Cheap or expensive? How much do the same foods cost and in the same supermarket, in Argentina and in other countries?

After exchange rate changes since last year,The basket of food in Argentina has been reduced in dollars, according to experts, but the acceleration of inflation seeks to rebuild the lost ground. In fact, a survey of own brands on the websites of supermarkets (Carrefour, Walmart, Jumbo and Día) shows that still fresh products such as milk and eggs, tuna and bread are even more expensive than at home. Other markets. the countries.

Following the tendency of Argentineans to search for secondary brands or those of supermarkets, we can see that today, comparatively, sunflower and olive oil are cheaper in Argentina, as well as canned rice and rice. peas. and fisheries, converting them to the April 12 exchange rate published by Reuters.

Even after the devaluation, fresh produce remains expensive in the country. The whole milk carton and the one liter milk are worth $ 47.90 at the Jumbo supermarket in Argentina, but $ 41.34 in Chile. The liter of whole milk at the Argentina Day supermarket is worth $ 41.49 and $ 29.03 in Spain.

The package of eggs for 12 units is worth $ 119 Jumbo Argentina, but in Chile, a little less, 114.60 pesos. Meanwhile, the carton of 6 white units at Carrefour is worth 38 USD and in Brazil, similar, 37.84 pesos. But the blister of 6 units of color costs 50 dollars in Argentina and 45,21 dollars in Spain.

600 grams of lactic white bread cost Carrefour Argentina $ 85 and Spain $ 36.65. And at the supermarket, something similar happens: 78.79 dollars for 640 grams in Argentina and 36.17 dollars for 600 grams in Spain. In reverse, Panchos bread, valued at $ 31 at the Carrefour and $ 35.69 at the Spanish headquarters.

Tuna is also more expensive. At Walmart, under the Great Value brand, the natural can costs $ 54 for 170 grams and 33.70 for 142 grams in the United States.

One liter of sunflower oil costs $ 53 in the Argentine Carrefour and costs 60.61 pesos in Brazil. At Jumbo supermarket, sunflower oil (900 milliliters) has a price of 62.9 dollars and in Chile, 83.07 pesos. In Spain, at Carrefour, the bottle costs 42.4 dollars (900 ml but adapt to the liter) and, at the supermarket Day, 47.12 dollars (with the same exception).

A half-liter of extra virgin olive oil at Walmart costs 215.9 dollars, cheaper than in the United States, where it is worth 251.94 pesos. Rice is cheaper. It costs 39.88 USD in Jumbo and Chile, they charge 57.90 pesos. Walmart in Argentina sells it at $ 29.90 and in the United States at 61.51 pesos. And in Spain it's worth $ 37.60, according to Carrefour, while in Argentina it was worth $ 24.90 and in Day $ 27.99, while it was charged 35.69 pesos on the Spanish market.

However, in dollars, the effect of last year's exchange rate hike is maintained in dollars. "If we give credit to Numbeo's international collaborative database, we would be cheap in dollars. We stop being expensive in dollars, as has been the case in recent years. Even in food, it seems like we stop being expensive"he said Federico Muñoz, chief of the consultant with his name.

According to the specialist, this is due to the devaluation of last year. "Inflation has not lacked competitiveness because it has once again pushed up the dollar. The multilateral real exchange rate series has already returned some. We are not as high as in September of last year, but we have recently re-appreciated the dollar and are at a 60% higher level than in November 2015, before the exchange rate.. And that reflects the price reduction, "he explained.

The multilateral real exchange rate shows the power of buying a basket of foreign currency in the country.

Muñoz studied the evolution of four baskets in current dollars. That of Indumentaria (Zara dress, Levis jeans, Nike shoes) is more expensive than in Chile and Mexico. Food (milk, rice, chicken, beer, water, apples) is only cheaper than Chilean food. Recreation (gym, cinema, tennis court rental) are cheaper than in Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Spain. The restaurant (mid-range food and cheap food) is only more expensive than the Mexican.

"The general basket of Argentina has been reduced by almost 40% in dollars compared to its average value between 2014 and 2017, with what we have become the second cheapest country in the sample, after Mexico", Muñoz said.

For the Argentineans, even though the dollar basket was revised downwards, the incomes of hard currency people have further declined, since they lost 12% against inflation last year. "Probably, the power of buying income has decreased," Muñoz said.