Woman Breaks Down Price Difference Of Food Between UK And US, Goes Viral

While most comparisons between the US and the UK tend to stay on cultural territory, TikToker Abigael Lanai decided to take the discussion to the economic level by calculating the price difference between several grocery store products on both sides of the pond.

Abigael, a mother who moved to London from Colorado, posted a video earlier this year in which she analyzed the prices of milk, apples, carrots, and ground beef on both sides of the Atlantic, showcasing that going to the supermarket in the UK is much cheaper.

TikToker Abigael Lanai went viral after analyzing the price difference between several grocery store products in the US and UK

“Before I start, just for context, I’m going to be comparing Sainsbury’s here in England, which is the grocery story I go to, to the grocery store I shopped at in Colorado called King Super’s—literally down to the location,” she said in the video, which has garnered over 300,000 views.

She also clarified, “This might vary depending on where you’re located in the US or what store you’re shopping at.”

The first item she analyzed is whole milk. In the UK, she revealed, 2.27 liters cost £1.65, the equivalent to $1.99. However, in the US, the same amount of milk–a half gallon—costs $2.49.

“That’s 50 cents or 40p more for the exact same item,” Abigael said.

The mother compared the costs of different items like milk, apples, ground beef, and carrots, showcasing that they’re much cheaper in the UK

Woman Breaks Down Price Difference Of Food Between UK And US, Goes Viral

Then, she compared the prices of apples. As it turns out, keeping the doctor away is also cheaper in England. In the UK, “one red apple costs 25p, the equivalent to 30 cents.” In the US, however, a small apple costs 67 cents, while a large one costs 95 cents.

“67 cents is still double what it would be here in England, and 95 is triple.”

One red apple costs 25p (30 cents) in the UK. Meanwhile, in the US, a small apple costs 67 cents, while a large one costs 95 cents

Woman Breaks Down Price Difference Of Food Between UK And US, Goes Viral

The most surprising difference was linked with the next product she analyzed: ground beef. In the UK, 500 grams of ground beef costs £1.99 (the equivalent of $2.40), compared to $5.49 in the States. That translates into a difference of £2.56 or $3.10 for the same amount.

The difference became more significant with products like ground beef: $2.40 in the UK vs. $5.49 in the US for the same amount

Woman Breaks Down Price Difference Of Food Between UK And US, Goes Viral

Abigael later looked at the price of carrots. “One kilo of carrots is 50p, which would be 60 cents in the US if the prices were the same. But they’re absolutely not. 2.2 pounds (barely a kilo) cost $1.99. That’s $1.39 or £1.15 more in the US for the same product.”

“Obviously, it’s going to vary a little bit because the salary that people make out here is typically less than the salary people will make in the US, so that definitely plays a role. But for my family in particular, we went from being a two-income household because I was working full-time, to being a one-income household,” the nurse and vlogger said on the video.

“And my husband makes the same amount, so his money goes a lot further here.”

As for carrots, one kilo costs 50p (60 cents) in England, while 2.2 pounds (almost a kilo) costs $1.99 in the States

Woman Breaks Down Price Difference Of Food Between UK And US, Goes Viral

Image credits: abigaellanai

According to Indeed, the US average hourly wage is $29.81, whereas the median hourly rate for full-time employees in the UK is £15.14 ($18.26).

You can watch Abigael’s informative video below

@abigaellanai Replying to @SKTK IS THAT NOT CRAZY?? 👀 #americanlivinginengland #americanlivingintheuk #usavsuk #americangroceries #sainsburys #kingsoopers ♬ original sound – Abigael Lanai

People didn’t take long to react to the clip, contributing with their personal experiences and suggesting other factors to take into consideration.

“Lived in the UK in 2017. I was shocked at how much cheaper it was. Restaurants seemed more expensive, though,” one user commented on the video.

“Also, keep in mind the UK has had laws like the prices act to help food subsidies and manage the cost of food being sold,” another one added.

A third one wrote, “Depending on where you live in the US, you may have to pay sales tax also. 7% sales tax on groceries in my state! Ugh….”

People in the comments shared their personal experiences and suggested other factors to take into consideration

Woman Breaks Down Price Difference Of Food Between UK And US, Goes Viral

Marina is a journalist at Bored Panda. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she holds a Bachelor of Social Science. In her spare time, you can find her baking, reading, or watching a docuseries. Her main areas of interest are pop culture, literature, and education.

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As a Visual Editor at Bored Panda, I indulge in the joy of curating delightful content, from adorable pet photos to hilarious memes, all while nurturing my wanderlust and continuously seeking new adventures and interests—sometimes thrilling, sometimes daunting, but always exciting!

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What do you think ?

POST

zak 1 year ago

Price differences are only relevant if you factor in average income. For example, if the average salary for a teacher is 50k in New York City and 40k in London, then the NYC teacher paying more for an apple isn't necessarily in a worse position than the one in London.

10points

Mir Adwari 1 year ago

You have to take a LOT of other factors into account. This article is useful - when you consider all the varaibles and what the mean it evens things out considerably. https://cmdrecruitment.com/average-salary-uk-vs-us/

4points

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Carl Wroe 1 year ago

Zak is absolutely right. You have to factor in everything. I am British living in the US and I know the prices there are lower….but I make $70k/yr here doing the same job as I would make $37k/yr in the UK. I have lived in both countries and I KNOW I am much better off financially here in the US…..by a lot!

2points

Lara Harris 1 year ago

You know what. Let me correct you here. Your wages are higher yes. But from that you pay more for food, hundreds every month for health care, hundreds every month for house and contents insurance, (average in UK is £300 PER YEAR) you still have to pay deductibles when you use your insurance. So no... Your wages are higher because you have FAR more to pay for. Living here is still cheaper.

1point

Gary 1 year ago

Depends if you mean 50k dollars vs 40k pounds. Furthermore whats an average rent in New York etc? Importantly where is this girl comparing food prices in us? Walmart Vs Publix for instance is going to be massively different. You cannot get a kilo of carrots in Waitrose for 50p. All in all this article is nonsense.

1point

WindySwede 1 year ago

1 kg (2,2 pounds) of beef mince is €9,97 today, on usual shopping place.

1point

ginshun 1 year ago (edited)

Price differences within the US will range just as much. Ohio has an average of $2.60/gallon. Move a couple states over to Pennsylvania, and the average is $4.28. Go to Hawaii and its $5.98. Her pricing compares Salisbury to some city in Colorado, not the UK to the US. Plus as others pointed out, higher wages on average, means higher prices on average. If she compared the UK to Norway or Switzerland, she would probably find similar differences.

6points

Disgruntled Pelican 1 year ago

Thank you. You can’t take the prices of a single store in Colorado and say “this is what people in the U.S. are paying.” It doesn’t work like that. Prices are going to vary depending on geographical location and which store you choose. There are certain chains, and many areas, whose prices are much higher than average. For a real comparison, you’d need to look at averages across the country (for both the U.S. and the UK). I’m not saying the U.S. average won’t be higher, still, but the prices she showed aren’t reliable.

4points

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