American mom in London compares grocery prices between US and UK. The difference is eye-opening

She pointed out that average wages weren't very different at the time

By

Aug. 13 2024, Updated 5:05 a.m. ET

pn//uploads/ee a ef b edebad__

According to the latest government data, food inflation has fallen in recent weeks. However, this hasn't reduced the burden on consumers as grocery prices are still up by 25% since the pandemic, as per an Intuit Credit Karma report. While this is common across the globe, Americans seem to be feeling the heat a little more. A TikTok creator from the UK did a price comparison between grocery items in the U.K. and America and we are shocked.

Article continues below advertisement
pn/dbfe fb  cc dbeee

Here's how the grocery prices compare

Creator and mom Abigael Lanai (@abigaellanai) posted the video last year. Lanai, who is originally from Colorado, currently lives in London, where she shops from the popular grocery chain Sainsbury's.

In the viral video, Lanai compares the prices of everyday grocery items from the U.K. chain with the prices of the same items from King Soopers, an American store she used to visit.

The first item in her comparison was whole milk, which Lanai got from Sansbury's for £1.65 for 2.27 liters (about half a gallon). She then converts the cost to dollars which comes out to be $1.99. However, the price of half a gallon of milk from King Soopers was about $2.49, significantly higher than the UK.

pn/febfc fa cd  dedfdda

The next item that Lanai compares is apples. She shows that one red gala apple in the UK costs about £0.25 or $0.30. In America, the same apples were available in small and large sizes. The small went for $0.67 while the large went for $0.95, double and triple what it costs in the U.K. respectively.

pn/bfe fce d bd cad

Lanai them comes to comparing ground beef. She shows that 500g (~1.1 pound) of minced beef costs £1.99 in the UK at the time. The same item should cost about $2.40 in the US after conversion. However, to no one's surprise, the same 80% lean ground beef in the US cost $5.49 at the time.

pn/bbecfa bd f b fcb

Lastly, Lanai comes to veggies, comparing the price of a bag of carrots in the two countries. Lanai says that the item costs £0.50 in the U.K. which was about $0.60 at the time. Again, to no surprise, she shows that the same item in the US costs $1.99, or $1.39 more than the U.K.

pn/efbea fad d baa ccdfb

At the end, Lanai said that the prices may differ based on location and income disparity but she does mention that for their family, money goes a lot further in the UK.

Viewers of Lanai couldn't agree more. "I would spend maybe $500 euro a month for a family of 5 in Europe. In America I pay $900," commented user@hypercatalexis.

pn/ea   bc d

Meanwhile, some argued that the purchasing power of people in the two countries also varies according to the prices. "I think we need to look at this through relative purchasing power though, wages in the USA are far higher than the UK," mentioned user @beanbaginahurry.

However, Lanai clarified that the average wages did not differ by much at the time, which makes it cheaper for people in the U.K.

For more such comparisons, vlogs, and mom content follow Abigael Lanai (@abigaellanai) on TikTok.

Advertisement

Latest Economy & Work News and Updates

    © Copyright 2026 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.