The high prices for basic living standards is pretty obvious. (NZ lamb is cheaper in Europe than Auckland – impossible to explain away that point on the basis of the importing costs). There could be an economy of scale issue but it’s hard to see the justification.

The problems is totally caused by a lack of competition on the island, in other words, monopoly and price fixing. There is also a dire lack of choices and variety in almost every aspect of life – except the outdoors activities. And modern Kiwis are victim to this all their lives. For example, their is a daily charge for gas and electricity – prior to any usage charged. Maybe Kiwis don’t know this is not the norm internationally? And organic food is barely present in the supermarkets. At the moment courgettes are just dropping in price from a high of $19/Kg in the winter to $5/kg. In Europe we import food too – you can’t grow mangos in Scotland.

Not wanting to cause offence but is scenery really enough in life? If NZ wasn’t somewhat energised by the Asian community and other immigrants if would be very dull indeed. My advice to any travellers: watch the Lord of the Rings and then buy a ticket to Sydney.

In terms of the “expensive” health costs in the U.S., though I admit the system needs improving, read this – http://allnurses.com/australian-nz-nurses/thoughts-us-nurses-490651.html

You get what you pay for. So yes, Mr Adams’ family may well be spending less. They are also getting less. If you actually become sick, then you may want a higher standard of care, just like you may not want to buy your shoes from Walmart. Although healthy my whole life, I recently became ill through no “unhealthy lifestyle” fault of my own, but rather stress and genetics. I gratefully, finally underwent a procedure in a hospital after months of slow internal bleeding (you wait on queues here unless the situation is acute, and even then the care is more indifferent than in the U.S., unless you have private insurance, in which case it will be marginally better and somewhat faster) and noted dried blood all over the equipment cart carrying the blood sample tubes/syringes and holders apparatus. I lucked out and did not, as far as I know, catch any bugs there. But I would prefer a higher standard of care, and I am prepared to pay for it.

We are anxious to return home to the U.S. where we have a greater range of lifestyles available to us, not just the lovely landscapes + crippling costs formula of New Zealand. Here there is one lifestyle, and not only is it imposed on you by necessity, but there is also the most obnoxious sort of social pressure not to point out the downsides of this country, as if it simply cannot bear hearing anything bad about itself.

Whenever I notice someone telling it like it is, therefore, I am thankful that others who come after us will be better informed than we were.

The picture of the bowl of fruit at the top, the price would have been marked up because of how it was “pre mixed” and the cheeries and plums would have pushed the cost up, both of which are considered premium fruit here. I agree with you though, I wouldn’t pay that much for that fruit.

“..our eyes bugged out at a roadside fruit stand where we found fresh apricots going for the equivalent of $14 per pound.”

Depending on the time of year, I buy my apricots from the supermarket for between $4.5-8 NZD per kg ($1.8-3.2 USD per lb)

“… I spent $15 on nine apples and a scraping of dried figs from the bulk section in a supermarket in Te Anau.”

Te Anau is considered “out of the way” and therefore has higher transport costs. However that being said, depending on the time of year I get my pre-bagged apples for around $2-3 NZD per kg ($0.7-1.2 USD per lb). Figs are a luxury item here (most New Zealanders will have never tasted one), and so they will probably account for a chunk of the difference. The other important thing to remember is that you are buying apples out of season, so any you are buying now are either more expensive imported fruit, or ones that have been kept in cool storage incurring the costs associated for the last 8-10 months (apple season is generally around March-May here)

“…Garlic, which can run the equivalent of $10 or $12 per pound.”

This is around about right for the prices. But garlic is light and you don’t need much for the taste. A pound of garlic would last months.

“And that oldest, most vulgar staple of the peasant, the onion, can run about $2 apiece.”

Again, depending on the time of year I get my onions for around $2 NZD per kg ($0.7 USD per lb).

None of these prices require local knowledge to find. I just get my fruit from which ever supermarket I happen to feel like going to at the time.

P.S. I’m not having a go at you. Your blog is great, I just wanted to share my experience of the same products as you from the view point of someone living in New Zealand.

PS: one final point on the debate on NZ prices. You CANNOT directly compare prices here to the US. First, the $NZD is worth less (around 25% at today’s rates, longer term 40% less). Prices in NZ also include all taxes and tipping is not usual. In the US – both taxes and tips need to be added to published prices – which on items like restaurant meals can make a significant difference.

mark.

I wish I’d seen this before I went to my local market this morning. I would have taken my camera along and given you photos showing apricots, plums and peaches at $2.49 a kilo, apples at $2.25 a kilo (which I didn’t buy because they were so much more expensive than last week’s $1.49 a kilo), and onions at $2 a KILO.

I’d say that roadside stand is a tourist trap and they probably don’t grow the fruit themselves, just buy it in from somewhere else. There are some of those about and the best thing to do is not buy from people like that.