"Shocked": Friends' Cost of Living Groceries Experiment Compares What R185 Buys in Spain and SA

• A woman in Spain and her friend in South Africa set out to test how far the same budget stretches at a supermarket in each country
• The South African leg of the grocery haul took place at Woolworths, a choice that raised eyebrows among local viewers
• The results left the Spain-based shopper stunned after comparing her total to what the same rand amount bought back home

A woman based in Spain and her friend in South Africa took on a grocery budget challenge that ended up saying a lot about the rand's buying power right now.

Posted on 10 November 2026, the split-screen Instagram reel set a simple rule: 10 euros in Spain and 185 rand in South Africa, the same five categories, and two very different supermarkets. The Spain-based shopper headed to Ahorramas, while her South African counterpart went to Woolworths.

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The five categories were drinks, chips, a sweet treat, dinner and a local snack. In Spain, the shop included a peach iced tea, salt chips, Belgian truffles, spinach and ricotta ravioli, and a traditional Spanish snack her boyfriend had been recommending. The South African basket included an iced tea, Tiny Tops sweets, vegetable and barley soup, and a pie as the local snack since she does not eat meat.

When the totals came in, the Spain basket landed at 8.54 euros, while the South African one came to around 190 rand, edging past the original 185 rand budget. The woman described herself as "actually quite shocked" that grocery shopping in Europe had worked out cheaper than back home.

Viewers say Woolworths was not the right call

The video struck a nerve with South Africans, though many felt the comparison was not entirely fair. Several commenters pointed out that Woolworths is widely regarded as a premium grocery retailer, not a budget-friendly option.

View the Instagram video below:

South Africans in the comments on the page had plenty to say:

@sweetly_sassyy wrote:

"She said Woolies 😂😭"

@not.tati.wav said:

"With that low of a budget, Woolworths was NOT it, Checkers, Spar or Pick 'n Pay would've been better options 😭"

@amo.phiri2.0 commented:

"Why would you go to Woolies? 😂 I just know that budget got you two things"

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@daniewolla2022 noted:

"Not a very good comparison. Woolworths is more of a high-end grocery store, whereas Ahorramas is mid-level store like Checkers. You also did not buy the same or similar products."

@quentinwatt suggested:

"Try shopping at Food Lovers or Checkers instead of Woolies"

More Briefly News stories on the cost of living

• A South African creator’s 2000 vs 2026 cost-of-living comparison revealed house prices, salaries, petrol and grocery costs, and viewers questioned prices in 2026.
• Cape Town TikToker nicci.tiley shared her private hospital birth experience, revealing what medical aid covered and why parents should plan for pregnancy costs.
• A South African in Thailand revealed daily costs in a TikTok video, leaving Mzansi stunned by cheap meals and sparking debate over relocating or staying home.

Source: Briefly News