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Measuring the Cost of Living in Mexico and the US

Author

Listed:
  • David Argente

    (Pennsylvania State University - Department of Economics)

  • Chang-Tai Hsieh

    (University of Chicago - Booth School of Business; University of California, Berkeley - Department of Economics; NBER)

  • Munseob Lee

    (University of California, San Diego - School of Global Policy and Strategy)

Abstract

Cross-country price indexes are crucial to compare living standards between countries and to measure global inequality. An accurate measurement of these price indexes has proven to be a difficult task because of the lack of accurate data on the consumption patterns of different countries. In this paper, we construct a unique data on prices and quantities for consumer packaged goods matched at the barcode-level across two countries, United States and Mexico. We estimate that the Mexican real consumption relative to the United States is larger than previously estimated. We identify heterogeneity in shopping behavior, quality of products, and variety availability as important sources of bias in international price comparisons.

Suggested Citation

  • David Argente & Chang-Tai Hsieh & Munseob Lee, 2020. "Measuring the Cost of Living in Mexico and the US," Working Papers 2020-123, Becker Friedman Institute for Research In Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:bfi:wpaper:2020-123
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Baqaee, David Rezza & Burstein, Ariel, 2021. "Welfare and Output with Income Effects and Taste Shocks," CEPR Discussion Papers 16132, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    2. Strasser, Georg & Messner, Teresa & Rumler, Fabio & Ampudia, Miguel, 2023. "Inflation heterogeneity at the household level," Occasional Paper Series 325, European Central Bank.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Price index; purchasing power parity; international price comparison;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E01 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General - - - Measurement and Data on National Income and Product Accounts and Wealth; Environmental Accounts
    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence

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