Where to shop in Mexico and how to find what you need

I’m at the age where I can finally admit it without feeling embarrassed: I love shopping.

For years I’ve tried to act nonchalant about it, as it doesn’t pair well with my thoughtful intellectual-hippie presentation. But it’s true: I never leave a museum without first visiting the gift shop. I even enjoy grocery shopping. It’s a fleeting feeling, but I crave that satisfaction of finding exactly what I need, a satisfying end to a simple treasure hunt.

On my recent trip to Texas, I was — as always — mesmerized by the sheer quantity of stuff available for purchase. Walmart and HEB may as well be theme parks as far as I’m concerned. How was it possible to have so many distinct products? At one point in Target, a man asked me if I knew if a mystery bottle in the fabric shampoo aisle had fabric softener. “I am so sorry man,” I had to reply. “I have no idea. I’ve been living out of the country for so long I don’t know what half this stuff is.”

If you’ve lived in Mexico for long as a foreigner, you’ll know that shopping here is just not the same as it is in the U.S. or Canada. Actually, maybe it is in areas more heavily populated with foreigners, which I can’t really speak to. But where I live in Xalapa, there’s still quite a bit of specialty shop schlepping to be done to get everything on your list.

So, where to begin? Let’s go to largest and most well known to most obscure.

Warehouse clubs

So big, so familiar, so full of people all the time. As Mexico’s middle class grows, people’s shopping habits change. What that translates to is Costco being completely packed 100% of the time — at least in Xalapa and Veracruz.

At Costco and Sam’s, which is less popular and for some reason grimier, you can get many of the same things that you can in the United States. You can’t necessarily get exactly the same things though, unless they’re store brand. I often find that once I find something I really like — I’m looking at you, pre-seasoned salmon — it suddenly disappears from the shelves.

Both stores have online sites where you can supposedly shop and order online. In my experience so far, however, most things I want, even when I know they have them in my local store, are marked “unavailable.” Sigh. But if you want to buy in bulk or find American-style big, big furniture, they’re a good bet.

Supermarkets

Chedraui, Soriana, La Comer, Walmart: You can find most “grocery store items” here. If you’re coming from the US or Canada, however, the variety will be much less than you’re used to. Think grocery stores in the mid-1980s it’s about that selection. And if you can’t make it to the grocery store, most tienditas, including chains like Oxxo, have some of the same things at similar prices.

Department stores

Sears is pretty fancy here. Liverpool is also a main go-to in Mexico. Sanborn’s isn’t quite a department store, but it’s a popular chain for books and gifts, and there’s the restaurant, of course. In these places you’ll find much of what you would in other countries. The prices tend to be quite high, because what you’re really paying for is the experience of shopping in a well-lit, clean, climate controlled environment with nice bathrooms. If that’s important to you, go wild! Often, I’ll visit these stores just to wander around, and once in a while they’ll have a good sale on.

Now it’s time to get a bit further into the weeds with Mexico’s many speciality shops. Where I’m from in the U.S., specialty shops tend to be boutique and expensive, and the marketing leans heavily on the buyer experience. Where I live in Mexico, it’s kind of the opposite. Specialty shops are where the masses go for their everyday needs.

Can you get by without going to any of these places? Sure. But if you want good prices, human interaction and the chance to find exactly what you want, they’re worth exploring!

The pharmacy

There are a few major pharmacy chains in Mexico, as well as some mom and pop places. And while grocery stores have pharmacies, their selection is usually smaller than what you’d find at a regular pharmacy. You don’t need a prescription for much beyond antibiotics and major painkillers. That said, most medicine is kept behind the counter, so you’ll need to ask for what you want. If they don’t have what you need, they may be able to get it from another store the same day!

The bodega

Bodega means “warehouse,” but in Mexico it’s a place where you can get products “a granel,” or by weight. So if you want dried spices, chilis, beans, and even things like pet food and candy, the bodega is where to get it. If you’re wanting to improve your diet, you can find things like chia seeds and flax at great prices, too! And while I couldn’t find unsweetened coconut flakes or dates at the store, I stocked up at the bodega. Typically, an attendant will scoop out and weigh things for you. When you’re done, you just check out!

The market

The food at the market is not priced super differently than at the grocery store. The advantage, though, is that you have a lot more options. Who has the best peaches at the best prices? Whose green peppers look the biggest and best? You can also find fresh cuts of meat and chicken, as well as delicious varieties of cheese.

Papelerías

School supplies and stationery! Here too, you’ll need to ask for things behind the counter, which in my case meant learning a lot of vocabulary. But they usually have exactly what you need, and it’s fun! Though you can get these kinds of things at grocery stores nowadays, the variety won’t be as wide and things will be more expensive.

Fabric stores and mercerías

If you’re into sewing, Parisina is the main chain for fabric and sewing supplies. If you’re into doing things with yarn, there are actually places just for that, too, and sometimes there’s even a knitting group you can sit and knit with!

Next level: the tianguis

A tianguis is a street market, sometimes that’s only present in a certain spot on specific days, where you can buy things like clothes, toys or shoes. People might sell “ropa de paca” in a tianguis, or have a storefront. Basically, these are clothes that have been brought in bulk from the U.S. to resell here; think of it as a mom-and-pop Ross or TJ Maxx. If you’ve got the patience to dig through the offers, you can find some great deals!

What stores am I missing? Remind me in the comments!

Sarah DeVries is a writer and translator based in Xalapa, Veracruz. She can be reached through her website, sarahedevries.substack.com.