If Choma Had a Dollar Store...

Spar, our local grocery store, in the middle of town on the main road

Each of the following items would cost approximately $1 USD 
using the current Kwacha/Dollar exchange rate:

• 1 loaf of standard white bread
• 10 buns (bread rolls)
• 10 finger bananas
• 1 small bag of carrots
• 1 head of lettuce (when available)
• 2 small bags of miniature green peppers
• 2 large or 3 small cucumbers
• 2 heads of cabbage
• 2 giant avocados
• 1.5 cups snap peas
• 1 colored pepper (red/yellow) if available
• 20 young onions
• 1 small bag of freshly shelled peas
• 1kg of fresh tomatoes
• 2 bunches of 5-year (a popular leafy vegetable)
• 5 eggs
• 2 bakery scones
• 2 packages of the cheapest instant noodles (like Ramen)
• ½ can tomato puree or diced tomatoes
• 2 small bags of crisps (American chips)
• 1 large Snickers bar
• 3/4 of a small Cadbury bar
• 1 small bag of South African peanut m&ms (sometimes available)
• 125 grams of raisins
• 250 grams of freshly ground peanut butter
• 0.75kg Zambian cane sugar
• 1kg flour
• 1 small tin (1/4 cup?) cocoa
• 2 (300ml) of any of the following drinks: Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Mirinda
• 2 litres bottled water
• 500ml shelf milk (UHT processed)
• 1 box of tea (~25 tea bags)
• 1 small yoghurt
• 1 250ml juice box (100% juice)
• 1 air freshener
• 1 sim card (for your phone)
• Talk time to send 40 sms messages
• 1 newspaper
• 1 monthly news magazine
• 1 roll of toilet paper
• 1 large bar of soap
• 1 small bottle of dish soap
• 1 4x6 photo
• 10 freeze-its (like popsicles, but in plastic bags—a popular street treat)
• 1 small ice cream cone(!)

or...

• less than one-seventh of a gallon of diesel fuel!

heading out of town toward Lusaka (North)

one of the many shops in Choma town

(just for clarification-- we don't have a dollar store :) )