Mexico City - Post Report Question and Answers

How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?

Same as America - Jan 2024


One can find most anything here. Until recently everything had been inexpensive, but the peso has gained a LOT of value against the dollar during the past ~8 months. - Jul 2023


There’s just about every thing here that you can get in the US minus Trader Joe’s hot chocolate O’s... - Apr 2021


This is, hands down, the best post we've been at in terms of grocery shopping--you can find practically anything here, and we are spoiled by having Costco and many other chains here in Mexico City. The cost is generally low, especially if you want to stock up on readily-available fresh produce. The best part is that there are delivery services such as Coronership which will do the shopping for you (Costco included!) to save you the hassle. - May 2020


CHEAP! I honestly feel like we spend a lot less money here on groceries versus in the states. Costco, Walmart, and SAMS Club are here and are to me less expensive than in the states. There are also many many markets where you can purchase fresh fruit, produce, and meat. - Apr 2019


Groceries are so much cheaper than in the U.S. plus we can get delicious fruits and vegetables. There are a bunch of CSAs that will drop off baskets of fruits and vegetables at your house for very little cost. There is a store that is a lot like Whole Foods (but not at Whole Foods prices) plus stores that remind me of Target or Walmart. Shopping is easy. If you prefer to not shop you can use Cornershop or Rappi and just have everything delivered for a dollar or two. - Apr 2019


Nearly everything is available, though sometimes at a high cost. Sometimes imported items are less expensive than those in the States. - Jun 2018


You can find almost everything in Mexico City, and for the most part it is less expensive here than in the U.S. - May 2017


Overall we spend much less on groceries here than in Washington, but we are happy with Mexican brands and what we can get on the local economy. There are upscale grocery stores, like City Market, which carry imported goods at predictably high prices. Walmart is here, as is Costco and Sams Club. We generally walk to Superama, a small supermarket which is also owned by Walmart, and drive to Costco about once a month to stock up on certain items. There are specialty fresh markets like Mercado de San Juan which carries gourmet ingredients (think fresh exotic mushrooms), and other more "regular" fresh markets where we buy honey. If you want it, most of the time you can find it here. We supplement a bit through Amazon for a few special items. - Sep 2016


Good. Supermarkets are present nearby (Superama, OXXO, Chedraoui, etc). There is one street/open market (these are called "tianguis") open just on Saturdays at the eastern end of Lincoln park ("Polanquito"). For more diverse non-supermarket shopping, I'd suggest going to city's big markets, like Jamaica, Medellin, San Juan, Sonora/Merced, and Central de Abastos. - Jun 2016


See above; almost all is available but at a price. Fresh vegetables and fruit are shockingly poor quality but CSA-type arrangements are available at a price (see the Facebook page called Mexico City Moms). - May 2016


Costco and Superama and City Market have almost everything you need. Groceries are comparable if not more expensive than they are in the US. You can get fruits and vegetables delivered from the verdularias and fruterias. Superama (owned by Walmart) has an app that allows you to select groceries on-line and have them delivered to your house. City Market will also deliver. If you cannot use scented laundry detergent, you may want to pack or order some. Detergents and cleaners tend to be heavily scented. In general, you really need to carefully read food labels. Sugar is added to a lot of things that usually don't have sugar. For example "natural" yogurt sometimes has sugar added, so if you want plain, without sugar, check the label. Vegetable oils are often a combination of several oils including soybean oil. Organic foods are available, but again read the label, sometimes non-organic items are placed in the organic section. There are some organic farm shares and a store called vila del pato which sells grassfed, cold-pasteurized, non-homogenized milk. - May 2016


Very easy. Superama, Chedraui, Sams, Costco, City Market. Most items are less expensive than in the U.S. - May 2016


Pretty much everything is available that you would want but a little more expensive in the grocery stores. If you buy produce at the outdoor markets you get a better price. We have Costco and Walmart, which have made my life infinitely easier. - Oct 2014


If you buy fruits and veggies at various stands, it's cheaper but it you buy them at the grocery store then it's about the same as in the U.S. - Aug 2014


If you "shop Mexican" you'll pay less (meaning: buying products/ingredients that many Mexicans use). If you "buy U.S." you'll pay for it. I think a can of Gillette shaving cream was US$12, which is US$1 in the U.S. That said, you can find almost anything you want here if you're willing to pay! - Apr 2014


It is a little bit high here in Polanco where most expats live but if you send your maid to the local market, it is cheaper. There is also Walmart, Sam's and Costco. - Mar 2014


More expensive, generally, than in the U.S. with the exception of two things: Produce Anything you buy that is of terrible quality, i.e. toilet paper, pasta, gadgets, whatever. We were wasteful, but I must say we saved a ton by doing two things (if you're working at the embassy): 1. We used Amazon excessively to ship to our U.S. address, and then received the packages a day or two later. Very quick with Amazon Prime. 2. We shopped at Costco for any items we could buy in bulk. Otherwise, I am a cook and a bit of a snob, so I shopped at the Whole Foods-almost equivalent, City Market. Superama is owned by WalMart and generally has a good selection as well. You can get extremely cheap and decent Spanish wine (US$3), though they import all kinds. Mexican wine - if priced above US$10 - is also very good (under US$10 means it hasn't quite matured yet). Everyone loved going to the local outdoor markets called "tianguis" but keep in mind this is the same food that they sell in grocery stores. These folks just sell outdoors (they are generally not farmers). But the experience is fun, and they can occasionally have a seasonal selection you won't find elsewhere. The Polanco Saturday Market in Lincoln Park is legendary. - Dec 2013


About the same as in the U.S. - Jul 2013


Local fruits and vegetables are really inexpensive and of great quality. We love to shop at the local open markets for seasonal fruits and vegetables. Costco, Walmart and Sam's Club are just about everywhere in Mexico. - Jan 2013


No issues with availability, Costco/Walmart and many major chains exist here. Cost is generally a bit cheaper than an average Canadian/American city. There are many weekend markets with produce, but they are often more expensive than the supermarket and sell the same product. - Jan 2013


Very available: local markets, great supermarkets, and of course Costco & Sam's club ... Much cheaper than the US for all but good cheese. - May 2012


Mexican food is probably 20% cheaper than in Washington; US-style food & supplies maybe 20% more than Washington; Asian-style food costs 50% more. - Apr 2011


Walmart owns the local Superama markets, and there is Costco. For cultural - and much cheaper - fare, go to the farmers' markets that the locals use. - Apr 2010


not bad - Feb 2010


Depends on where you go. Go to local markets and produce is dirt cheap. Go to Superama in Santa Fe and it's a little more expensive than in the U.S.Used Costco a lot. - Jan 2010


Same as U.S., can find almost all that you need. - Mar 2009


You can get anything you want here for a price. For you menustating women though, bring a good supply of tampons from the States because for whatever reason tampons is a commidity in Mexico. You can find them if you look hard enough, but they are expensive. - Nov 2008


More expensive than the US. We spend at least double what we spent weekly in the US to feed a family of 5. However, we do not shop in the mercados and we do not bargain shop. We do buy in bulk at Costco and Sam's Club to save though. - Oct 2008


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