: $3.89-- $3.25

Whole organic chicken: $2.89 a pound ($2.59 a pound through our farm co-op)- Don't buy

Whole conventional chicken: $1.69 a pound- don't buy, only buy breast meat, usually for $2.99/lb

1 lb. box of organic mixed-greens salad: $5.99/6.99 -$3.59

5-lb bag of brand-name white (wheat) flour: $2.99- $3.19/white, $3.85/wheat

 

Regular unleaded gas: $3.79 a gallon (:svengo:)- $3.48/today

 

Also, do you feel like you live in a high COL area or a low one? Medium COL

 

:lurk5:

[Laura Corin]

Laura, I've often wondered if doing a straight currency conversion really makes sense in comparing British and US prices--especially food prices. If a basic wage is £10/hr. (similar to $10/hr here)....a lot of the food prices we saw on our latest trip match up as if they were straight $ prices. Same with housing, clothing, and a number of other items.

 

So about USD9. The median weekly wage was £499, so USD866.

 

The median in the US is about 45K for men, about 35k for women, so USD806 for men per week and USD673 for women. So people in the US do get paid a bit less than in the UK, but not dollar-for-pound less. We also get much longer holidays/vacations. I started a new admin job recently and was immediately on 29 working days of holiday a year (including national holidays).

 

Laura

[Deb in NZ]

I never buy organic, as the price puts it way out of my budget, but here's a few similar items off my grocery list from this week's shopping.

 

3 litres whole milk (store brand) $4.49 aprox 3 qts

500g corn flakes (store brand) $2.69 aprox 1 lb.

1.5 kg Royal Gala apples $5.48 aprox 3 lbs

1.2kg value pk Chicken Breast (skin on) $11.84 (on special this week)

1.5kg carrots $2.49

18pk large eggs $$4.49 (on special normal $6.59)

1kg Colby cheese (store brand) $7.99 (on special normal price $10.99) 2.2 lbs

 

I haven't bought flour recently as I tend to stock up when I see it on special, but last time I bought it a few months back a 5kg bag 11lbs of store brand white flour was $7.99 on special. Normal price is $10.99+, so I like to buy 2-3 bags when I find it on special.

 

 

Petrol (91oct) $2.09/litre today, down from $2.19/litre earlier this week. roughly $8.36-8.76/gallon

 

These prices are in NZ$, but the average weekly wage is pretty close to what it is in the States. Average annual income is $48k, all taxes are high & we even pay taxes on our taxes. Medical costs are way, way lower---our one benefit:tongue_smilie:

 

Also, all of the products above are made in NZ, not imported. I'd say we live in a high COL area.

 

JMHO,

Edited September 26, 2012 by Deb in NZ

[Onceuponatime]

Milk- $3.50/gallon, regular

Conventional chicken- $1.39/ lb.

5 lb. flour- $3.49 not on sale

gas- $3.54 (the cheapest around)

eggs- $1.89 dozen, regular---$3.00 dozen from the local farm.

[Jennifer in MI]

Store-brand organic milk - $5 - $7/gallon

Organic roaster chicken - $12 - $15 total (3 - 5 pounds)

Store-brand boneless chicken breast - I don't know. I never buy them.

Organic mixed green salad - $3.59 for 3 organic romaine hearts

Land O Lakes salted butter - 3.99/lb

store brand peanut butter - $3.99 for organic (Trader Joes)

grass-fed angus, ground - $6.49 organic (TJs), meat market $3.99/pound

store brand dry beans - $.79-1.50/lb

 

I'm in an interesting area. My city has very high prices. I've started venturing out a lot more and recently found I can save about $50 - $80/WEEK on food!! Definitely going to make that effort more often!!!

[DawnM]

All of my answers are based on our local grocery store's website online shopping feature. None of these are sale prices and I am sure I can find lower if I were to shop around, but full price, local store's prices are below.

 

Half gallon of organic milk: $3.89- $3.99 here

Whole organic chicken: $2.89 a pound ($2.59 a pound through our farm co-op)- $3.99 here

Whole conventional chicken: $1.69 a pound- $1.39 a pound here

1 lb. box of organic mixed-greens salad: $5.99/6.99 - Can't find on our grocery website

5-lb bag of brand-name white (wheat) flour: $2.99- $3.35 here

 

Regular unleaded gas: $3.79 a gallon (:svengo:) $3.85 in town, $3.55 if I cross the state line!

 

Also, do you feel like you live in a high COL area or a low one?

 

Overall we live in a LCOL area. However, this is all relative. We moved from Los Angeles, so things are far less here. People moving here from even lower costs of living area find our area expensive.

[Amber in SJ]

I know we live in a high COL area!

 

I rarely buy organic because the prices are just out of my budget.

 

Here are the prices from our local grocery store's on-line shopping website:

 

1 Gal organic milk $7.69

1 Gal regular (hormone free) milk $4.19, bought in pairs $3.59 each

 

Organic whole chicken $6.99/lb

Non-organic whole chicken $1.69/lb, sale price $.89/ lb (this is the price where I add several to my freezer)

 

1 lb box of organic mixed greens $6.49

1 lb box of non-organic mixed greens $5.49

bulk organic mixed greens $2.49/ lb (this is generally what I buy)

 

5lb bag of flour- organic $5.19

5lb bag of flour- name brand (King Arthur) $4.99

5lb bag of flour- store brand $3.79

 

These prices are from Safeway, a mid-range grocery store in California. It is not a fancy, high end grocery store like Lunardis or a discount store like Aldis. We do not have an Aldis. Our city is now plastic bag free, so you must bring your own reusable bags or pay $.10/ flimsy, tiny paper bag. This is not just at the grocery store but every store in the mall, goodwill, target, Wal-mart etc.

 

Amber in SJ

 

Gas prices as of yesterday for regular unleaded $4.29/ gal