if there are major stores in mexico, and the prices are the same as the us,?

Question

and they dont make enough money to buy anything, then who is shopping there,, when i was there they were all from mexico shopping, so they must make enough money,, this is in san luis mexico.. not mexico city,, my friend makes 19 dollars an hour working in san luis mexico,, how do you explain that

Answer 1

Yeah, its incredible how ignorant most people are about Mexico. Its hard to imagine a European, Canadian or Mexican being so totally ignorant about a country which was a next door neighbor.

The middle class in Mexico runs at over 25% - 30% of the current Mexican population which is hardly non-existent nor insignificant. While the middle class here does not earn as much as the American middle class, they also waste a hell of a lot less too.

(the poverty IS a great problem and one that MOST Mexicans of all classes are deeply concerned with solving. (FYI 95% of illegal immigrants are dirt-poor. Most middle class Mexicans would rather throw themselves under a moving subway train that live in the United States!)

While prices used to be as much as 40% higher in Mexico than the US, they are now around 15% difference, which is EXACTLY the amount of the Mexican federal sales tax (IVA) included in the price of every good and service sold in the country!

(congrats to yer freind, San Luis is a great town and her wage is real good too...)

Answer 2

Um..... no, the prices are not the same as us.
You are sadly misinformed.

Before spouting anything about Mexican economy, maybe you should study it and its history, or even simpler yet, go visit, and go look at their prices.

Tourist traps, and places that get a lot of mostly American tourists might have prices that are competitive with American markets (well, not really all that competitive) but if you knew anything about their economy, you'd know that there is a gaping hole between rich and poor, and an almost non-existent middle-class.

Prices are NOT the same there as they are in the US. But then again, prices differ in the U.S. according to where you live!

In any case, if you compare the prices and costs of living in, say, Mexico city to that of Southern California you'll see a big gap.

I can also give an example that stems from simple observations : daily bread and butter things... staple foods and materials are for the most part CHEAPER over there than here. However, luxury items and things that most people don't use are by and far more expensive over there.

There is a Sam's club near my house, and it's where I do the majority of my bulk shopping. While of course the prices aren't anything close to actually being wholesale, they're slightly cheaper than buying in smaller quantities. This part should be obvious, Sam's club and Wal-Mart are the same chain. Anyways, during a two-month stay in Torreón, Mexico, I visited a Sam's club a few times, only to find that their prices are close to 20% higher for the same products.

Not only that, but electronics are also around that high(if not higher) of a rate more expensive.

Prices are different depending where you are in a general economy, in a state, even by where you are in a city. (Just look at Southern California, where sometimes it varies by zip code)

To state that prices there are the same as here is wrong. I mean, if that were the case, how come Saudi Arabians pay 70-80 cents per gallon of gasoline, while we pay 3 dollars or more?

You're basically trying to imply that costs in the U.S. are the same as they are in Mexico, and that's simply not true. While a few services are the same price, if not cheaper, most Mexicans will NEVER be able to afford our standard of living. Not when you realize that their per-capita income is less than 1/4th of ours, and that their non-essential to living (automobiles, air conditioning, electronics) items are far more expensive than ours.

But, hey, I'm guess you're all kids, so let me say this. Would you pay the U.S. equivalent of $240 for a PS2? That's what they go for in Mexico. All right, if your per-capita income was the average $10,000 USD (that's what it's estimated at as of 2005) per year would you ever consider buying a $4,000 TV for your living room? Would you buy an $800 computer, a $1,000 laptop? Would you be paying $600 a year for broadband internet?

When you make less than $200 a week, would you be spending that on food, clothing, and shelter... or on luxury items like iPods, SUVs, or cell phones?

In a lot of poor countries, there are massive splits. This isn't exclusive to Mexico alone... Cheap things are cheaper, and expensive things are a LOT more expensive.

Answer 3

Ever notice many of the people here who say there aren't enough good jobs to go around in Mexico don't seem to care about our unemployed citizens? They prefer to presume our people are lazy and somehow at fault, then want to give away the jobs we do have to illegals.

Answer 4

yes, yes we all know about your friend in San Luis, get off it already. You explain it by looking at the fact thet he has an education, you have to have money for that and a lot of people don't get that opportunity.

Answer 5

There are not enough good paying jobs for everyone. The worst paying jobs pay far worse than the worst paying jobs in the US.

Sadly, you probably saw the rich people shopping at Wal-Mart in Mexico whereas you see the lower income people shopping there in the US.

Do you see what I'm getting at?

Answer 6

it makes me wonder if the average Mexican is that poor how can they pay $2000 -- $4000 to get their poor ares smuggled into this country? seems a little ridicules to me.

Answer 7

Good question ,Ill be watching how they answer you on this one....