Exchange Rate

After two full months of grocery store visits to the local ICA Maxi supermarket, I have decided to compile a list of a typical week’s grocery list. Jo and I share groceries, alternating who pays at each visit, and thus have been keeping a running tally of any shared spending expenses. Our system works out pretty well here: she cooks I clean. We tried to change it up last Thursday, but that’s another story entirely.

Overall, food here is much more expensive here than in the States; most fast food ranges from at least 65-80kr ($8-$12). They also use the metric system here, so it has been a bit of a challenge to not only convert the monetary amount, but also change our thinking from gallons to liters, ounces to grams, etc. It’s a lot of mental math. So for you, my dear readers, I am going to try to convert both the units and the currency from Swedish to American to give you the best idea of our typical shopping trip.

STUFF WE BUY:                                   KRONER            USD

1.5 liters* of milk (.4 gallons)                     12kr                        $2

2 liters* of orange juice (.5 gallons)            20kr                        $3

A dozen eggs                                              26kr                        $5

Box of cereal                                               25kr                        $4

Yogurt (1000g**, 35.3 ounces)                    13kr                        $2

Chicken breast (6 pieces, 99kr/kg)              107kr                        $16

Sausage                                                       33kr                        $5

Loaf of bread                                               27kr                        $4

Shredded cheese (1000g**, 35.3 oz)          58kr                         $9 

                                       TOTAL:              321kr                        $50

*it takes 3.8 liters to make 1 gallon (1 gallon of milk - $4.60; 1 gallon of orange juice - $6)

**it takes 28.4 grams to make 1 ounce; 453.6 grams to make 1 pound

Its interesting how much more aware of food prices I have become while over here; to which I can only attribute the exchange rate and metric system. At home, I know my favorite brands and what foods I like or dislike and buy my groceries based on that information instead of cost. Hopefully this newfound awareness will be another skill I can bring back from Swede-Meghan to American-Meghan. Those two people seem so different from each other.

But that’s another blog entirely.