Prices in Bavaro 200%-300% higher than in SD (just checked today)

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rubenpriego

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I know I have been talking about this in other posts, but today my gf and myself have been receiving all "ofertas" from many supermarkets in SD by email and we have been absolutely chocked.

I can tell you that most of items are half price or even a third of the price than in Bavaro.

Being so extremely huge the difference in cost of living, I am really seriously thinking that is not worthy living here unless you are a beach mad.

What everybody here in Bavaro, big supermarkets, small ones, shops, colmados, do with their clients (us) is a completely ROBBERY, there is no other world to tell.

If you want any example of prices I have seen in SD supermarkets by email, let me know and will write down some of them.

Cheers.
 
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rubenpriego

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Patatas 7 pesos la libra
Berenjena 8 pesos la libra
Yuca 8 pesos la libra
Leche carnation 26 pesos la lata
Spaguettis Princesa 9 pesos el paquete
Mango 9 pesos la unidad
California steack 47 pesos la libra
Limon "persa" 7 pesos la libra
Pollo entero 24 pesos la libra
Aceite Crisol 265 pesos botella de 1 galon
etc etc etc
 
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rubenpriego

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pan de agua, 20 pesos bolsa de 10 panes
pechuga de pollo, 25 pesos la libra ...
habichuelas, 23 pesos la lata

so most of items in Bavaro are between 200-250% higher price, some of them are even 500% (potatoes)

this makes me sick ...
 
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Matilda

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Sep 13, 2006
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Maybe I am not reading this right but if you are buying chicken at 24 RD$ a pound that is 4RD$ less than the wholesale price 2 years ago. In the campo wholesale price is nearer 38RD$ now. A bag of 10 bread rolls I would expect to pay 50 RD$ and limon are expensive at the moment too.

Matilda
 
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rubenpriego

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Matilda, I dont know prices from the past, Im a newcomer here, I just compare prices of what I buy in Bavaro from the last 4 months and the prices I have seen in SD sometimes going there and right now comparing with real prices sent to myself via Facebook from Plaza Lama and Ole supermarkets just today ...
 
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SKY

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I really think that you have to have the experience of actually shopping in the store and not getting adds that could well be come ons. I can't count the times that something is advertised at one price and sold for another in the DR.
 
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belmont

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The only accurate way of comparing prices is to shop an entire maket basket list of items and compare the total prices. Picking and choosing "loss leader" items from store to store doesn't work.
 
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InsanelyOne

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This isn't truly scientific but I was just in SD and decided to go ahead and buy all of my groceries while there. What would typically run me about US$200 at Super Pola was US$140 at La Sirena. Again, this wasn't a direct comparison of items but it was my normal grocery list. I was pleasantly surprised.
 
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rubenpriego

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I have done that with a real shop of potatoes, yuca, batata, onions, garlic, banana, eggs, green peppers, pinneaple, papaya, zapote, etc, and the the difference is between 200% to 400% difference .... a fact.
 
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DRob

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rubenpriego said:
I know I have been talking about this in other posts, but today my gf and myself have been receiving all "ofertas" from many supermarkets in SD by email and we have been absolutely chocked.

I can tell you that most of items are half price or even a third of the price than in Bavaro.

Being so extremely huge the difference in cost of living, I am really seriously thinking that is not worthy living here unless you are a beach mad.

What everybody here in Bavaro, big supermarkets, small ones, shops, colmados, do with their clients (us) is a completely ROBBERY, there is no other world to tell.

If you want any example of prices I have seen in SD supermarkets by email, let me know and will write down some of them.

Cheers.
Click to expand...

Sure, just like Super Playero in Sosua and Janet's in Cabarete cost more (and have lower quality produce) than La Sirena in Santiago. That's a function of competition and proximity to touristy areas. That's often true, regardless of the country.

Best bet is to get to know the guy who hauls the veggie truck from the local campo, and cut deals. Playero is much more convenient, however, which is why you pay the premium.

But you already knew that.
 
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zoomzx11

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Jan 21, 2006
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We suffered in Sosua with very high supermarket prices until La Sirena opened in Puerto Plata. When Playero (our one supermarket in Sosua) lost a lot of its business they lowered their prices. Thats how things work here. I have not forgotten and still shop at La Sirena whenever possible and avoid Playero.
 
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nyc dad

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rubenpriego said:
I have done that with a real shop of potatoes, yuca, batata, onions, garlic, banana, eggs, green peppers, pinneaple, papaya, zapote, etc, and the the difference is between 200% to 400% difference .... a fact.
Click to expand...

don't feel bad,here in the U.S. the charge you more for eggs if they come from a "free roaming hen"lol!
 
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LTSteve

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Prices Shouldn't Surprise You

It should not be surprising, that if you live in an area that is predominately driven by tourist business, that the price of food and other commodities will be higher. I experience the same thing in Las Terrenas. These business are relying upon the fact that people on vacation and ex-pats are willing to pay a higher price for goods and services.

S
 
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jrjrth

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~I would expect that items are higher in the tourist area...but its still significantly less than what I am paying in the US at a quick glance at your list of comparisions.

Where I live we are currenlty paying $US.97 cents per Green Pepper....Bananas are $US .59 cent per pound at a super discounted store... Chicken we are paying almost $US5 dollars a pound....a gallon of milk is $US4.59 per gallon...Oranges are $US.75 cents each...I guess its all relative to your location and the quality of what you are buying.

And I cant wait to go to the Super Pola this Friday and have a first hand look at the pricing to compare whilst we are down there....:cool:
 
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rubenpriego

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jrjrth said:
~I would expect that items are higher in the tourist area...but its still significantly less than what I am paying in the US at a quick glance at your list of comparisions.

Where I live we are currenlty paying $US.97 cents per Green Pepper....Bananas are $US .59 cent per pound at a super discounted store... Chicken we are paying almost $US5 dollars a pound....a gallon of milk is $US4.59 per gallon...Oranges are $US.75 cents each...I guess its all relative to your location and the quality of what you are buying.

And I cant wait to go to the Super Pola this Friday and have a first hand look at the pricing to compare whilst we are down there....:cool:
Click to expand...

Of course it is less than in the US, for god's sake!!! Do you know the average salary in the US and in the DR????? !!!!!!!!!!!! Even being a touristic place if you consider the average salary of this country, cost of living and shopping should be ridiculously cheap for western standards, like in any other country where average salary is around 300-400$, like Thailand for example, where you can live a gorgeus life in its capital Bangkok (which has everything any big capital has) spending half of what you spend in the US or Europe ...
 
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PeterInBrat

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May 29, 2006
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jrjrth said:
~I would expect that items are higher in the tourist area...but its still significantly less than what I am paying in the US at a quick glance at your list of comparisions.

Where I live we are currenlty paying $US.97 cents per Green Pepper....Bananas are $US .59 cent per pound at a super discounted store... Chicken we are paying almost $US5 dollars a pound....a gallon of milk is $US4.59 per gallon...Oranges are $US.75 cents each...I guess its all relative to your location and the quality of what you are buying.

And I cant wait to go to the Super Pola this Friday and have a first hand look at the pricing to compare whilst we are down there....:cool:
Click to expand...


Chicken $5/pound??? I pay anywhere from $1.25- $1.60 for whole chicken and typically $2-2.50/pound for boneless skinless chicken breasts. The only thing that is pricey are wings at $2.25/pound(fresh), but that what they cost during football season. Your prices sound high across the board, but they can vary a lot from state to state.

Several stores here sell whole roasted chicken at $5 each cooked in the store the same day and still warm and the chickens are 2 or 3 pounds to start off. Thighs and drumsticks are often under a buck a pound. Eggs have gone up to about $3/dozen suddenly.

A Maridol papaya up here is like $4 or $5
Mangoes about a buck each
Small avocados $1.50 and more and often not that good!

One thing I like about the DR is healthy food is pretty cheap. Why with a pressure cooker you can make beans and rice and seaweed... Oh wait, that's someone else's diet.. Bring on the tostones and pollo al carbon!
 
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jrjrth

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PeterInBrat said:
Chicken $5/pound??? I pay anywhere from $1.25- $1.60 for whole chicken and typically $2-2.50/pound for boneless skinless chicken breasts. The only thing that is pricey are wings at $2.25/pound(fresh), but that what they cost during football season. Your prices sound high across the board, but they can vary a lot from state to state.

Several stores here sell whole roasted chicken at $5 each cooked in the store the same day and still warm and the chickens are 2 or 3 pounds to start off. Thighs and drumsticks are often under a buck a pound. Eggs have gone up to about $3/dozen suddenly.

A Maridol papaya up here is like $4 or $5
Mangoes about a buck each
Small avocados $1.50 and more and often not that good!

One thing I like about the DR is healthy food is pretty cheap. Why with a pressure cooker you can make beans and rice and seaweed... Oh wait, that's someone else's diet.. Bring on the tostones and pollo al carbon!
Click to expand...

~The prices are in a coastal tourist community in NJ....and the price of the chicken is for skinless boneless...the lowest we pay for chicken parts can be .69 cents a pound...but rare at that....now if I go into Central PA i can get chicken breast skinless boneless for about $1.99 per pound so YES it is relative to where you purchase.
 
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jrjrth

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Mar 24, 2011
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rubenpriego said:
Of course it is less than in the US, for god's sake!!! Do you know the average salary in the US and in the DR????? !!!!!!!!!!!! Even being a touristic place if you consider the average salary of this country, cost of living and shopping should be ridiculously cheap for western standards, like in any other country where average salary is around 300-400$, like Thailand for example, where you can live a gorgeus life in its capital Bangkok (which has everything any big capital has) spending half of what you spend in the US or Europe ...
Click to expand...

~Now don't go getting your panties in a bunch ruebenpriego....I am just saying that I am happy its cheaper for ME bringing my US dollar to the RD and purchasing food items at a substancial savings....it solely my gain...period:)
 
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