I wanted to compare the prices of some foodstuffs between Venezuela and Peru to see how much the difference is in the basic food basket. I'll start with a purchase made on April 27th. The total amount was 9,400.49 Bs, which at that time was equivalent to $111.35.
I've been trying to post this for three days, but the power keeps going out every two hours, then stays out for an hour and then goes back on. So the following list shows the prices in dollars as of yesterday, April 28th.
- 1kg chicken breast 515 Bs/$5.99 🇻🇪 VS 🇵🇪 PEN 16.5/ $4.51
- 1kg chicken thigh 300.52 Bs/$3.49 🇻🇪 VS 🇵🇪 PEN 14.5/ $3.96
- 1kg steak 774.12 Bs/$9 🇻🇪 VS 🇵🇪 PEN 34/ $9.29
- Chorizo ​​287.64 Bs/$3.31 🇻🇪 VS 🇵🇪 PEN 12.90/$3.52
- 1kg yellow cheese 671.65 Bs/$7.81 🇻🇪 VS 🇵🇪 PEN 40/$10.93
- 400g powdered milk 334.99 Bs/$3.88 🇻🇪 VS 🇵🇪 PEN 19/$5.19
- 400g corn starch 237.56 Bs/$2.75 🇻🇪 VS 🇵🇪 PEN 9/$2.46
- 200g Coffee Bs. 273.14/$3.16 🇻🇪 VS 🇵🇪 PEN 13.10/$3.58
- 1.5 liters 7up Bs. 84.11/$0.98 🇻🇪 VS 🇵🇪 PEN 3/$0.82
- 445g Mayonnaise Bs. 222.33/$2.57 🇻🇪 VS 🇵🇪 PEN 18/$4.92
- 900ml Soybean Oil Bs. 279.85/$3.24 🇻🇪 VS 🇵🇪 PEN 7/$1.91
- 1kg Margarine 410.84 Bs/ $4.75 🇻🇪 VS 🇵🇪 PEN 20/$5.46
- Toilet paper 4 units 231.61 Bs/$2.69 🇻🇪 VS 🇵🇪 PEN 5/$1.37
- 1 liter Coca cola 85.20 Bs/$0.98 🇻🇪 VS 🇵🇪 PEN 4/$1.09
I want to emphasize that I compared prices with the products listed on the invoice, which are from brands that are priced lower than the competition.
Through observation, I've noticed that the price difference for food isn't that high; it varies between some products, with some being more expensive to purchase in Peru and others in Venezuela. Now, if we focus on the wage gap between the two countries, holding a market for three people in Venezuela would be equivalent to using two minimum wages in their entirety, and there would still be a shortage of money (I emphasize that I'm focusing on minimum wages). Unlike in Peru, a market for three people would be the entire minimum wage. In both cases, this would cover food for a month.