Lego set

Today Ko-leen and I were going through Palmer's toys, and I told her to take the two hotwheel tracks I had. She was surprised, and wondered if Palmer would not want them back, until I explained to her those sets are less than $15 in the States. In Iceland they cost over 5,000 Kroner (around $45). Plus Palmer has two or three of them still and never plays with them.

Just now I called over there and found out Dave bought Palmer a new lego set this afternoon. Lego sets run about $20 to $30 in the States, but I suppose here in Iceland they are 8,000 Kroner at least.

Along the same lines, I complemented my aunt this evening on her new prescription glasses. She told me they cost 23,000 Kroner (over $200 dollars) which the cost of a fairly high end pair of glasses in the States. She said that was the cheapest here, and that the most expensive glasses would be 80,000 or so. I had to confirm this with here several times, thinking maybe she meant 2,300 cheapest and 8,000 most expensive (Iceland is afterall supposed to be part of a "universal" health care system).

I was however mistaken. Glasses absolutely do not cost the same as lego sets.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Sight and teeth don't seem to be part of the health care...
May 15, 2011 at 8:08 AM
Jon said…
Sight and teeth are only covered in premium health plans in the U.S. Most of us do not have that kind of coverage.
May 16, 2011 at 2:53 PM
Lissy said…
Most of the time vision is an extra option, but dental gets covered much more often. Of course there are limits to it.

Even without any vision insurance though, most optometrists offer free exam with purchase of lenses, or free lenses with frames, or something like that, so I have never had to pay more than $400 for glasses.
May 16, 2011 at 5:17 PM
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