Everyday Shopping in Mexico
by Terri Stangl
What’s it like to shop for groceries, household goods, and produce in Mexico? A lot depends on where you live and what you want. If you can’t bear the thought of missing out on some of your favorite Trader Joe or Whole Foods specialty items, then it may be best to stay home. But if you’re open to new flavors and experiences, then shopping in Mexico can be fascinating and delightful.
In San Cristóbal de las Casas, a city of around 250,000 people, you can find several familiar big-box multi-national stores like Sam’s Club, Walmart (and its local chain, “Bodega Aurreá”). These have a mix of staples, produce, meats, and dairy, plus a variety of household goods. There is also a Mexican-owned chain, Chedraui, which is a little more upscale and has an international aisle, a wider variety of cheeses and dairy products like half and half, clothing, and household goods. However, I have found that there are some items - like really sharp cheddar cheese - that just don’t seem to be available here (although I remember seeing it in Puerto Vallarta). Others (like half and half) you can find only intermittently. Shopping at these larger stores certainly offers the convenience of (mostly) one-stop shopping. But you are missing out on some of the best local produce and products (and fun!)
Mercados
One of the joys of living in Mexico is exploring the local Mercados. These are generally huge mazes (I’m talking blocks or football stadium wide) with literally hundreds of booths and shops, inside and outside. It’s like a cross between a farmer’s market, a bazaar, a flea market, and a craft fair. There are entire booths full of single fruits or vegetables, like mangos, tomatoes, pineapples, or avocados. You can find fresh meats, eggs, and dairy. There are shops with locally made wood furniture, others with cleaning products, housewares, and others with locally prepared foods and sweets. There are all manner of artisans and crafts. There are entire sections of fresh flowers and herbs. Each mercado is a fascinating place where you can easily get lost for hours. But here you will often find the best prices, especially for local produce. You will likely find fruits and vegetables that will be new to you, and varieties of things like mangos that aren’t generally exported out of Mexico.
Specialty Stores
Neighborhoods and towns that cater to visitors, domestic and international, often have a wide variety of specialty shops, usually in the central shopping district. You might find natural food stores, specialty bakeries, jewelry, handmade clothing, pottery, hats, shoes, lingerie, salsas, weavings, and the like. It’s well worth exploring these parts of town to see what’s available. Participating in local Facebook groups is another way to ask about who in your town sells specific products.
Mini-bodegas
Many homes have a one-room shop at the street level where one can find all manner of shelf-stable snacks and drinks. Some have small quantities of household products, as well as vegetables, garlic, or fruit, although you may have to ask for them. Nearly every neighborhood has several of these within easy walking distance.
Your Neighbors
As you learn more about your own local neighborhood, you will likely discover other options. Recently, I bought potatoes and tomatoes from a local vendor two blocks away, fruit from a produce cart that visits my street 3 times a week, bottled water from a truck that delivers, and avocados, eggs, and wild honey from 3 different neighbors. On Saturday, there is also a community market a few blocks away where I have found some local fresh and smoked cheeses, handmade soaps and oils, weavings, and more. Although my neighborhood is residential, many people have little side gigs in their homes, offering prepared food or local produce. There’s often free local delivery. I can buy hot and cold snacks, cakes, tacos, meats, seasonal produce, a variety of Mexican dishes, and locally grown coffee from my neighbors. There are several local WhatsApp groups where neighbors can share what they are currently offering and inquire about products they are seeking. These groups are also a useful resource for finding reputable professionals and service providers.
Pharmacies
A lot of medications that require prescriptions in the U.S. are available in Mexican pharmacies over the counter. The retail prices are also substantially lower than in the U.S. Some pharmacies even do their own compounding.
Malls
Most larger metropolitan areas have some kind of mall with the usual assortment of anchor department stores, specialized clothing, gift, shoe, and tech stores. Plus a food court. If I need service from an Apple Store technician, for example, I have to drive about an hour to the mall in Tuxtla Gutierrez.
Online Shopping
Of course, if you can’t find things locally, there’s always online shopping from Amazon Mexico, Costco Mexico, or an eBay-like website called Mercado Libre. Most of the larger grocery and department stores also take online orders and offer home delivery.
Getting Around
I don’t have a car here in San Cris, but I can get just about anywhere I need to go. For small purchases, I use a wheeled cart, a bicycle with a basket, or my backpack. For larger loads, I rely on the local shuttle buses (also known as collectivos or combis) that cost $10 MXP and stop at most of the major shopping destinations in town. I take the combi to the store and then hail one of the many taxis available outside of these stores. The taxis here cost me only $50 (less than $3 USD), and the driver will help load and unload my groceries. Motorbikes and regular bikes are extremely popular here because they can easily maneuver through the small streets and find parking. A friend recently got an electric bike, which he likes for running errands and making deliveries.
A Time to Build Relationships
When you take the time to get to know your vendors and neighbors, shopping becomes a pleasurable and even a social activity. For example, I have had eggs delivered from Julissa, local wild honey delivered by Martin, and I’ve bought organic bananas, small ripe mangos, and avocados at a great price from various other neighbors. On Saturdays, I try to stop by the home of my neighbor Emma to pick up homemade tamales made with chicken or pork molé, as well as atole, a hot beverage made from sweetened, fermented corn. Each of these purchases is an opportunity for conversation and connection.
One thing I can say for certain is that shopping in Mexico is an enjoyable experience. You never know what you might find or who you might meet when you take the time to explore all that’s available. There’s not much I’ve missed from the States…well, the extra-sharp cheese and half and half for my coffee. But, even those take a back seat to all of the other wonderful items that I’ve discovered here.
During our relocation tour experience, we will have a day devoted to shopping and discovering the mercados and shops to get a taste of what it’s like in day-to-day life in Mexico.
A little self-promotion below… Check out available dates for our week-by-week relocation experience: You can also check the website for more info at introtomexico.com or contact us via email: info@introtomexico.com
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