Because I'm particularly sad, I've just spent an entertaining 40 minutes comparing prices between the above two.

I was going to do a large basket but got bored and reduced it in number to 14 items. I did try and go for the cheapest available (i.e. own brands) but I think there might be a few errors. Maybe if everyone can choose an item to research and post it we'll eventually get a pretty good shopping list comparison.

In conclusion, prices, using an exchange rate of 2.2 to the pound were remarkably similar with some notable exceptions. Chicken and lamb seem to be cheaper in Australia. Cheddar cheaper here, Brie, much more expensive. Eggs much more expensive.

OK, struggling to paste an excel table without it losing the formating.

I must admit I still don't understand where this odd 2.2 exchange rate comes from. I have heard it said that it is the comparison between wages in the 2 countries but there are too many variables for that really. For 20 odd years I have used 2 to 1, it's easy and fairly accurate.
I opened it OK but now it's gone.

I'm trying to attach it as a word doc or excel but it keeps saying invalid file.

OK - here it is.

In relation to your question, my gut feeling is that 2.2 seems about right. It was 2.6 when I arrived here.

Just paste the link into the message body like you did in the first post, it opens from there.

I think it's bollocks too if you're earning and spending dollars. I have not converted since I moved here. I find you get a feel for the cost. Nothing to stop people from deriving arbitary conversions, naturally - if it helps, and some people - like companies - need a conversion.

Nisky - surprised me, expected to see British supermarkets a lot cheaper across the board.

Interesting comparison, although for beverages (Coke, Pepsi etc) the common UK size is 330ml vs 375 in Austalia, so some scaling would need to be applied. Probably easier to Use 2L bottle price if available.

It is what I found when I was there recently, using a more realistic 2 to 1 exchange. Also apparently Asda is easily the cheapest across the board.

Depends if you're as paranoid as me that I'm getting ripped off here or not.

I need some kind of exchange rate to work on...

Here are some to keep you amused then

GBP / AUD average exchange rate:

2.04 last 42 years
2.27 last 20 years
2.23 last 10 years
1.99 last 5 years
1.68 last 2.5 years
1.60 last 1 year


Source: RBA

2.2 was worked out on the difference in average wages. This is as accurate an estimate as we can get to convert the percentage of your wage something will cost in both countries. Percentage of wage spent is the true cost of living. I don't agree that 2 to 1 is 'more realistic' when it is not independently verifiable and not based on average salaries, but rather just based on personal preference.

Note that 2.2 is not a currency exchange rate but rather a shorthand way of converting the cost per average salary between the two countries.

A disgraceful duopoly Coles n Wollies

Only a duopoly in WA

Interestingly it has been reported on here that they take only a little more than the % of food money that the 2 biggest uk supermarkets do. And less than the top 4. From abcdiamond post:

Top 2 hold 48.0% in UK (53.1% in Australia)
Top 4 hold 75.6% in UK (65.4% in Australia)