Reply to Aren't cost of living differences really just housing?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I mean, is a box of a Cheerios really cheaper in Peoria than NOVA?[/quote]

How do you expect the grocer to make the extra money to cover the increased rent due to higher property values? And how do you expect the bodega in ny to cover the cost of the tolls and congestion charges just to get into the city? Not to mention spending more on wages because their labor also needs to spend more on rent and their material goods. It’s a complex world out there. [/quote]

It is complex because people don't buy groceries the same way in NYC and most less dense cities, suburbs, etc. The grocery owner pays high rent for a small space and serves a clientele of people within a walking radius. People aren't paying tolls ans congestion charges to drive to a bodega in Manhattan, the way they drive to a gigantic Costco warehouse in suburban NJ or Super Walmart in rural NY, where price per foot is much lower but overall property size is much bigger. The number of people vs size of transaction is also probably very different in a bodega vs warehouse store. And they don't necessarily need to cover a large staff, many are owner/family operated.

I have shopped in bodegas and produce stands in NY as well as privately owned grocery stores and chains in many other places, and I was actually surprised at first that costs for non-specialty items were the same or lower in NY. There's probably a supply chain/transportation factor too. But I agree that basic food costs don't contribute to higher COL anywhere near the extent that housing does.

The really frustrating part (IMO) is when you live in a smaller actual city, you can organize much of your life to be walkable/bikeable, but there just isn't a density of small or medium size grocery stores near residential areas.

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