Living in the Arctic can come with a host of challenges — including freezing cold temperatures and rugged terrain — but the cost of groceries is on a whole other level. Willow Allen recently took to social media to share the difficulties associated with buying groceries in the frozen tundra. Allen, who lives in Inuvik in Canada’s Northwest Territories, explained that groceries have to be delivered via only a few highways in the region, which accounts for some of the steep prices. Sticker shock is big in the region, with a bottle of International Delight coffee creamer costing $7.49, while a 33-oz jar of Nutella rings in at $48.95. Allen, who admits she has no idea what grocery prices are “down south,” said she recently spent $47 for 4 chicken breasts. On a recent shopping trip, she purchased 2 packages of ground beef, a carton of Feta cheese, a frozen pizza, and some cereal bars — for a total of $215. One orange in Inuvik costs anywhere from $1.95 to $3, depending on the season. If you fancy a box of Kellogg’s Raisin Bran, you’d better be prepared to shell out nearly $10. How about paying $22 for a tub of margarine, or $6 a pound for red peppers? CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) reports that a basket of groceries in Inuvik costs roughly 81% more than in Edmonton, a metropolitan city in the Canadian province of Alberta. That’s because of fuel prices and the manpower required to deliver the groceries, which requires day-long treks through dangerous terrain, in which drivers can encounter iced-over roads or frozen rivers. So, the next time you feel like complaining about what you spent at the grocery store, just be grateful you don’t live in the Arctic.
