Friday, August 26, 2011

Some food prices in Yola

Right now, the official exchange rate between Naira (Neye-rah) and US Dollars is around 150, and that is the number I'm going to use to translate prices here. I have been mildly surprised to find remarkably steady prices (over a 3 week period, granted) when I buy things from different vendors who will haggle.

6-7 oranges is $1.33 in the modern market and outside of the expat stores and from some random vendor along the roadside.
A loaf of bread is $1.10 with anyone I've talked to. I forget what oranges cost in the US, but that's less than half the price of a loaf of bread, and it's really good bread. It holds up well, it's soft, it's sweet [my Lovely and Gracious does not always appreciate that sweetness], and often it's a bit larger than what they offer in the States.
Half a watermelon is $2.67. A rather small cabbage is $0.67; a more normal one is $1.00.

Then there are the items in the expat stores:
A small jar of peanut butter (Skippy) is $3.33, a touch expensive, but a large jar is a shocking $12.
Cans of peaches or pears are $2 each. These two foods are Econolad's staples at the moment, so we're very familiar with the price.
Given we're in an area with a high percentage of Muslims, pork products are not widely to be found. A tin of ham costs $4.67. You can also find Spam, but I don't remember the price off the top.
Tuna fish is either $1.33 or $2 depending on the can's brand.
Corned beef is $3.33 or $6 depending on the can's brand.
That, of course, is not counting the box of expired instant mashed potatoes for $8.
Thai rice (110 pound bag) at $0.50/pound
We were worried we would have no cheese, but the first day I found an enormous block of slightly sharp cheddar for a mere $56.

No comments:

Post a Comment