Even shopping for necessities was difficult for Rosiane Inacio Buljoies de Oliveira. For example, the mother of four who lives in Araraquara, Sao Paulo, now relies on food assistance and discounted prices. So he opened the fridge – he was naked except for a pot of leftover food.
“My boss was going to throw away the beans and bacon, but I saved the pot just in time,” she said.
Last year, Brazil experienced double-digit inflation in essential goods and services. In addition, one in four is not eating enough, even though Brazil is an agricultural powerhouse. As a result, food prices rose domestically, but wages did not rise.
Disruptions to supply chains due to the pandemic, combined with climate change and rising fertilizer costs, have led to increased production costs for farmers – with negative impacts on consumers.
There is an unpleasant smell in Rosian’s house – a consequence of keeping the apartment clean is expensive. When cooking oil prices rose, Rosian and father Irandi developed a valuable skill: turning used oil into soap. New Zealand’s capital, Wellington, is considered one of the cheapest cities in the world to buy property. However, with prices up 12% over the past year, things are looking bleak for renters. This, coupled with rising fuel and food prices, has led many to consider moving to nearby Australia, where they have the right to live and work.
Chris, a builder, his partner Harmony, and their four daughters recently left Wellington to start a new life in the Australian city of Brisbane. Despite owning a house and earning a decent salary, they still struggle.
“We have four kids, so it’s expensive. “We’re going to see Australians say they know the cost of living will go up – but that was the price in New Zealand five years ago,” Chris said.
Leaving New Zealand and his entire family was a difficult decision for Harmony. But he said the move was necessary because of the children.
“You can’t live in New Zealand. There’s no life. You just come back. You don’t choose whether you want to live, need to move, or New Zealand needs to change. “I want the future of my children and no future in New Zealand,” he said.
The New Zealand government has tried to increase some short-term measures, such as fuel subsidies and halving the cost of public transport – but that is not enough for many.