Why is almost all quality food more expensive in Mexico?

[Tsar]

Even more expensive than the United States...

But much, much more compared to nations with similar median incomes and cost of livings?

(I am referring to food in grocery stores)

[Tsar]

I just got back shopping and I spent under $25.00 on food at a grocery store at my new location. Enough to last a few days or several meals. The same products would have cost me at least $50.00 in Mexico but most wouldn't be the same superior European quality.

In the US, the grocery bill would have been about $40.00-$45.00 for comparable quality to Europe, maybe closer to $40.00 adjusting for some proportion differentials.

[Voyager1]

It's the same in every country. Local food with local ingredients is always going to be cheaper than imported goods. It's the cost of transportation that drives the price up. I talked about this in my other thread. Many times you can using local ingredients make the product you desire and it often takes better than something out of a can or jar.

[Tsar]

It's the same in every country. Local food with local ingredients is always going to be cheaper than imported goods. It's the cost of transportation that drives the price up. I talked about this in my other thread. Many times you can using local ingredients make the product you desire and it often takes better than something out of a can or jar.

Well, Saudi Arabia for example is almost entirely desert so it imports almost all it's food and it would likely be all quality foods.

In Mexico, most things were filled with high fructose corn syrup making it almost impossible to even find juice without it. Then there was trans fat on top of the high fructose corn syrup. GMO corn is widely in the food supply because of trade with America.

For example, I would sometimes buy snacks and the salt would literally hurt my teeth. But that never happened anywhere else with snacks.

It's also doesn't make sense that the United States could be more affordable for quality foods than Mexico but that's the case. I assume better food regulations?

Must be that some countries where quantity is much greatly preferred over quality, there's much less quality food, making the scarcer quality foods either limited local batches or imports, so that low supply makes prices high because of demand or little competition?

Also, I didn't have any stovetop or oven to cook fresh meals.

I ended up eating mainly instant ramen for three entire months. Before that when I had a microwave but no access to boiled clean water, I ate packaged refried beans with hot sauce. Ended up on my longest keto diet.

[Tsar]

The only thing i don't miss about Mexico is food. It took me 3 weeks to find a natural yogurt (all of them are super sweet). And the one which is actually without sugar or sweeteners added costs around $5. For a simple yogurt. Insane.

Yes, food at stores in Mexico was largely Rubbish. I have much more appreciation for American food now (which has quality at much better prices).

Almost everything that's a non-alcoholic beverage like juice was filled with high fructose corn syrup. Transfat in almost every snack.

I think it's the law of supply and demand. Too few healthy foods, low competition, much higher prices. It's not surprising that obesity in Mexico constantly competes with the United States obesity rate.

[flowerthief00]

The only thing i don't miss about Mexico is food. It took me 3 weeks to find a natural yogurt (all of them are super sweet). And the one which is actually without sugar or sweeteners added costs around $5. For a simple yogurt. Insane.

Are you serious? Food is the one thing I DO love about Mexico. It ain't the healthiest but it is delicious. I see stands everywhere selling ice cream, chips, and other junk food, so it's not a wonder obesity is what it is here.

I love to stuff my face with tacos al carbón
With my friends or when I'm all alone
Yo tengo mucho hambre y ahora lo quiero
Un burrito ranchero
I eat uno, dos, tres, cuatro burritos
Pretty soon I can't fit in my Speedos
Y Usted, Eugene? Why's your face turning green?
Don't you like a pinto bean?

[MrPeabody]

You don't go to the Americanized grocery stores. There are vendors on the streets selling all kinds of fresh fruits that are hard to find in America. There are outside markets that sell fresh vegetables and fruits, and fish if you are by the ocean.

[Cornfed]

If you shop at local stores and live on locally sourced non-processed meat, honey, butter and tortillas then the prices for a high protein diet are quite reasonable. It is the American processed crap that is overpriced. I'm not drinking at the moment, but ~$8 US for a liter of medium quality tequila seems not too bad.

[Yohan]

It's the same in every country. Local food with local ingredients is always going to be cheaper than imported goods. It's the cost of transportation that drives the price up. I talked about this in my other thread. Many times you can using local ingredients make the product you desire and it often takes better than something out of a can or jar.

Not every country - here in Japan local food is often much more expensive than imported food.
Beef from Brazil is much cheaper than Japanese beef,
Apples from South Africa are cheaper than Japanese apples etc.

Generally said, if you eat only imported food you spend much less money than if you insist on Japanese food.
Curry from India, noodles from China, banana and pineapple from Philippines, chocolates from New Zealand, wine from Chile, chicken from Thailand, and so on and so on.

About 90 million people in Japan eat daily imported food, as local food production is by far not enough...

Also often other consumer goods, clothes, shoes, kitchen ware, home appliances etc. are much cheaper from abroad than made in Japan due to high differences in production costs.

[flowerthief00]

Well, there's no taco big enough for a man like me
That's why I order two or three
Let me give you a tip, just try a nacho chip
It's really good with bean dip
Donde estan los nachos? Holy frijole!
You better get me a bowl of guacamole
What you think you're doing with my chile con queso?
Well if you want some just say so!