Hi, I've recently emigrated here from England and love Canada, but has anyone else found that shopping for groceries is as least as expensive as the UK? Or is that just because I'm in Oakville?????????

Jo,

Is that in terms of £ to $ or when converting the currencies back in your head as you shop ?

I mean, if you budgeted to spend say $100 per week for same goods as £100 per week in the UK would get you, has this ended up in you spending more $ than you had expected ?

We had budgeted on the basis that we spend approx £300 per month in the UK so had planned to spend about $450 per month max once in in Canada. How does that idea feel to you right now ? Just trying to get a feel for this.

Rich.

Yes, I have noticed that as well here in Calgary, so I don't think being in Oakville is the reason. Some things seem to be loads cheaper (i.e. Asparagus) and other things outrageously expensive. We shop at Superstore as we heard that it was really good value, but we are spending at least as much as we did in the UK. One good thing is that beef in Alberta is v cheap - great for steak lovers, not so good for your waistline!

It's really when I'm going round the stores, I think how much that price would be in UK pounds and realise it's not much cheaper, or even more expensive. I have especially found that bread, milk, fish and cereals are more than I would pay back in the UK. However, some things are much cheaper - i.e. bananas. I was just wondering if anyone else had noticed the same.

We found grocery shopping to be expensive when we got here (and we'd been living in Chelsea before that!). If you can bear it, you'll find that places like No Frills are a bit cheaper for staples. I wouldn't buy anything fresh from them though.

PS: For my money, The Barn is by far the best supermarket in Oakville. LCBO next door, too. And the Abbey Grill just across does a killer cheeseburger.

You'll go nuts trying to keep track of this, forget what it cost in UK your'e in Canada now. Chicken and Turkey are more expensive but this means that Pork and Beef are cheaper, it's swings and round-abouts. In general, things are cheaper here. Discount stores are sprouting here now with the likes of "food basics" and "no frills" so savings can be found. Don't try to keep the old UK diet, have fun creating a new Canadian one.

Amen Brother!

I agree, I was quite suprised at the prices of things, I also think the variety and quality is better value for money in the UK. I could only find one tiny Chicken Korma in a giant Superstore that cost a fortune. ho hum

Thanks for the advice - I'll try The Barn (and maybe pop over to the Abbey Grill on my way out)!!!

Aren't dairy products cheaper in the UK because of the subsidies? My Canadian friend who lives in the UK is always telling me how cheap she finds cheese etc. But when I visited her just last year, I was surprised at the price of groceries and how small all the packages were--like three wrapped in foil potatoes for roasting etc. Tiny bags of lentils. Mind you, we were at waitross.

Also, in terms of the lack of variety, I think it depends where you live. I mean, for example, Oakville was always a conservative place so the grocery selection might not be that exciting.

(Let's face it, outside of Toronto, Ontario is a conservative place! I remember visiting Vancouver in the 1980s and being shocked that you could buy takeaway beer from a bar, because in Ontario beer was strickly at the government owned beer store (Brewer's Retail Outlet) and liquor at the government owned LCBO and these were thin on the ground. These places shut tight at 6pm and there was no alcohol available after that on Saturdays until Monday mornings at 11am. The rush to get to the liquor store on Saturdays so you wouldn't have dry weekend was something I am glad is over!) But I digress.

You can't buy diddly squat over the bar these days. BC is regulated up the ying-yang. Grocery brand choice is poor and quality is dreadful, prices compared to the UK are horrendous. My groceries are touching $300 a week now and that is with no luxuries or booze.

Geez, really?? $300 a week on groceries?? and for poor selection?? This is distressing news--I would have thought by now that Canada in general would be a bit more 'with the programme' food wise. But perhaps people are still having their roasts and three veg on sundays and hotdogs and grilled chicken during the week??? I admit I was surprised how boring the food selection was when I visited Canada 8 years ago but I thought that was just because I was in a boring run of the mill southern ontario city (kitchener-waterloo). Maybe I have been living an illusion all this time????

I should have said that there are six of us - two adults and four kids, soon to be five.

I think people need to know there are a few of us who think KW-Cambridge-Guelph area is a great place to live. I lived in the area for nearly two years now and already bought a house before even I got my PR! Just shows what is boring for some is heaven for others.

On the groceries front, I found it to be cheaper than the UK. It depends where you shop just as in the UK.

I have just three supermarket choices - Save On Foods, Safeway and Superstore. All work out more expensive than a similar sized load-up in the UK.