I wake every morning at 6:59am as I have done for the last 7 years, grunt an inaudible good morning to good lady on my left, pass wind on schedule, attend to bodily functions in ablutions area, spend 2.69 minutes (on average) on the conveniences, shower with wheat germ soap as is the custom, select fresh underwear and remainder of white/black/grey apparel for another day of servitude.
Arrive at work, sit in car for 4.27 minutes in order to schedule arrival at desk at culturally acceptable 8:28am. Open briefcase, remove lunch carefully wrapped in wax paper and place in desk drawer so briefcase does not smell like I am so cheap that I bring my lunch to work ….
Then because I have nothing else to do, I ponder yesterday’s supermarket receipt which falls out of my wallet (plus that never-ending lint) and decide to compare prices with typical OZ supermarket prices. So I use the website of one of OZ’s 2 major supermarket chains and do some price comparisons. Prices are shown below. (Statistical correctness suspended !)
| Item | OZ price in USD |
Dili price in USD | % increase in Dili |
| Kellogs 850g Sultana Bran | 5.87 | 9.45 | 61% |
| Pauls 1l Trim milk | 1.36 | 1.50 | 11% |
| Pauls 250g Thickened Cream | 0.91 | 0.85 | -7% |
| JustJuice 1l Pineapple juice | 1.42 | 1.60 | 13% |
| Berri 2l Tomato juice | 2.17 | 3.75 | 73% |
| Homebrand 500g spaghetti | 0.51 | 1.40 | 172% |
| RyVita crispbread | 1.84 | 2.30 | 25% |
| Mainland 250g Vintage cheese | 3.35 | 4.95 | 48% |
| Heinz 420g baked beans (NZ) | 1.22 | 1.00 | -18% |
| tomatos (per kg) | 2.34 | 1.30 | -44% |
| eggplant (per kg) | 2.34 | 0.50 | -79% |
The results support my feeling that breakfast cereal is priced fairly ferociously (large volume, light weight ?). Milk is not bad (its all long-life except on the odd occasion). Juice variable. Spaghetti pretty ferocious. Cheese ferocious.
I admit I didn’t have a current OZ price for tomatos or eggplant but used AUD3 just for fun. So fruit and veg is a big winner here. Cereal and cheese losers.
The clear and obvious conclusion is that I should convert to a diet of baked beans and cream. Lots of wind and artery hardening.
Have you ever had one of those mornings when you wake up feeling like a chartered accountant ? And then I woke up …
Tomorrow … Bond … James Bond.
Couldn’t read the Dili prices.
But, I estimate it takes you 1 minute and 33 seconds to get to work.
Not quite as large a difference is prices as I thought there may be and perhaps close to 7/11 prices in Aus.
Hmmm…very interesting analysis, such random markups, no sign of fixed margin, before I simply thought the price remain the same, with only the “AU$” replaced with “US$”, now I have a new theory ‘maybe the best selling items per week will get a 0.50 cent markup, on top of tax, security conditions and the number of foreigners in town, so expect price rise in the next 2 months…unless the promised new tax system and tariff free trade thing is not just another daydream.
Go local! Fahi and Bibi for meat, Corn and beans to go with this and rice when you can stand it. Tua muti goes fine to wash this all down, destroy the prices and help the local economy. Love Tim.
Last year, did fried rice a LOT. Local green beans, tomatoes and eggplant are all good.
You know, I am positive James Bond never wakes up with a headache. How can he pull so many women when I have never seen him brush his teeth. Disappointing really.
Bobby D, the AUD to USD thing was what I always thought myself. But my analysis is hardly an economist’s standard grocery list.