Did the expensive dollar get in the way of your trip abroad? Or was it the Covid-19 variants that scuppered your plans? Whatever the reason, if the idea is to spend Christmas in Brazil, you should know that, depending on the region you are in, the price to prepare your yuletide feast can vary up to 23%.
At the request of Bloomberg Linea, the Brazilian Association of Supermarkets (Abras) conducted a regional price survey for 10 of the most popular items for this time of year. On a national average, Christmas dinner will cost 268.45 reais ($47.33) this year, which would include a turkey, pork loin, ham, olive oil, cider, sparkling wine, panettone and a box of chocolates.
Below is the price for such a dinner in each region of Brazil, from the most expensive to the cheapest. “Research is fundamental to get the lowest prices”, says Marcio Milan, vice-president of Abras.
#Northern Region - 297.12 reais ($52.35)
The region with the most expensive food prices in Brazil. Of the 10 items surveyed, the region has the highest prices for six of them. The tender cut of ham, for example, which is the most-valued individual dish in the Christmas supper, had an average price of 68.28 reais ($12) in the region. However, from the six brands surveyed, in 11 different places, it was possible to identify a wide range of prices, from 40.50 to 75.58 reais ($7-13.30)
#Central-West Region - 271.64 reais ($47.86)
In second place in the ranking of the most expensive supper, prices in the central-west region are 8.6% lower than in the country’s north. The prices of the items were surveyed in seven different establishments, and the highlights were the differences in prices of panettone and sparkling wine. Eight different brands of panettone varied in price by more than 100%. A 500g loaf was found for 10.99 reais ($1.93), but also for 21.99 reais ($3.87). In the case of sparkling wine, there was a 103.7% price difference, with a 750ml bottle selling for 29.40 ($5.17) and 59.90 reais ($10.55).
#Southern Region - 267.31 reais ($47.10)
Not so expensive, but not so cheap either, a Christmas dinner in the Southern region also stands out for the variation in prices of sparkling wine and panettone. However, ham and pork loin also have a wide price variation. The cheapest ham in the region was 18.32 reais ($3.22), while the most expensive was 39.99 reais ($7). As for the pork loin, the variation is also more than 100%, ranging from 21.19 to 42.98 reais ($3.73 to $7.57).
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#Northeastern Region - 264.79 reais ($46.66)
Far from the most expensive, a Christmas dinner in the Northeastern region also implies big price differences between products. Between the cheapest and the most expensive sparkling wine, for example, there is a variation of 131%, while for panettone there is a difference of 122%. But the prices of pork shank and olive oil are also striking. In the case of pork, the cheapest kilo of the product was found at 16.99 reais ($2.99), while the most expensive was 34.48 reais ($6), a variation of 102.9%. As for olive oil, the difference was 102%, with the cheapest 500ml bottle selling for 18.90 reais ($3.33) and the most expensive for 38.35 reais ($6.75).
#Southeastern Region - 241.39 reais ($42.53)
Despite having the cheapest Christmas dinner in Brazil, the Southeast is also where the biggest price differences exist for the same items. One of the reasons for this is the greater variety of brands on offer. Between the most expensive and the cheapest sparkling wine, there is a difference of 231%, while for cider the situation is similar, with a 167% variation. “The more brands, the better for the pockets of Brazilians,” according to Abras’ Milan.
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