I went to the mercadao with a list, and got almost everything I wanted. Score! I also added the impulse buy of those figs because do you see those beauties? I LOVE figs, and those are the biggest, fattest figs I have seen yet. I ate four of them right after I took this photo.
So, here's what I got:
Coentro - R$2.50 per bunch = Cilantro - US$1.18
Batata doce - R$3.50 per kilo = Sweet potato - US$3.62 per pound
Cebola - R$5.00 per kilo = Onions - US$5.17 per pound
Dedos de Moça - R$3.00 per pack (7) = Red hot peppers - US$1.41
Ovos caipira - R$6.00 per dozen = Organic free range eggs - US$2.82 per dozen
Cebola Roxa - R$8.00 per kilo = Red onions - US$8.27 per pound
Banana prata - R$4.80 per kilo = Bananas - US$4.96 per pound
Figo - R$7.00 per pack (8) = Figs US$3.29
Atemoia - R$5.00 each = Atemoya - US$2.35
Amendoa crua - R$45.00 per kilo = Raw almonds - US$46.53 per pound
Castanha do pará -R$35.00 per kilo = Brazil nuts - US$36.19 per pound
Cacao em po - R$13.90 per kilo = Coco powder - US$14.37 per pound
In total, I spent R$62.81 which equals US$29.52
Looking at the receipts for the prices I am gasping at the cost of onions. Seriously? $8.27 a pound for red onions? Are they imported and coated with gold? Wow. Also, $46.53 a pound for raw almonds. Ouch. Good thing that .29 kilos will last me a couple of weeks.
How does it compare to buying this stuff in the US? Well, I don't know. I haven't lived there in nearly a year and I can't find any US grocery stores which list their prices. How about we try the UK?
Here's what I found on a Newcastle, England grocery store's website:
Cilantro - £.80 per 30g bunch = $1.24
Sweet potato - £1.25 per kilo = US$4.26 per pound
Onions - £1.24 per kilo = US$2.73 per pound
Red sweet peppers (closest equivalent) - £.88 each = US$1.37
Organic free range eggs - £2.50 per dozen = US$3.88 per dozen
Red onions - £.80 = US$2.73 per pound
Bananas - £.68 = US$2.32 per pound
Figs £5.36 per (8) = US$8.31
Atemoya - can't find it
Raw almonds - £15.00 (roasted) per kilo = US$51.15 per pound
Brazil nuts - £10.72 = US$35.38 per pound
Coco powder - £9.10 per kilo = US$31.03 per pound
So here in Brazil onions are about twice the price, red onions are three times the price, bananas are double, figs are more than double, almonds are cheaper and coco powder is half the price. Everything else looks pretty comparable.
Granted, I could shop at a cheaper grocery store, but I've tried that and they either don't have what I want or the quality is really bad. I'm talking about tiny unripe plumbs full of fruit flies, questionable squash and bruised up apples.
I'm glad I made this list today and compared the prices. I was feeling like everything was more expensive, but it's really not that bad. Except for the red onions. Holy cow.
I'll do this again when I go to the butcher. I'm really interested in the comparative cost of meat.
