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Post by leslie on Nov 20, 2005 11:01:28 GMT -7
Hi guys I know a lot of you are obsessed by food, so I gathered together some of the costs (not only food) that I have to pay in the UK currently. Hope this interests you and I for one would certainly be interested in some comparisons - USA, Poland, Holland, Russia. If you can add any more fairly regular costs, I shall see if I can give you the comparisons. Pozdrawiam Leslie
Petrol $7 per gallon (UK) 1L whisky (blended) $23.80 1L Wodka (moderate type) $27.20 1L milk $1.02 Small 400g brown sliced loaf of bread $1.02 Large 800g brown sliced loaf of bread $1.67 .810 g bananas (7 medium size) $1.26 250g butter $1.28 1 pint draught beer in bar $3.65 100g jar Instant Coffee (Nescafe) $3.66 150g bar of Cadbury’s milk chocolate $1.77 250g sliced bacon $4.23 I spend for myself and my son who lives with me an average of £110 per week on groceries and milk = $187 per week Electricity $59.50 per month Gas $68 per month Council Tax (pays for local council services – refuse, police etc) $3060 per annum
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Pawian
European
Have you seen my frog?
Posts: 3,266
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Post by Pawian on Nov 20, 2005 11:13:15 GMT -7
Petrol $7 per gallon (UK) 1L whisky (blended) $23.80 1L Wodka (moderate type) $27.20 1L milk $1.02 Small 400g brown sliced loaf of bread $1.02 Large 800g brown sliced loaf of bread $1.67 .810 g bananas (7 medium size) $1.26 250g butter $1.28 1 pint draught beer in bar $3.65 100g jar Instant Coffee (Nescafe) $3.66 150g bar of Cadbury’s milk chocolate $1.77 250g sliced bacon $4.23 Polish food prices seem lower but comparing our earnings, Poland turns out to be much more expensive than the UK. About 50% of Polish earnings are still spent on food. Bananas are the same price in both countries!! Outrageous. E.g. 1L Wodka (moderate type) $15 1L milk $0.50 Small 400g brown sliced loaf of bread $0.75 1 kg bananas $1.5 1 pint canned beer $0.75 150g bar of Cadbury’s milk chocolate $0.75
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Post by leslie on Nov 20, 2005 12:40:20 GMT -7
Czesc Tak, the prices in Poland do seem on the whole to be lower, but as you say the differential between cost and money earned is a different matter. Being part Scotsman, I am attracted by this price difference and it is beneficial to us in UK, but not to Polish wage earners that I can sit and have a meal with my friends and pay for the whole meal what I would probably pay for myself in UK. I gather since joining 'The Union' that prices have started to rise in Poland compared with prior to May 2004 (that was about the date wasn't it?), but for touristy the exchange/cost is most favourable. I commented elsewhere that the Hotel Rezydent in Krakow was, although not the dearest, was quite expensive - I think for 5 nights bed and breakfast I was charged a total of about 700zloty = about 116 GBP for the 5 nights = 23 GBP per night. This would be for a single room that I had in a hotel of about the same official rating in the UK at least 30 to 35GBP per night. Thank you for the comparisons. What is petrol (U.S gas!) in Poland currently? The 'gas'I listed in my posting refers to gas to the house, not petrol! Pozdrawiam Leslie
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Yanc
Full Pole
Posts: 337
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Post by Yanc on Nov 20, 2005 12:48:44 GMT -7
Hi 200g butter - 2.30 PLN = $0,64 electricity - 0.35 PLN per kWh = $0,097/kWh sausage - 12-20 PLN/kg = 1,50 - 2,50 USD/lbs Johnie Walker Black Label aged 12 y - 23.90 USD/l canned beer - 0,7 - 0,9 usd per 0,5 litre can regular bread 0,6 kg - 0,34usd diesel fuel - 4,18USD/gallon 95 octane fuel - 4,60usd/gallon 30 eggs - 2,51usd ham (not canned) - 5usd/kg average dinner for two at restaurant - 16 usd + 1 small red rose for your lady - 1usd 1 large rose - 2 usd - (better buy small, outcome is the same ) cinema ticket - 6 usd speeding ticket - 97 km/h at 50 km/h limit - 111 usd + 8 penalty points (from a limit of 24 pts per year) Michelin Pilote Alpin A2 winter tyre 205/55R16 size - 175 usd We don't pay council taxes, we only pay income taxes at rate 19, 30 or 40%. 95% of population is in lowest range - 19%. Yanc
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Pawian
European
Have you seen my frog?
Posts: 3,266
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Post by Pawian on Nov 20, 2005 13:18:18 GMT -7
Aaaa, you are a Scotsman! Hey, Les, have you already apologised for the evil that Scottish mercenaries did in Poland during the Swedish Deluge in 17 century? The Swedes have just apologised officially. What about Scotland? ha ha ha ha And don`t try to explain that now Scotland is a part of the UK and it is London which should apologise ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Yes, initially prices went up, but later discreased. Today most goods cost the same as before the accession. Not always. Polish currency zloty is very strong. A dollar costs 3 zlotys. That is good for an average Pole because imported goods, especially oil/petrol/gas are cheaper. I have seen a few Americans in a restaurant during holidays. They were very careful about their choices, I would even say they chose cheaper dishes on the menu. Standard 95U petrol costs abou 4 zlotys per liter. You must count it per gallons, I can`t . 1 dollar is about 3.2 zlotys. The monthly expenses of my family of 4: Electricity: 30$ House gas: 15$ Central heating, water, the lift, conservation, etc: 100$ Food: I don`t really know how much we spend. Roughly estimating, about 300$. Car petrol: 200$ Kindergarten for 2 kids: 100$ House phone: 30$ Internet cable: 30$ Mobile phone bills: 30$ So these regular expenses amount to about 800$ per month. Oh, sheeeet! I must start thinking about some saving policy ha ha ha ha ha.
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Post by leslie on Nov 20, 2005 13:35:20 GMT -7
Yanc Many thanks - some following on from you, but the comments I made to Pawian I still think hold. Diesel $7.43 gallon (Imperial) Johnny Walker Black Label (I guess) $34 1 L can of beer, say $2.55 Average dinner for two, w/o wine from about $25 1 small red rose from charity seller in bar $3.40 1 large rose as above, $6.80 (Yanc you are a cheapskate saying that!! Cinema ticket, average $9.20 Income tax (in addition to Council tax) - standard 20% I have long considered selling my house in UK and coming to live in Poland, but if I sell the house I have to give my ex-wife 40% of the proceeds - no way!!! She has already had 35,000 GBP from me regarding 'her share' of the house!!! Leslie (in poverty!)
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Pawian
European
Have you seen my frog?
Posts: 3,266
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Post by Pawian on Nov 20, 2005 13:52:54 GMT -7
We don't pay council taxes, we only pay income taxes at rate 19, 30 or 40%. 95% of population is in lowest range - 19%. I think Leslie meant taxes which cover housing expenses like rubbish, water, central heating etc. We also have these expenses but don`t call them taxes.
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forza
Cosmopolitan
Posts: 514
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Post by forza on Nov 20, 2005 14:06:07 GMT -7
Here's what a great deal in Poland is: 75 m2, one bedroom apartment, high ceilings, wooden floor, large balcony, small garden, city center, easy parking: 240 PLZ (60 EURO) with central heating 480 PLZ (120 EURO), average monthly water bill: 10 PLZ (2.5 EURO) average gas bill (water heating and cooking): 40 PLZ (10 EURO) With a possibility to purchase from the owner (the city) for 5% of market value.
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Post by leslie on Nov 20, 2005 14:08:11 GMT -7
Pawi Your petrol works out at about 18 zl an Imperial gallon, that is about $5. On exchange rates, I buy zloty at a rate at present of 5.8 zl to the 1GBP. My Internet with Broadband, through AOL, costs me 18GBP per month, ie about 31$, or 104 zl In June of this year when I was staying in Krakow, two friends and myself had an excellent meal with drinks in the little restaurant at Pieskowa Skala for the UK equivalent of about 15GBP (ie about 90 zloty) for the three of us - not a 5 star restaurant but excellent food, well cooked and served, in very pleasant surroundings with beer and soft drink. It would have certainly cost a lot more in UK Leslie
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nancy
European
Posts: 2,144
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Post by nancy on Nov 20, 2005 14:22:50 GMT -7
re cost of things: our gas for the car (petrol) is now back down to $2.25 per gallon (it was ~$3 right after the hurricanes). Gas to heat the house: we pay ~$150each month, and have a "budget plan" so the payments are even thoughout the year (the monthly amount changes every year). Summer months would be $20 and winter months would be $400 otherwise. Seems to me our food bill has gone way up over the past year. I used to spend about $100/week for two of us, now it is about $150. that's not counting the wine Leslie, excuse me for being so nosy, but why do you use AOL rather than some UK-based service? Seems unpatriotic on your part. Is it cheaper? Forza, that apt sounds too good to be true.
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Pawian
European
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Post by Pawian on Nov 20, 2005 14:23:55 GMT -7
two friends and myself had an excellent meal with drinks in the little restaurant at Pieskowa Skala for the UK equivalent of about 15GBP (ie about 90 zloty) for the three of us - You mean at the castle in Pieskowa Skała? This restaurant with dark wood interior?
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Post by jimpres on Nov 20, 2005 18:41:34 GMT -7
How much does health insurance cost in Poland? Especially if you are a foreigner. If you apply for permanent residence can you get health coverage from the Government? I know many Americans who have retired in Wawsaw.
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Post by leslie on Nov 21, 2005 2:29:57 GMT -7
Pawi It probably had dak wood walls, but I can't remember them, possibly because we were sitting beside the windows. The little restaurant was outside the castle across the external courtyard and you had to go up stairs to it. Does that help?. Leslie
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Post by leslie on Nov 21, 2005 2:32:39 GMT -7
Pawi Sorry my friend, I was not alive in the 17th century so I have nothing to apologise for. I assume you know that Scotland now has its own Parliament in Edinburgh, but is still under the over-rule by London. Yak! Leslie
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Post by leslie on Nov 21, 2005 2:38:05 GMT -7
Leslie, excuse me for being so nosy, but why do you use AOL rather than some UK-based service? Seems unpatriotic on your part. Is it cheaper? Nancy The Scot in me coming out again! A few years ago when I was starting on the internet, I received a free CD to load AOL with a free 6 months subscription. Have been there ever since - it is not the cheapest but others are not much cheaper so I can't be bothered to change.. Leslie
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