Tijuana Among Cities with High Tortilla Prices
Tijuana, Baja California, is one of the cities with some of the most expensive tortillas in Mexico. In certain tortillerias, a kilo of corn tortillas can cost up to 30 pesos.
Price Comparison with Other Cities
According to data from Mexico’s Secretary of Economy, the average price for a kilo of corn tortillas in Tijuana’s tortillerias is 27 pesos and 82 centavos. This is higher than in Mexico City (21.89 pesos) and Toluca, Estado de México (20 pesos with 29 centavos).
Even in other northern cities, tortillas are cheaper than in Tijuana. For example, Monterrey, Nuevo León has an average price of 25.38 pesos per kilo, while Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua sells tortillas at an average of 24.89 pesos per kilo.
La Bochita: A Tortilleria Under Profeco Scrutiny
In the Mercado Miguel Hidalgo, a popular spot for weekend shoppers from California who cross the border to take advantage of lower prices, there’s a tortilleria called La Bochita.
After being highlighted by Profeco (Federal Consumer Procurator) during a morning press conference at the National Palace for having some of the highest tortilla prices in the country, La Bochita gained notoriety. The vendor at La Bochita’s cash register, Yaret, explained that following the Profeco “warning,” they lowered their tortilla prices by 3 pesos per kilo to 27 pesos.
Yaret, originally from Mexico City and living in Tijuana for just one year, explained that the high prices of tortillas and other basic goods in Tijuana are primarily due to two factors.
Impact of Higher Minimum Wage
The first factor is the significantly higher minimum wage in border areas compared to the rest of Mexico. While this means more income for workers, it also results in a higher cost of living.
Currently, the minimum daily wage in Tijuana (and throughout the Free Trade Zone of the Northern Border) is 419.88 pesos, while the rest of Mexico has a daily minimum wage of 278.80 pesos.
The second factor is the cross-border shopping by Americans from California, who seek cheaper products in Tijuana. Yaret noted that a kilo of corn tortillas costs around 4 USD in the US, making Tijuana an attractive option for these shoppers.
Increased Foot Traffic Due to Publicity
Despite the negative attention from Profeco, Yaret mentioned that more people started visiting La Bochita after the incident. Customers would say, “We saw you on the news and wanted to check it out for ourselves,” leading to increased visibility for the tortilleria.
Yaret emphasized that customers ultimately choose La Bochita for the quality of their products, even if it means paying 3 pesos more than at an average tortilleria.
Key Questions and Answers
- Q: Why are tortillas so expensive in Tijuana? A: The high cost is due to a higher minimum wage in border areas and cross-border shopping by Americans seeking cheaper products.
- Q: How much do tortillas cost in Tijuana compared to other cities? A: In Tijuana, tortillas can cost up to 30 pesos per kilo, while in Mexico City it’s around 21.89 pesos and in Toluca, Estado de México, it’s approximately 20 pesos with 29 centavos.
- Q: What happened to La Bochita after being highlighted by Profeco? A: Despite initial negative attention, La Bochita experienced increased foot traffic and gained more visibility after the incident.
- Q: How does the higher minimum wage in Tijuana affect consumers? A: While it results in more income for workers, the higher cost of living makes basic goods like tortillas more expensive.
