# Prices in US$ all over the world... help out **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 20, 2003, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prices-in-us-all-over-the-world-help-out/202813 "2003-09-20T16:26:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2003, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prices-in-us-all-over-the-world-help-out/202813/1 "2003-09-20T16:26:31Z")
I want to have a notion of how much stuff is actually “priced” in many countries as a comparison. If you live somewhere that is specifically expensive/cheaper in your country please do note that. This is just so I can fathom more or less how distorted prices are in different places and products. Especially stuff you spend in a regular basis. So how much does in US$ (more or less) this cost: Coca Cola Can from a soda machine ? Coca Cola can from market? 2 Litres of Coca Cola in Supermarket? 1 Litre of normal Gasoline (1 Gallon = 4 litres) ? New Cheap Car (compact or something) ? McD Big Mac ? Movie Ticket weekend ? Good Health Insurance 30yr old (month or year) ? Music CD in a shop ? Cell Phone medium cost model ? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2003, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prices-in-us-all-over-the-world-help-out/202813/2 "2003-09-20T16:32:22Z")
Recommend you find the Economist (magazine)'s Big Mac Index. This assumes that a Big Mac is a uniform product around the world and “should” (in a perfect market) cost the same worldwide. The index is used as a quick measure of which currencies are under- and over-valued. No link, near bedtime here. ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prices-in-us-all-over-the-world-help-out/202813/3 "2003-09-20T16:35:01Z")
Coca Cola Can from a soda machine ? - **$1** Coca Cola can from market? - **65 cents** 2 Litres of Coca Cola in Supermarket? 99 cents - **$1.19 (always on sale)** 1 Litre of normal Gasoline (1 Gallon = 4 litres) ? **Beats me - it’s against the law to drive in NYC 😉** New Cheap Car (compact or something) ? **see above** McD Big Mac ? **I think around $5 for a value meal - includes fies and a soda** Movie Ticket weekend ? **in NYC - $10 per ticket** Good Health Insurance 30yr old (month or year) ? **Dunno - company provides it** Music CD in a shop ? $14.99 (average) Cell Phone medium cost model ? **Too many different models and plans - Often times you will get a free phone if you purchase a service plan.** ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prices-in-us-all-over-the-world-help-out/202813/4 "2003-09-20T16:35:53Z")
Found the cite… [http://www.economist.com/markets/Bigmac/Index.cfm](http://www.economist.com/markets/Bigmac/Index.cfm) ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2003, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prices-in-us-all-over-the-world-help-out/202813/5 "2003-09-20T16:37:30Z")
again with better coding: Coca Cola Can from a soda machine ? - **$1** Coca Cola can from market? - **65 cents** 2 Litres of Coca Cola in Supermarket? **99 cents-$1.19 (always on sale)** 1 Litre of normal Gasoline (1 Gallon = 4 litres) ? **Beats me - it’s against the law to drive in NYC 😉** New Cheap Car (compact or something) ? **see above** McD Big Mac ? **I think around $5 for a value meal - includes fies and a soda** Movie Ticket weekend ? **in NYC - $10 per ticket** Good Health Insurance 30yr old (month or year) ? **Dunno - company provides it** Music CD in a shop ? **$14.99 (average)** Cell Phone medium cost model ? **Too many different models and plans - Often times you will get a free phone if you purchase a service plan.** ---
**Author:** ![TitoBenito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2acd7d/32.png) [@TitoBenito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TitoBenito)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2003, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prices-in-us-all-over-the-world-help-out/202813/6 "2003-09-20T18:25:09Z")
In Houston and Austin, Texas Coca Cola Can from a soda machine ? - $0.50 Coca Cola can from market? - Can’t really buy just one but in a twelve pack maybe $0.20 2 Litres of Coca Cola in Supermarket? $1.19 (same everywhere I guess) 1 Litre of normal Gasoline (1 Gallon = 4 litres) Currently around $0.36 New Cheap Car (compact or something) no idea McD Big Mac ? Its about $3.50 for the value meal, which includes a medium fry and a medium coke (which is quite large and free to refill). Alone maybe $2.50 but I’m not sure. Movie Ticket weekend ? in NYC - After 5:00 about $7.50 per ticket in Austin, $5.50 in Houston if you attend college $7.00 if you dont. Before 5:00 around $4.00. Good Health Insurance 30yr old (month or year) ? No idea. Music CD in a shop ? $14.99 (Same as NYC) Cell Phone medium cost model ? Depends, sometimes free. ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2003, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prices-in-us-all-over-the-world-help-out/202813/7 "2003-09-21T12:03:13Z")
Gasoline is cheap in the states ! Other stuff seems a bit over priced compared to us here… but as much as I would expect. I knew about the Big Mac Index… I kind of included Big Mac in the list for sheer laziness ? 🙂 Keep em coming… ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2003, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prices-in-us-all-over-the-world-help-out/202813/8 "2003-09-21T12:17:24Z")
Tel-Aviv, Israel: Coca Cola Can from a soda machine ? **$1** Coca Cola can from market? **dunno** 2 Litres of Coca Cola in Supermarket? \*\* 1.5 Litre bottle - $1.20\*\* 1 Litre of normal Gasoline (1 Gallon = 4 litres) ? **$1.10** New Cheap Car (compact or something) ? **$25000 (no that is _not_ a type :()** McD Big Mac ? **$4 (I think, don’t frequent the joint; a _meal_ costs $6-7)** Movie Ticket weekend ? **$6-7 - was uniformly $7 until about a month ago, major chain decided to undercut** Good Health Insurance 30yr old (month or year) ? **dunno** Music CD in a shop ? **REALLY depends - anywhere from $6-7 to $20 and somtimes more for specials/early release big hits** Cell Phone medium cost model ? **Nominally probably over $300, but you never have to pay that much - always payed in 36 installments and with air-time rebates, usually end up paying between $3-$6 a month** **And the following is my real “sig”:** ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2003, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prices-in-us-all-over-the-world-help-out/202813/9 "2003-09-21T12:18:25Z")
In Ireland (approximate prices): **Coca Cola Can from a soda machine ?** $1.10 **Coca Cola can from market?** 60c **2 Litres of Coca Cola in Supermarket?** $2.20 **1 Litre of normal Gasoline (1 Gallon = 4 litres) ?** $1 **New Cheap Car (compact or something) ?** $7,000 **McD Big Mac ?** $2.70 (according to [this](http://www.online.ie/business/latest/viewer.adp?article=1999677), though I think they’re a bit cheaper). **Movie Ticket weekend ?** $8 **Good Health Insurance 30yr old (month or year) ?** $30 p/m (you can’t really get “good” health insurance in Ireland) **Music CD in a shop ?** $20 **Cell Phone medium cost model ?** $100 (this is very vague - depends on the kind of contract you take out.) ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2003, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prices-in-us-all-over-the-world-help-out/202813/10 "2003-09-21T15:31:44Z")
Can of Coke from a machine? **$0.75 at my school but it varies wildly** Can of Coke from the Market? **$0.20** 2 Liter Bottle of Coke at Market? **Probably around a dollar** 1 liter of Gasoline? **$0.37** New Cheap Car? \*\* The Kia Rio is apparently America’s cheapest car at $9665\*\* Big mac? **Haven’t eaten one in a while, but I thought they were like $1.99 here** Movie Ticket? **Matinee is five dollars, night shows are seven or $7.50 depending on where you go.** Dunno about health insurance Music Cd? **From $12 to $18** Like they said, most cell phones are free with plans or at least come with major rebates. -Lil ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2003, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prices-in-us-all-over-the-world-help-out/202813/11 "2003-09-21T15:33:11Z")
oops, forgot to say, I’m in Tennessee, USA ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2003, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prices-in-us-all-over-the-world-help-out/202813/12 "2003-09-21T15:59:09Z")
There are scientifically calculated indexes that do this sort of thing for many cities, both in the US and around the world. The US State Department, for instance, does such pricings. One immediate problem with your random survey: the non-US responses you’re getting are all in US-dollars, and so there would be considerable variation in price as the exchange rate varies. ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2003, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prices-in-us-all-over-the-world-help-out/202813/13 "2003-09-21T16:12:24Z")
It also depends on which area you are in inside a particular city. In Paris, for example, a can of Coke from a street vendor in a touristy area can easily cost $5.00. A few blocks away in a non-touristy area, it’s $1.00.