"Crying in Canadian": Shoppers react to TikToker's US Costco grocery haul

A recent video posted by a TikToker about the prices of her US Costco haul has got Canadian shoppers talking about Canada’s sky-high grocery prices.

Kendra Men, who goes by The Hungry Housewife on TikTok, posted a video of her purchases at a Costco in Nashua, New Hampshire.

“So I saw a video of someone shopping in Canada at Costco… but I decided to record a few things that are the prices… here in the US,” said Men in a TikTok video that has received over 810,000 views in a matter of days.

@the_hungry_housewife Costco haul – how much things cost at Costco in Nashua, New Hampshire. Comment and tell me what you pay at your Costco where ever you live. #shopping #costco #haul #costcofinds #costcotiktok #cost #shoppinghaul #lowellma #lowell #nashua #newhampshire #grocery #deals #fyp #fypage #viral #viraltiktok #fy #fypシ゚viral #food #foodlover #shop #shopwithme #price @Costco Wholesale @Costco Finds ♬ original sound – Kendra Men

She notes that the state of New Hampshire doesn’t have a state sales tax, which means she’s getting a better deal on these items than she would when shopping in other states.

Here are some prices of items she purchased from the New Hampshire Costco (converted to Canadian dollars based on the current exchange rate).

The first item on Men’s grocery list was a package of boneless pork loin chops. A 7.16-lb package of this meat costs US$14.25 (C$19.42).

She pans to a six-pack of chicken wings (US$2.49 per pound) that cost US$19.99 (C$27.25).

A 24-pack of cage-free eggs is US$4.79 (C$6.53). Two pounds of strawberries cost Men US$3.79 (C$5.17).

Men said a four-pack of natural hickory smoked bacon — 4 lb total — is US$14.79 (C$20.16), and one rotisserie chicken costs US$4.99 (C$6.80).

A large pack of Kirkland Signature croissants (1 lb 12 ounces) is US$5.99 (C$8.16). A 25-lb bag of Jasmine rice comes to US$17.99 (C$24.52).

At the end of her video, Men asks viewers to comment where they live and how much they pay at their local Costco.

Her post has been flooded with comments from Canadians who had much to say about her grocery haul.

“Cries in Canadian,” wrote one commenter. Men responded, noting that she used to live in Canada “but recently just realized how horrible the prices have gotten.”

One person from Alberta claimed they bought the same 2-lb package of strawberries for C$9.99.

“I’m sorry WHAT??? *Screams in Canadian*” stated another Canadian shopper.

“A pack of striploin steaks was $85 at Costco Canada the other day. I was very sad,” stated one comment. 

A commenter from Newfoundland said they were “drowning” due to high prices.
“We used to pay $250 for a good shop at Costco, now it’s $500,” they said.

“Canadian grocery stores would never allow us to save money like this,” wrote another.

“Can’t even get a dozen eggs for that price in Canada,” added someone else.

Others felt that their Costco hauls in Canada were only a few dollars more expensive than the prices highlighted by Men.

One person added that they felt more comfortable with Canadian food regulations.

“Canada is a bit more expensive, but it’s only, like, two dollars more per item. Take into account that food in Canada has a lot more regulations than in the US. I’d rather pay a bit more,” said a commenter.

“I’m from Montreal, and I shop at Costco, and with the conversion, it’s around the same prices,” said another person in the comments.

One commenter felt that “meat in Canada tastes better” but agreed that Canadian prices were “ridiculous.”

We’ve featured another TikToker’s comparison between Costco prices in Vancouver and Washington State. While some items are less expensive in the US, there were some surprises, with a few Canadian prices being lower, too.

What are your thoughts on the New Hampshire Costco haul compared to prices you see at your local Costco in Canada? Let us know in the comments.

You might also like:
• Here's how much these 10 grocery items cost at Walmart, Loblaws, and Sobeys
• YouTuber compares 13 items at Loblaws, and only one was pricier at Dollarama
• Loblaws and Sobeys are now under formal investigation for "anticompetitive conduct"