We compared Alaska’s ridiculous grocery prices to Canada and it was eye-opening

If you thought you were paying too much for grocery items, a video of the price of goods in a small Alaskan city has left people shocked.

In a video posted on TikTok on July 18, user Christine Kesteloo takes viewers on a quick tour of Skagway, a small Alaskan city that’s home to 1,081 people and is a popular port for cruise ships.

“Just to let you know, Skagway, Alaska, they get in their shipment by boat,” explained Kesteloo in the two-minute video with over one million views.

There’s no denying that the cost of living has soared, but even Canadians living in notoriously expensive cities will likely do a double-take when they see how much more people pay in Skagway for the same goods.

Watch the video below:

@dutchworld_americangirl We are going to look at the gas prices and then I take you into a grocery store in Skagway Alaska and you won’t believe how much some of this costs so expensive #groceryprices #gasprices #soexpensive #weliveonacruiseship #skagway #skagwayalaska #cruisetok #livingonship #hollandamericaline #cruiseship #alaska #whatibought #whatipaid ♬ Funky Town（落雨） – 落花雨

Gas prices

A quick stop at a gas station reveals that gas prices are somewhat comparable to gas prices in BC.

If you want to fill up on gas in Skagway, you’ll end up paying US$5.30/gallon (or C$1.931/litre), which is actually comparable to gas prices in Vancouver, where the cheapest rate can be found for C$1.92, according to Gas Buddy.

So far, so reasonable.

Groceries

Kesteloo then heads to the local grocery store that’s part of a chain called Alaska Commercial Company (ACC).

“Now, I come to this grocery store, every single season,” she said, but even she can’t hide her surprise at the prices that locals are paying.

It’s not just residents of small Alaskan towns that pay for expensive groceries. In Canada, people who live in Yukon, Northwestern Territories, and Nunavut, certainly pay more than those who live further south.

For comparison, we took a look at how much the same items in Skagway would cost at Loblaws in Ontario.

Miracle Whip

Costly condiments seem to be a thing in Skagway, where a 563 ml bottle of Miracle Whip costs US$12.19 (C$16.04). Meanwhile, a 650 ml bottle costs just C$5.99 in Ontario.

“That’s crazy,” said Kesteloo.

Key Lime Yogurt

Kesteloo picks up 113 g containers of key lime-flavoured yogurt for US$1.79 (C$2.35) each; at Loblaws, the same flavour can be found in a four-pack of 100 g containers for a total of C$4.79.

Oreos

Feeling peckish? A 513 g pack of Oreos costs US$9.29 (C$12.23) in this Alaskan city, while a 439 g pack goes for C$5.99 in Ontario.

Organic all-purpose flour

Baking must get expensive in Skagway, where a 2.26 kg bag of Gold Medal Organic All-Purpose Flour costs US$16.29 (C$21.44); at Loblaws, a 2 kg bag of Robin Hood Organic All-Purpose Flour costs C$13.49.

Disposable spoons

So far, the only reasonably priced item at the store is a pack of 48 plastic spoons on sale for US$3.49 (C$4.59). At Loblaws in Ontario, a pack of 24 compostable birch spoons costs C$3.29.

Maxwell House Original Roast Ground Coffee

Skagway residents looking to get their caffeine fix have to pay US$22.99 (C$30.26) for a 1lb (450 grams) container of ground coffee. Meanwhile, in Ontario, the same brand only costs $12.99 for 925 grams.

Organic apple juice

At Loblaws, a 1.36 L bottle of organic apple juice costs $4.49; in Skagway, a 1.89 L bottle costs more than double at US$8.89 (C$11.70).

Frank’s RedHot

If you like your food with a little bit of heat, a bottle of Frank’s RedHot sauce costs US$7.39 (C$9.73) in Skagway; the same bottle only costs C$5.29 at Loblaws.

Heinz Tomato Ketchup No Sugar Added

Ketchup in Skagway costs US$10.89 (C$14.34) for a 29.5 oz bottle (872 ml); at Loblaws, the same brand costs a mere C$5.99 for a 750 ml bottle.

Diet Coke (12 cans)

You’ll be paying US$10.49 (C$13.81) for a pack of 12 Diet Coke cans in Skagway, while in Ontario, the same pack only costs C$7.49.

Kellogg’s Mini Wheats

Packaging isn’t the only difference when you buy this blueberry-flavoured cereal in Alaska compared to Ontario. A 405 g box costs US$8.69 (C$11.44), but in Ontario, you certainly get more bang for your buck for C$6.49 for a 439 g box.

“The prices are insane,” wrote one commented.

Another person asked, “How do people afford to live there?”

What do you think of the price of food in Skagway, Alaska?

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