In a distant Alaskan group the place polar bears roam, a loaf of bread prices greater than $9, a carton of orange juice prices almost $10 and a field of cereal tops $11.
Grant Magdanz, 30, lately documented these grocery retailer costs throughout his return to Kotzebue within the Northwest Arctic Borough of Alaska. Kotzebue is greater than 500 miles away from Anchorage, the most important metropolis in Alaska.
Often known as the “Gateway to the Arctic,” Kotzebue has a inhabitants of simply over 3,000 individuals, with about 70% of the residents Inupiat Eskimo, based on town’s web site.
In a pair of movies that he shared on social media, Magdanz spoke concerning the excessive value of residing in his hometown, the place he attended a memorial service for his father.
“The price of residing right here could be very excessive as a result of there aren’t any roads in or out,” he stated in a single video. “The whole lot must be flown in.”
In the newest video, Magdanz described his go to to the latest grocery retailer in Kotzebue, recording some foods and drinks costs there.
Butter was on sale for $8.14 per pound, a quart of orange juice was $9.79, a bag of tortilla chips was $11.29, a bag of Starbucks model espresso was $17.43, a big field of cereal was on sale for $11.05, a loaf of wheat bread was $9.49 — and bananas have been priced at $2.99 per pound.
In a video posted in August, Magdanz recorded foods and drinks costs on the outdated grocery retailer there.
The value of milk was $12.69 per gallon, a carton of 18 eggs was $10.79, a 5-pound bag of flour was on sale for $12.99, a daily bag of nacho cheese-flavored chips was $11.29, a 12-pack of soda cans was $15.19 — and a pint of ice cream was $10.69.
Magdanz advised information company SWNS that most individuals in Kotzebue hunt (caribou and moose, specifically) and fish — “and the weight-reduction plan that individuals eat is the issues that they’ve hunted.”
“Persons are not simply consuming out from the grocery retailer,” he advised SWNS.
Magdanz stated that, regardless of the excessive costs, Kotzebue was nonetheless “a unbelievable place to develop up,” primarily as a result of youngsters can be taught in depth outside expertise.
He moved away a decade in the past to attend faculty in Seattle and now lives in Los Angeles, the place he bought a job after he graduated.
However he’d think about shifting again some day, the software program engineer advised SWNS.
Grant Magdanz / SWNS
“It’s a really protected city,” Magdanz stated.
Fox Information Digital reached out to Magdanz and the grocery retailer for remark.
