It’s a dubious honour but according to a new price watch survey, Thursday Island is the winner when it comes to high grocery prices.

The findings come from a new grocery monitoring scheme called Pricewatch, launched by Member for Leichhardt Jim Turnour.

The scheme compares prices across a variety of Coles, Woolworths and Super IGA supermarkets in Cairns, Port Douglas, Mossman, Cooktown, Weipa and Brisbane as well as the IBIS store on Thursday Island – the only major supermarket in Torres Strait.

A total of 44 items, typically purchased by Australian households such as toiletries, dairy goods, bread, pet food, tinned goods and washing powder, are included in the survey. However, fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh meat and deli products are not compared due to seasonal and climatic variations.

While the survey focuses on the regular, every day cost of each item, a separate note is made of any specials on offer.

Results from the first Pricewatch survey show the cost of a typical basket of groceries on Thursday Island is around $150 more than in Cairns.

"Thursday Island residents not only have to pay more for their groceries, they face a more-limited product range, often having only one brand available," Mr Turnour said.

"Thursday Island was also the only store in which no specials were recorded, whereas up to $7 was saved at the check-out in Cairns stores and over $15 in Cooktown.

"I want my colleagues in Canberra to know about this significant difference in price.

"I intend to take this data to Canberra to highlight the everyday expense facing those living in the Cape York and Torres Strait regions."

The next Pricewatch survey will occur during the Christmas season and then quarterly through-out the year.