Surprises at Home

Friends and family asked us what it was like to be back in the United States? Did we feel differently? What did we notice after being gone for almost a year?

Well, of course we noticed differences in our community, like new buildings, stores, roads, etc. But the biggest difference was very strange and surprising to us. We noticed how LOUD things were. Being out in public in the stores and restaurants we heard louder voices and much more background music which felt uncomfortable. Also, everywhere we went seemed like there was more noise from appliances, machinery, cars, and the overall urban “hum”. We stayed in bigger cities like Florence, Prague, and Budapest, but somehow, they were quieter than home.

Returning to the United States we knew it would feel more expensive, and it did. From groceries, which we purchase in larger quantities; to fuel which we rarely bought abroad; to dining out, which gave us the largest gasp, we felt the wallet pinch. Washington State feels much more expensive than when we left in April 2025 and it’s definitely more expensive than any of the towns and cities we visited in Europe.

Groceries. Our first two grocery runs in any location are typically larger and more diverse before we get into the pattern of shopping for daily items. For example, the first shopping run usually requires us to buy these essentials… coffee, cream, sugar, and oatmeal to begin each day. Then, we make sure to have cheese, bread and meat which are other common staples. Of course, we need potato chips for Greg which are consistently purchased across most of our locations depending upon price.

Fuel. While we traveled in Europe, we rented a car on five occasions in four countries (Italy x2, Albania, Portugal, and England). Most of the car rentals were for three days so we only needed fuel at the end before returning the car. The longest car rental was one month in Portugal with several refuels. The price of fuel in Europe was about 1.79€ per liter or $9.34 per gallon with today’s exchange rate. In Washington, the price of gas seems to range from the cheaper stations charging $3.49 per gallon to the more expensive stations charging as much as $4.74 per gallon. So, fuel in the states is definitely cheaper than in Europe. However, our surprise came at the QUANTITY of fuel we used in the vehicle as we bopped around the towns seeing friends and family. We woefully missed the little hybrid vehicles we rented in Europe. Then, we saw the price of gas in Washington increase by ten more cents per gallon within the first two weeks home.

Dining out. Approximately 40% of our European meals were eaten in various types of restaurants from street food to fine dining. Coming back to the USA we needed to eat out on a few occasions as we ran errands and met with friends or family. We rarely eat fast food because I loathe the food. Some things we missed while we were away included good Asian and Mexican foods, so they were some of the first meals we ate. In Europe wine, cider, and beer were similar in price to soda and bottles of water (Averaging $4.00). In the USA, we find ourselves avoiding the expensive beer, wine, and soda, choosing tap water instead. In the table below you can see some of the cost comparisons between three countries. Albania is significantly cheaper. Nice, France is a more expensive European destination, but costs were a bit less than the Washington, USA. While in Washington, we ate pizza one afternoon at a sit-down restaurant in a small town and we ate lunch with friends at a popular fish house but split the tab. We also bought coffee from a drive-through coffee shop. Each of the Washington meals was equivalent to a meal in Albania or France. Most important in this chart is the minimum wage per country or state.

Being consumers of the news, we are well aware of the inflation issues and the health of America’s economy, but we are also familiar with global economic issues right now. It’s not great for a lot of people regardless of where they live. We recognize our privilege and our hearts go out to people who are struggling economically. We remember the days when we, ourselves, couldn’t buy treats at the grocery store and didn’t have extra funds for dining out, which is what makes us so very grateful to enjoy these perks in retirement, regardless of the country we are visiting.

But shopping at Fred Meyer in the USA was a bit overwhelming. It was the largest store of any kind I’d entered in almost a year; the fluorescent lighting was powerful; and the number of product choices for something as simple as oatmeal made my head spin. Additionally, I found myself reaching for SALE items JUST because they were on sale, not because I needed them.

At the end of this article, US Grocery prices compared to those in Budapest, Hungary and Lagos, Portugal.