Local alcohol price comparison

In My Humble Opinion
1

An assertion’s been made in Johnny L.A.'s Weird stuff about Washington thread that Washington’s higher alcohol prices (eg. $32 in CA v. $53 in WA) are due in some part to the absence of a state income tax. It certainly seems possible that booze would be one of the first things to pick up an extra tax burden.

That made me wonder about booze prices elsewhere. Texas has no state income tax, and prices here are what I’m familiar with. It’s Sunday and the liquor stores are closed, so I can’t do any research today, but I will tomorrow. Off the top of my head I can supply a few that are likely popular in many locales:

175 ml Smirnoff vodka (red label - 80 proof) - $20.99
750 ml Crown Royal Canadian whiskey - $21
750 ml Cruzan light rum - $10.99

I’ll check what’s been posted tomorrow and try to find comparable prices for the same stuff here.

2

That’s pretty close to around here. Maybe a dollar or two more each.

3

Mexico: smirnoff vodka (imported from U.S.) 90 dls
Jose Cuervo 1800 Tequila: 50 dls
Any decent whiskey: 40dls or more

4

Macrophage, thanks for the reply. Are you using dls to mean U.S. dollars?

5

I just <ahem> happen to have Pennsylvania’s Offical Wine & Spirits Quaterly sitting around so here goes…

175 ml Smirnoff vodka (red label - 80 proof) - $22.99 (assuming you meant 1.75L)
750 ml Crown Royal Canadian whiskey - $20.99
750 ml Cruzan light rum - $11.99 (price for flavored rums, Rum Cream 13.99, light rum not listed)

The best thing our wonderful state does is post their monthly specials on-line in advance so you can always stock up and save!

6

If I recall rightly at my local liquor store a 750 ml bottle of Crown Royal is 22.99

The Smirnoff pricing falls along the same lines too; not seen Cruzan available here, but a regular bottle of Cuervo is $21.

Bombay Sapphire is $23.99. <sigh>

7

So without a state income tax, where does the majority of the cash for running things come from in Texas?

8

Oh, we’ve got taxes. Sales tax is a hefty 8.25% in Houston, gasoline tax is, I believe, 38.5¢/galloon, etc.

9

Hah! I laugh at your inferior Houstonite taxes! I pay 40$ for a bottle (750ml) of Smirnoff and over a dollar per liter of gasoline. Well, I don´t actually have a car and I don’t actually drink anymore but… you know…

10

Checking the prices online at Chicago’s popular Sam’s Wine and Spirits store, I find that the Smirnoff is $19.99 (again assuming 1.75 l), the Crown Royal is $21.79, and the Cruzan is $10.99. I’d heard that we had high “sin” taxes on alcohol and cigarettes (built into the prices), but either we don’t, or they’re comparable to other places.

11

It really sucks buying beer in Pennsylvania, between prices and selling laws (distributors and such).

Example: 28-pack, Molson Canadian, 12-oz bottles. PA: $19.99. NY: $12.99 (or cheaper if you are lucky).

12

Slightly off topic but as a Canadian I’m intrigued that you’re using metric, is liquor special?

Also I find it amusing that that same bottle of rye would cost me around of $35 CD.

13

Ehile the conversion to metric stalled out in the U.S., a few things did become “metricized,” some beverages amongst them.

14

Ringo, Macrophage was using the dls of US Dollars.

However, Smirnoff is not $90, it’s $9, and that’s a 750ml bottle.