On the US west coast, I just bought 1,816 grams (4 pounds) of raw peanuts for $8.00.

Edit: if the comparison is dry salted peanuts, then Walmart sells Planters brand for ~$3.50 per 500 grams.

NL: house brand supermarket : e1,80/500g ( or less ), roasted salted.

Tbf the Dutch love pinda’s. I not convinced people don’t bathe in sate sauce it’s so cheap.

There is no point comparing across countries

Why not?

Commodities are routinely compared worldwide, and peanuts could be considered commodities. They are certainly closer to commodities than to services etc., even when packaged for the individual customer in fancy wrapping.

I would understand your argument if you were talking about services.

I don't think that point stands for peanuts. I can get a 500g bag of peanuts right now for 2.7 Euros and most likely the reason for that is the cost of living around here.

The US produces the 5th most peanuts of all the countries in the world (interestingly, Sudan makes more). It may be a commodity but it’s a local one that doesn’t have to be internationally shipped or be taxed via tariffs. Also, in the US we don’t have VAT and apply sales tax post-hoc, so comparing store prices is really skewed by that.

"doesn’t have to be internationally shipped or be taxed via tariffs"

I agree with the taxation (duties), but actual shipping overseas is dirt cheap. It is more expensive to move your cargo overland by a truck than to move it to the other side of the world using a cargo ship.

The cost difference between moving a container of peanuts from Alabama to San Francisco and moving it from Alabama to Sydney is surprisingly small.

My friends on the west coast earn around ~5-7x times what I earn as a SWE in Vienna.

But the fact people stay in Vienna means they are paying people fairly there.

most people are just not ready to move away from their home/family. and even most of those that are would only move to a country where they speak the same language. that means germany or switzerland. and there it means places where they can find a job, which tends to be the larger more expensive cities.

so despite the cost of living, it is really hard to find other cities that offer the same quality of life at less cost.

in short, moving within europe, while possible is not as easy as moving within the US. and moving outside the EU is even more difficult, so very few do it.

also, vienna has massive growth in the last decade, but i think most of those people come from places that are even worse.

In Boston I see basically the same: dry roasted peanuts at $3.49 for a pound, cheaper if you buy more at once.