# Food Prices



## JandE

Do you use a Butcher or a Supermarket to buy your Meat?

$53.69 spent on meat at a local butcher that would have cost $112.47 using Coles or Woolworths

More details at: Food Costs in Australia: Use a Butcher or a Supermarket? » ABCDiamond Australia


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## Concept

Yeah sometimes it depends. I have a local IGA and it sources all of the meat from local farmers so the meat prices are quite competitive with the local butcher. I found that pricing can depend on where you are in Australia. As I travelled, I found sometimes Woolworths/Coles is cheaper, sometimes the local butcher. Get to know the local area, and where is cheaper. 

Oh and if you find an Aldi with good meat selection you have found a gem!


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## JandE

Concept said:


> Get to know the local area, and where is cheaper.


That is very good advice. Much better than generalisations.

It is important to know that there are options rather than just the common, and normally more expensive, ones.


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## liveseoservice

I feel Aldi prices are less compared to other super market giants


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## JandE

liveseoservice said:


> I feel Aldi prices are less compared to other super market giants


According to a survey by Credit Suisse in June 2016:

Costs for a basket of 110 packaged groceries and fresh food:

$573 at Woolworths 
$586 at Coles
$465 at Aldi

ALDI changed the face of Supermarket shopping in 2001, and now both Coles and Wooworths have had to adapt to the competition.

News Headlines include:

Aldi has Coles and Woolies reeling. They may not recover

Woolworths, Coles feeling heat from competition


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## cantwaittogohometooz

As a recently returned Australian after many years of living in Britain the cost of food here is EXPENSIVE and the quality that you receive and some of it is below a descent standard. The chickens that are bred these days are called "super chickens" and one chicken breast can weigh over 600grams and the meat is DISGUSTING!! Shopping at Aldi here is underwhelming and not much cheaper than the Coles/Woolworths option and the choice is limited. In Britain the Aldi experience is far better. 

I am telling it as it is and not sugar coating it, (actually most of the food is probably sugar coated)! There is virtually no nutritional grading system on most of the packaging, so if you are health conscious and want to keep on top of what you are putting into your body you have to figure it out for yourself by reading the very small print.

I walked out of Aldi today after buying very little and spent nearly $80! Virtually no meat, vege or fruit was in my basket.

Amanda


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## Joeys

roast chicken at Coles was $10 for 2 .. Go get the deal !!


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## pndaccountants

In Melbourne .. you can find affordable cost ..I am sure but i know it's having


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## AussieYeh

Where should I got to buy good meat?


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## 292905

cantwaittogohometooz said:


> As a recently returned Australian after many years of living in Britain the cost of food here is EXPENSIVE and the quality that you receive and some of it is below a descent standard. The chickens that are bred these days are called "super chickens" and one chicken breast can weigh over 600grams and the meat is DISGUSTING!! Shopping at Aldi here is underwhelming and not much cheaper than the Coles/Woolworths option and the choice is limited. In Britain the Aldi experience is far better.
> 
> I am telling it as it is and not sugar coating it, (actually most of the food is probably sugar coated)! There is virtually no nutritional grading system on most of the packaging, so if you are health conscious and want to keep on top of what you are putting into your body you have to figure it out for yourself by reading the very small print.
> 
> I walked out of Aldi today after buying very little and spent nearly $80! Virtually no meat, vege or fruit was in my basket.
> 
> Amanda


I found the quality and variety of grcoeries much better in Australia than what I get in NYC even at our Whole Foods organic chain. The vegetables and fruit have much more flavour, the meat has more colour, eggs and dairy are also far superior. And it gets even better from the farmers markets (Prahran and Victoria). American food is over processed and GMO riddled.


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## Mattiascarlosjuan1

Any ideas in Perth WA?


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## Soso72

Thanks for the advice


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## Kirstipops

I don't live in Australia yet but have spent a reasonable amount of time in Melbourne over the last year or so. Food compared to the UK is considerably expensive. In the UK we are so lucky to be able to import from Europe and with the introduction of Lidl and Aldi there are affordable options. Who knows if that will change post Brexit. 

The most important thing I feel is to be open to changing your eating habits, and in particular eating in season. I stayed in apartments so did my own food shopping, and there were some amazing deals to be have on Australian grown produce in Coles/Woolworths. But if you are looking to buy an iceberg lettuce in winter it can easily cost $5. In the warmer months it's less than half of that price. The food options are crazy, and if you compare a UK supermarket meat section to an Aus, the different options available is so good. Compared to the standard chicken, beef, pork, lamb cuts.

Also, the markets are great too. I shall look forward to buying my produce from local businesses.


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## Marino

When i was there last 3 weeks i found food was pretty expensive and not always that good quality.


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## JandE

Marino said:


> When i was there last 3 weeks i found food was pretty expensive and not always that good quality.


What shops did you use. There are always some expensive ones.

But whether something is expensive can also be determined by your income, and expectations based on home country prices.

I spend 28% of my net income on groceries, and eat reasonably well.
But someone earning 4 times me, would only spend 7% of net income eating the same way.


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## Marino

JandE said:


> What shops did you use. There are always some expensive ones.
> 
> But whether something is expensive can also be determined by your income, and expectations based on home country prices.
> 
> I spend 28% of my net income on groceries, and eat reasonably well.
> But someone earning 4 times me, would only spend 7% of net income eating the same way.


I dont know. I ate mostly in restaurants and hotels but was in a woolworth in Leura. Thats at Blue Mountains. It was quite expensive and shopping in general was strange there. There is a small options of healthy food and much stuff with fat and sugar.

Food in restaurants was usually overprized. 28 doller for a pizza or burger? Thats really much.

Also service is bad. You have to reserve a table in advance in most restaurants. And often you get a number or buzzer and take your food, once its ready. In cyprus you go eat when you want and get served at table.


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## JandE

Marino said:


> I dont know. I ate mostly in restaurants and hotels but was in a woolworth in Leura. Thats at Blue Mountains. It was quite expensive and shopping in general was strange there. There is a small options of healthy food and much stuff with fat and sugar.
> 
> Food in restaurants was usually overprized. 28 doller for a pizza or burger? Thats really much.
> 
> Also service is bad. You have to reserve a table in advance in most restaurants. And often you get a number or buzzer and take your food, once its ready. In cyprus you go eat when you want and get served at table.


That explains it. I've been there too. It's a tourist area. Very nice, but nothing cheap. I spent a fortune in the lolly shop there.


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## uzair4100

Sometimes you get veggies and fruit cheaper from IGA or local shop as compared to coles and woolworths.


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## rossmj1987

JandE said:


> Do you use a Butcher or a Supermarket to buy your Meat?
> 
> $53.69 spent on meat at a local butcher that would have cost $112.47 using Coles or Woolworths
> 
> It depends, for special stuff I tend to use the butcher, but for everyday Coles seems to be a little cheaper.
> 
> Try the butchers on a Monday, they often have lots of mark downs from the weekend.


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## jackwathers

Finding good food in Australia is easy. There are lots of restaurants that have the best *Brisbane second hand catering equipment* that serves the best food. Even small restaurants have good food with good equipment.


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## JandE

JandE said:


> According to a survey by Credit Suisse in June 2016:
> 
> Costs for a basket of 110 packaged groceries and fresh food:
> 
> $573 at Woolworths
> $586 at Coles
> $465 at Aldi


October 2021 Update at choice.com.au

Our basket of national brand products cost on average:

$145.23 at Coles
$142.79 at IGA
$141.83 at Woolworths
$80.75 at Aldi 









Which is the cheapest supermarket chain in Australia? | CHOICE


We compare grocery basket prices at Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and IGA to find the cheapest supermarket in Australia.




www.choice.com.au


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## Aussie83

JandE said:


> October 2021 Update at choice.com.au
> 
> Our basket of national brand products cost on average:
> 
> $145.23 at Coles
> $142.79 at IGA
> $141.83 at Woolworths
> $80.75 at Aldi
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Which is the cheapest supermarket chain in Australia? | CHOICE
> 
> 
> We compare grocery basket prices at Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and IGA to find the cheapest supermarket in Australia.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.choice.com.au


Aldi weren't in that category. So for woolworths the equivalent was 86.93 coles 87.56.
Still interesting. I shop woollies but get bread from a baker and meat from a butcher


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## expatali

There is a detailed explanation of how to search prices before moving and how to make budget here https://bit.ly/3KFQxs0


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