Brazil Spending vs. Comparable Items in US

Check out that blue bar for March, huh!? Hope it goes down a bit in April!

If you analyze the numbers closely, you may end up noticing a slight effect that the falling dollar has had on my purchases. The ratio is still about 1.5:1 for purchases, meaning a product of similar quality in the States will cost you about 1.5 times the same product here.

The numbers are decently accurate, I figure, because despite the fact that I often buy things that are rarer up there and more common here (like mangoes or meat - lots of meat), I also am hanging on to some of my old faves that are much more expensive here (see Listerine).

If you pay close attention below, you'll see that I've added an "other drinks" category to catch all the caipirinhas and wine I've been drinking. So, just to explain a little further: one beer is about 10 ounces of 4.5% alcohol. One "other drink" is a glass of wine or a few slurps (and then a few more) of the potent caipirinhas.

Churrascos are holdin' their own for the year, with about one per week. Gotta LOVE this country!