Walked into a grocery store in Lisbon and nearly fell over at the price of a sandwich

I remember back in 2005, a fresh sandwich from a little deli in Rome cost me like 2 euros. Last month, I wandered into a small market in Lisbon, thinking I'd grab a quick bite for under 5 bucks. The cheapest thing on the shelf was a sad ham and cheese wrap for 8.50 euros. I stood there for a good minute, blinking at the price tag. It hit me that I'm not the broke backpacker anymore, but the prices sure caught up fast. Has anyone else had a moment where inflation just slapped you in the face while traveling?

3 comments

3 Comments

gray3146h ago

That 8.50 euro ham and cheese wrap story hits hard lol. What worked for me was hitting up local bakeries or markets around like 2pm when they're selling off leftover pastries and bread for cheap - found a huge slice of quiche for 4 euros once that way.

lee.cora6h ago

Actually it's more like 3pm when most bakeries start marking stuff down.

torres.riley5h ago

Have you tried hitting up the big Mercado da Ribeira das Naus around lunchtime? I was in Lisbon last spring and found a stall there selling grilled sardines with bread for 5 euros. That place was way cheaper than the touristy spots near the main squares. Made me feel a little better about the whole money situation, though I still ended up spending way more than I planned that trip.