I can't even count how many conversations I've had with people about this here in Juarez and everyone seems to have a different opinion. Walmart is for rich people, Soriana's better because you can use your points card, S Mart has the best selection, no Soriana has the best selection, etc, etc. We could go back and forth all day so I decided to put an end to the debate with a little experiment. I made a list of some staples that are always on my grocery list and went to work!
I started at Walmart, a store I had only been to twice in Mexico because God knows I spend enough time at the El Paso Walmart. Soriana was next. It used to be my go-to store because I always assumed it was the cheapest. I finished off at S Mart, where I've been shopping exclusively since I started my healthy lifestyle because the quality of their produce is by far superior to the other stores. Right when you walk through the doors of these stores you see things like this...
.jpg)
Pretty convincing right? Normal people wouldn't argue with that kind of evidence but clearly I'm not normal. I spent the last week trying to figure out how to publish a spreadsheet directly to this blog but haven't had any luck so you'll have to click the link below to see the results. I used the same brand for comparison whenever possible and noted that accordingly.
There wasn't a huge difference in the final totals but if anything was clear it was the fact that American convenience food prices are ridiculously high at times. Here are my 2 favorite reminders that it's better to eat like a Mexican:
Very nice post. Some things are definitely cheaper in Juarez and some in Mexicali. To be honest I only shop at Wal-Mart but usually purchase all great value brand stuff and it is pretty good. I know I can find produce cheaper at the mercado but I don't have a car when it's open so I can't go. I usually spend $120 USD every 2 weeks to feed my family of 3. But I make a very detailed list before I go shopping, down to the number of tomatoes I need lol :)
ReplyDeleteFirst, I love reading your blog. Secondly, I am waiting out I-601 with my husband and every time we go to the grocery, I always wonder if those carts are accurate. :) We love going to S Mart because of the quality and my husband is a health freak.
ReplyDeleteSo much cheaper than Monterrey. Do you do any grocery shopping in the States? everytime I go to the border, I bring back different foods. LOL
ReplyDeleteI do shop in El Paso quite a bit. There are some things that I can't find in Mexico (turkey pepperoni, protein powder, lemons, soy milk, asparagus, certain spices, etc.) but it's usually just a matter of convenience. Most days I have quite a bit of spare time after I cross the border in the morning so it's easy to use that time for a trip to Walmart.
DeleteI think we are moving to Matamoros soon. I wish I had Texas right next door so I could just swing over there when I need something. There have been plenty of times that I wanted to make something, but couldn't find the right foods here. :(
DeleteNone of those totals varies much one from the other. We have a market here called El Florido which is pretty much used by the locals, is huge and is very cheap, with a big variety. They have an online site, too, for their weekly prices and specials. I don't like shopping Walmart because of their politics...yup..hate 'em, but sometimes it is the only game in town. Tues when they have their big produce sale..hard to beat as it is cheaper than the outdoor markets.
ReplyDeleteI found this very interesting! I loved your spread sheet! OMG! Was that $10 icecream and $8 pizza? I have no clue how to figure out pesos vs. dollars but damn...it looked expensive! If it were to cost that much here, I'd be eating like a Mexican too. Hell, who am I kidding we already do! Just finishing off a tortilla con frijoles y queso...=)
ReplyDelete