British expat Harry Poulton, who moved to Benidorm seven years ago, returned to Wales for a shopping trip and was surprised to find that food prices in the UK are significantly cheaper than in Spain. Poulton, now a travel content creator on the Costa Blanca, shared his realization in a TikTok video recorded at a Lidl supermarket.
Price Comparison Reveals UK Advantage
In the video, Poulton noted: "Benidorm isn't as cheap as I always thought it was. The one thing I have noticed that when comparing an English supermarket to Spanish one... I always thought they were super, super cheap." He pointed out specific items: cornflour at 79p and custard at 59p, before comparing fresh produce prices. "Look at the prices of the meat, the milk and butter - everything is so much cheaper [than in Spain]," he said, highlighting lean pork mince at £1.89 and bacon at £1.69 as examples of items that are more expensive in Spain.
Mixed Reactions from Viewers
Poulton summarized: "Everything is just 10 times cheaper." His video sparked debate among viewers. One TikTok user commented: "Food is certainly cheaper in the UK, but the quality of life is much better in Spain." Another noted: "The independent owned shops tend to charge more in Benidorm in my experience." A third suggested Poulton might be comparing UK shelf prices to import prices in Benidorm. However, a fourth disagreed, saying: "Absolute bull, if you go to inland Spain's non-tourist areas it’s a lot cheaper, the same in restaurants where there’s a tourist menu and a non-tourist menu, sorry I disagree."
