Is what you pay fair?

[MuSuLPhReAk]

It's 5 months now that the canadian dollar is on par with the US dollar. This list is how much more you are paying in canada compared to the US for the same thing. The only way you can change this is to stop buying what is much more.

Canadians are still paying more

As of Feb. 4, compared products on average are 20.89% more expensive

in Canada than they are in the U.S. ($1.0057 Canadian = $1 U.S.).

Fast food

Big Mac (McDonald's) 3.73%

Whopper (Burger King) 32.54%

cars

Honda Civic Coupe 2008 16.07%

Chevrolet Cobalt LT 2008 -0.78%

Dodge Grand Caravan 2008 6.55%

Volkswagen Rabbit 2008 30.25%

Appliances

GE fridge 15.7 cu. ft. -8.97%

GE fridge 18.2 cu. ft. (model GTS18EBSWW) 12.75%

Maytag washing machine 4.6 cu. ft. (model MTW6500TQ) 11.12%

Maytag washing machine EPICz (model MHWZ600TW) 40.02%

LG Electronics dryer 7.0 cu. ft. (model DLE2516W) 28.61%

Maytag dryer 7.0 cu. ft. (model YMED5900TW) 1.82%

Maytag dryer 7.0 cu. ft. (model MED6400TQ) 25.54%

Maytag stove 30' slide-in electric range (model MES5875BAN) 7.6%

Maytag stove 30' freestanding gas range (model MGR4451BDW) 46.77%

electronics

IPOD Nano 8 gig 0.53%

XBOX 360 7.16%

Sony Bravia ACL 40 inch/1080p

television KDL40V3000 5.26%

Kingston 1GB 240-pin DDR2 PC5300

memory KVR667D2/1GCR -9.09%

K-Byte 1GB 240-pin DDR2 PC5300

memory 667MHz -51.93%

Canon PowerShot A560 digital camera 20.75%

FinePix Z10 FD Fujifilm,

7.2 mpixel digital camera 14.29%

Toys

Lego Rebel Scout Speeder blocks 30.03%

Lego Luke Skywalker

Star Wars figurine (English version) 35.72%

Classic Monopoly board game 39.56%

Twister game 32.65%

Tonka Mighty Tough 12" boy's bicycle 35.75%

Rallye Flash 12" boy's bicycle 25.01%

ENTERTAINMENT

Céline Dion Las Vegas DVD 17.98%

Harry Potter (Deathly Hallows)

hardcover children's edition, English 16.67%

People magazine 20.05%

XBOX Halo 3 video game (English) 8.40%

Radiohead CD (In Rainbows) 34.42%

home

Aneboda double bed 15.50%

Delta Sleigh toddler bed 37.57%

Behr 3.43 litre paint 44.99%

Black & Decker drill 2VPX (model VPX1212X) 0%

Björkudden/Bertil table and four chairs 7.33%

Agne chair 20.05%

Blue Ember 69,000 BTU stainless barbecue 44.54%

BernzOmatic brushed nickel patio heater 33.44%

clothes

Levi's original cut 501 red tab denim jeans 21.63%

Parasuco men's straight leg pant

(model 9229n20) -13.39%

Nike Air Max Moto #5 shoes 55.55%

ASICS men's GT 2120 trail shoes 82.86%

source: option consommateurs

[MuSuLPhReAk]

I'm surprised with honda selling their civics 16% higher than the US. It was the highest selling car in Canada last year. They sold 70,000 units. VW Rabbit 30% higher, easy fix to that, just don't buy it :)

[mcgee]

I'm surprised with honda selling their civics 16% higher than the US. It was the highest selling car in Canada last year. They sold 70,000 units. VW Rabbit 30% higher, easy fix to that, just don't buy it :)

Crazy, I just assumed vehicals were on par with the us. 30% is alot of money:(

[Bowlcut]

It is pretty outrageous for most products especially when the tariff levels are gone or small. I still do not understand why supplements and books cost so much up here!

[shithead]

Thats a very informative list. I may come back and analyze where I should be purchasing.

Why are things like digi cams so cheap in the US but TVs are almost the same?

[shithead]

Why are Parasuco jeans cheaper here, when Levis are more expensive?

I think Parasuco is the better jean.

[bigdaddydrew123]

they just assume were used to paying it so those passive canadians will keeop paying no questions asked. cant believe we pay extra to watch canadian entertainers in canada though . i know celene dion is a kook but she should be fair to fellow canadians

[Canadian Bodybuilding]

Insane difference in price on some of those thing.

[faller]

Its all relative. Our standard of living is higher. We make more money so i guess we have to pay more. That's my thought on the subject and I'm sticking to it :D

[MuSuLPhReAk]

Parasuco Jeans is cheaper because it's a Montreal Based company just off highway 40.

[faller]

Parasuco Jeans is cheaper because it's a Montreal Based company just off highway 40.

Why is Canadian beer cheaper in the States?

[MuSuLPhReAk]

Hmmm...I'll take a shot at it :D

Cause the US thinks they have good beer and canadian beer is a hard sell there so they reduce the price. Some profit is better than none I suppose. Yet we get it in the rear if they do that.

[savage]

Its a load of crap. WE are getting robbed by the government, and retailers. Explain to me how 2007 Porsche Cayenne can cost between $33000 - 45000 in the US but the came car here is $55000 - 75000. Checkout high end cars that is where the numbers really blow you away. I am looking right now at a 2006 Porsche Cayenne S for $34000, with 1100 miles.

How about gas...I am always in the US and gas at it's most expensive (that I have seen) is $3.20 a gallon,, which is roughly .84 cents a litre. I have seen it as low as $2.75 a gallon....here gas is ranging betweem .95 to $1.25 a litre hmmmm. yeah that makes sense.

Don't even get me going on food...since I drink a lot of crystal light here is a ridiculous comparison. Crystal light which makes 3 litres is around $2.95 and comes with 3 - 1 litre pouches, in the states the same crystal light whch makes 6 Quarts is $3.45, and comes with 6 1 quart pouches. WTF Whenever I go there I buy 3 or 4. Most meats are cheaper, and all staples are dirt cheap in comparisson, supplements are way cheaper...

I am fed up with being robbed.

[savage]

Ahhh liquor...the biggest bitch fest of all. 12 pack in the us is $6-12 here...yeah. 40oz of Lambs rum is $15 here yeah....Oban single malt is $35....here. why even go through the list since it is endless....all I know since we are at par whenever I go through the US I stock up, I have astorage room full of stuff, things won't stay like this so get it while the gettings good!

[Bowlcut]

Parasuco Jeans is cheaper because it's a Montreal Based company just off highway 40.

They make good jeans that can actually fit an athlete.

[Canadian Bodybuilding]

We should start a site showing prices in the US and Canada. Those items that are insanely higher, we either boycott or buy from the US. Why isn't the gov't doing anything about this? Aren't their laws against price gouging?

[Bowlcut]

We should start a site showing prices in the US and Canada. Those items that are insanely higher, we either boycott or buy from the US. Why isn't the gov't doing anything about this? Aren't their laws against price gouging?

It is not so simple. Good look up our rates of tariffs. We do not have a completely open border between the USA and Canada so we have tariffs and quotas on certain products that increase their price.

Also consider things like property taxes and rents are much higher in Canada right now. A supplement store in Calgary has to pay more for rent than one in a state where the real estate market just crashed.

Don't forget that our language labeling drives up the price of goods. Does anyone think Kelloggs is going to not charge more for the increased costs of having bilingual packaging.

Also people need to consider that many businesses may have purchased their inventory well in advance and bought US currency on the forward market for a price greater than they would have paid on the spot market

This is not a black and white issue.

[bigben]

How come the chicken breast sub at subway is almost $2.00 more than the others here, but the same price in the states?

I notice our prices on computers are pretty much the same, but as you mentioned, cars, trucks, atvs, are way overpriced here. I was in Hawaii, and they had brand new 2007 Nissan Xterra's for $19,000. Shit, if they can ship them to O'ahu, it can't be the cost of freight keeping the price high here. And what's with the 10 year or Chrysler's unlimited first owner powertrain warranty in the states, and here its what 3-7 years? We are getting taken advantage of.

[Freebsd1977]

Life is more expensive in Canada, we got to pay a price to live in this paradise of 8 month winters, lol. Eliminate the GST, remove majority of gas taxes and have a base tax system of 16% for everyone and watch Canada boom in the world. This old style thinking we got down in Ottawa is ridiculous. Rot in hell PM Wilson, temporary tax my ass!

[Bowlcut]

Life is more expensive in Canada, we got to pay a price to live in this paradise of 8 month winters, lol. Eliminate the GST, remove majority of gas taxes and have a base tax system of 16% for everyone and watch Canada boom in the world. This old style thinking we got down in Ottawa is ridiculous. Rot in hell PM Wilson, temporary tax my ass!

Why would you remove a consumption tax instead of something like an income tax that limits productivity?
Flat tax is a BS idea. Somebody making a cool $1 mil annualy can pay the 40% so that we can have cheap access to university.

[Freebsd1977]

Why would you remove a consumption tax instead of something like an income tax that limits productivity?
Flat tax is a BS idea. Somebody making a cool $1 mil annualy can pay the 40% so that we can have cheap access to university.

Because consumption taxes don't work, they just fill up the govt coffers. Rich people start businesses that hire the local populace, why would you want to punish those that can improve the country they live in? You gotta have a conservative view of business, this idea of "you make more, so pay sucka" is an old-school way of thinking. Come to think of it, sounds very socialist. If you really believe Canada has cheap University fees, you're smoking the Ottawa tobacco well I see, I went down south for my degree because it was cheaper in the states. I brought my education back home, started a business and pay my taxes.

[Gib]

"Flat tax is a BS idea. Somebody making a cool $1 mil annualy can pay the 40% so that we can have cheap access to university."

Hang on, if a guy puts himself through school and becomes, say, a doctor, why should he have to shoulder a higher burden of taxes then people who **** thier lives away making minimum wage? Reward those who do more and better themselves. Honestly, if the gov't cut out their BS spending the tax issue wouldnt be an issue at all!

[HoliTheCat]

Why are Parasuco jeans cheaper here, when Levis are more expensive?

I think Parasuco is the better jean.

parasuco is canadian

[physique]

It is pretty outrageous for most products especially when the tariff levels are gone or small. I still do not understand why supplements and books cost so much up here!

because we have to buy thru distributors. in the US they can buy direct from the company themselves cutting out the middleman.

[Bowlcut]

because we have to buy thru distributors. in the US they can buy direct from the company themselves cutting out the middleman.

I know that. I am saying is I don't understand why we do not have the same competition from distributors and companies as they do in the USA.