Grocery Shopping on a Budget in Costa Rica
There is no denying that the cost of groceries in Costa Rica is rather high, certainly higher than in the neighboring countries in Latin America. Whether you’re going to be doing some vacation shopping for those little items you forgot to bring or thought you could pick up upon arrival, or are aiming to be long-term resident, you will find that grocery shopping is no less of a percentage of your budget that it would be in the States or the UK. However, with experience (or a handy guide), there are ways of reducing the cost of your food.
Most expats in Costa Rica budget on food shopping and then treat themselves to a restaurant meal three or four times a month. This is an excellent trade-off as home cooking can be done cheaply, while the food and service at most restaurants is excellent, and won’t break the bank.
There are several kinds of food outlets in Costa Rica. Supermarkets, delis, “pulperías” (convenience stores), farmer’s markets and big box stores. If you don’t have experience of shopping in Costa Rica, it can prove pricey, but I’ve set out below a few tips which can help you navigate the pitfalls and enjoy the wonderful food Costa Rica has whilst managing your personal budget. Another point is that you are likely to save up to 30% per food shop if you are buying for two rather than one. Or, if you are living the pleasures of a single life, buy for two and take advantage of your freezer.
Supermarkets
Supermarket food is particularly expensive, and as there are only five or so major supermarket chains. Some supermarkets are less expensive than others, but that’s usually because they carry far less imported goods. The import tax and limited competition in the consumer market contribute heavily to the high cost of food in Costa Rica.
However, occasionally one of them will break ranks and drop the price of, say potatoes, from c1,400 per kilo to c600. This price drop doesn’t necessarily mean that the potatoes are coming to the end of their shelf life (although they possibly are) it frequently means that the next store delivery is due. I suggest buying them if they are within date and fresh.
An English teacher friend of mine on a tight budget tells me that he will par boil and freeze vegetables whenever he finds them on sale.
“They just have another truckload of them coming in, so it’s a case of out with the old, in with the new,” he says. “I’m not sure if you’d get away with that in the U.S. or the UK, what with pricing regulations, but here it’s perfectly acceptable. Let others who want to pay full price do so, then come in at the tail end and benefit from the sales. This applies to all veggies and a lot of the meat in supermarkets. Refrigeration isn’t always of the standard of your average first world country, so turnaround produces some really good bargains.”
Not all supermarkets in Costa Rica are of the same quality or possess the same range of items. For example, one high-end Costa Rican supermarket stocks luxury foods as well as the basics, including a larger range of imported products and famous brands. However, that supermarket is certainly not a cheap store. Go there to treat yourself, but I wouldn’t recommend doing a weekly grocery shop there unless you have the kind of budget that can stretch to an extra 25%.
There are definitely cheaper supermarkets where your money will go a lot further. However, the range isn’t as extensive as in the up-market stores and most economical supermarkets tend to be bare-bones places, looking more like warehouses than supermarkets. You can, though, stock up on many basics here, such as rice, tinned tuna fish, vegetables, and toiletries. The meats and dairy products in these low-price areas aren’t actually that much cheaper than elsewhere, so the farmer’s markets are going to be a better bet for buying these essentials (and the quality will be better, too!).
Central Markets
Just like at home, you’re likely to find a central market. In Costa Rica they sell every kind of fruit and vegetable, coffee beans, meats, cheeses and also a range of craft foods and drinks such as beer and herbal drinks. For example, the indoor market in downtown San Jose is a huge maze of small vendors where you can buy the above items somewhat cheaper than in the supermarkets. The range is much wider, certainly when it comes to vegetables, and you often have the added advantage of a free taster!
Farmer’s Markets (“Ferias”)
Farmer’s markets, known as “ferias”, are very common and popular throughout Costa Rica. Every town has a farmer’s market where you can purchase pineapples, bananas, onions etc. at a fraction of the cost you would pay in the supermarket. They also sell an array of meats, dairy produce, and plants. Not only are the prices lower than in supermarkets, but the quality is frequently better.
These markets, usually held on a Saturday or Sunday morning, offer with a vast array of fruit, vegetables, meats and drinks, and are popular with both Ticos and tourists. The farmer’s markets are also social occasions, with Ticos and Ticas chatting away with the vendors, they’ve come to know over the years, or with their neighbors.
At a farmer’s market, you can purchase a week’s groceries without the mark-up of the supermarket chains. My teacher friend told me, “I come back from the market with my traveler’s backpack full and my wallet typically only about c10-15,000 lighter.”
“If you shop like that during the week,”, he says, “you find that you have enough in the bank for a really good restaurant with friends every now and then.”
One tip is to get to the farmer’s market early in the morning, between 7 and 8 a.m. You’ll find more on offer as the markets are very popular and this is where the Costa Rican will come to stack up for a big family. Another tip, bring your own bags or backpack as they rarely offer carrier bags or plastic bags. When you begin to unpack your satisfying array of fresh goods at home, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how little you had to spend to stock up for the week (or month if you’re prepared to freeze vegetables, which is highly recommended).
Lesser-known brands
One cost that can be avoided is that of buying brand names. Of course, we all feel comforted by a brand name, assured of a certain level of quality. However, you will pay considerably more for a brand that you recognize, whether it be tinned fruit or shampoo and conditioner. Some U.S. brands, where available, can be priced three times higher than at home. For those of you yet to arrive in Costa Rica, who feel it will be difficult to wean off your brand products immediately, you should stock up for the journey, especially for toiletries, sun block, and skin care products. The branded versions cost a fortune here. If you want to buy like-for-like as you would back home, any brands are available, but it will undoubtedly prove a more expensive lifestyle.
However, the benefit is that, on the whole, you can usually find all of those things you bought at home, perhaps slightly rebranded.
It’s also a way of immersing yourself into the culture to try local, or lesser known brands. If you can bare to give up your fancy brand-name ice cream, you’ll find that the Costa Rican ice cream brand is often quite good and usually around half the price of its more famous rival.
Bartering
If you are familiar with the vast markets of Panama, Guatemala, Peru, and Mexico, where bartering is part of the transaction, you will be surprised to find that this isn’t the norm in Costa Rica. The price is the asking price, and very rarely will there be any room to negotiate. It is closer to your accustomed style back home of paying what it says on the label. In some instances, you can get a discount for bulk, especially at the farmer’s markets. However, the best discount tactic is to offer to pay for items and services by cash rather than using a card. Merchants have to pay up to 7% of the transaction price when taking a card payment, so might give you a 3-5% discount for cash. You’ll also find, if you’re paying for a doctor’s appointment or getting something repaired, that a cash options gives the vendor more flexibility when it comes to tax!
Location
Where you live can affect your grocery budget. The GAM, the central valley area of Costa Rica, is distinctly cheaper than the coastal and tourist resort areas. So, if you’re thinking about taking a trip into town, take your shopping bags with you. It might be a drag carrying everything home, but you can save up to 20% on the food bill.
So, to sum up, it’s quite easy to eat well in Costa Rica on a modest income if you’re prepared to shop around, think smart and forgo some expensive luxury items you were used to at home. A friend of mine who lives in Limón in an apartment on a pristine area of the Caribbean Sea, told me, “When I was back in the States, luxury items were compensation for hours of commuting to the center of a smog-laded city and back six days a week, not seeing sunshine for six months a year. Here, there’s nothing to compensate for. I live in beauty and I live in comfort, and bananas are cheap!”