High prices in the UK and Europe

[#juan]

My wife just got back from a trip to Europe. I was supposed to go but since it had turned into mainly a geneology (hunt for dead relatives)trip, I begged off.
I haven't been to Britain or Europe for a few years now and when my wife told me about some of the prices she encountered, I was shocked.

How about a "soup and a sandwich" lunch for 8 pounds? no drink ($17.44)

How about a simple pasta dish for dinner for 12 pounds? no drink ($26.16)

We think our gas is pricy? How about a pound a litre.

The exchange rate was about $2.18 Canadian to the pound----about $9.81 per gallon.

I'm almost glad I didn't go.

Comments?

 

[the caracal kid]

Yes, as a tourist the differences in prices can be a shock.

However, the prices for goods have to be compared to the wages (purchasing power) of the resident people to get a feel for if the cost of living is higher or lower.

 

[Riyko]

Damn, that's the only thing i'm not really looking forward to when I go to school up in Canada is the cost of everything, it's so much more expensive then it is in the US.

Traveling anywhere out of your home country you realize it's either more expensive or alot cheaper. Take Japan for example manga's only cost 1 yen (each store varies) where as it's $10 in the US or $12 in Canada.

 

[#juan]

Damn, that's the only thing i'm not really looking forward to when I go to school up in Canada is the cost of everything, it's so much more expensive then it is in the US.

Traveling anywhere out of your home country you realize it's either more expensive or alot cheaper. Take Japan for example manga's only cost 1 yen (each store varies) where as it's $10 in the US or $12 in Canada.

That is strange. Canada's dollar has been so much lower than the American dollar that I wouldn't have thought Americans would find prices higher in Canada.

 

[Nuggler]

high cost

S'ok Juan, gotta remember Riyko is preschool.

Ugg.

 

[Kreskin]

It really is amazing the discrepancy in prices between countries like Canada/US vs the UK. A person could sell a rundown one bedroom flat in London and buy just about anything over here.

 

[#juan]

You got that right. Jan brought back parts of a few newspapers and a rather shabby three bedroom rowhouse was going for 300,000.00 pounds.

 

[missile]

In parts of our own country,you will find similar prices..maybe even higher! Try the NWT for your grocery shopping

 

[#juan]

True Missile, but not in the middle of our largest city.

Soup and a sandwich at Tim Horton's is what? About 5 or 6 dollars as opposed to $17.80

A simple pasta dinner at the Keg is about 10 dollars, compared with $26.00.

The price of gasoline is worse than we had at the height of the gouging after Katrina.

I'm sure these prices are all normal for Europe but I was just quite surprised.

 

[tracy]

Yes, as a tourist the differences in prices can be a shock.

However, the prices for goods have to be compared to the wages (purchasing power) of the resident people to get a feel for if the cost of living is higher or lower.

That's a good point. I know for nurses, they make about half of what we make in California. One of my friends moved here last year from London and is constantly saying how cheap it is to live here. It's funny to hear her when all the Californians complain that it's so expensive here. It all depends on what you're used to.

 

[Curiosity]

Tracy

Not ALL Californians complain about prices.

I don't - I live in California - I think the prices are across the board - if you want cheap it's available - if you want top of the line it is also available.

The only thing which was out of line this year was gas prices and they are on the way down.

 

[tracy]

True enough Curiosity. I should've said around my neck of the woods. LA area is expensive, but I don't think it's terrible except for housing prices.