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
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
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
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
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
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.
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/
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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.
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.
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Both countries prices are insanely low compared to prices here in Canada wow
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.
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/
Load More Replies... 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.
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.
Load More Replies... Both countries prices are insanely low compared to prices here in Canada wow
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