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Guide to Grocery Shopping in Medellín with Tips to Save Money - Medellin Guru
We provide a guide to grocery shopping in Medellín with tips to save money. By smart shopping it's possible to save over 30 percent on your grocery costs.

Guide to Grocery Shopping in Medellín with Tips to Save Money

We provide a guide to grocery shopping in Medellín with tips to save money. By smart shopping it’s possible to save substantially on your grocery costs in Medellín or other cities in Colombia.

The easiest way to grocery shop in Medellín is to go to a big store like Exito or Jumbo where you can buy everything. But this won’t be the cheapest option. By smart shopping you can easily save over 30 percent compared to the prices at Exito or Jumbo.

Our average monthly groceries cost for a couple has dropped over the past several years in spite of inflation. In 2014, we were averaging about 1,200,000 pesos per month when we were just shopping at Exito and Jumbo.

We have been able to cut our grocery costs substantially over the past few years. Our grocery costs for a couple are now averaging about 750,000 pesos per month.

We were able to cut our grocery costs by starting to shop at discount grocery stores like PriceSmart, Justo y Bueno and Tiendas D1. Also, we watch carefully for sales when we stock up.

We previously looked at several of the discount grocery stores on this website. We now provide a more comprehensive guide for grocery shopping with some tips to save money.

Outside entrance to the Exito at Los Molinos mall in Belén

Outside entrance to the Exito at Los Molinos mall in Belén

Grocery Shopping at Exito

Exito is a large supermarket chain in Colombia that also sells appliances, electronics, clothes, home furnishings, kitchen items, and many other things. An Exito in Colombia is similar to a Walmart in the United States. Also, Exito has the highest market share out of the grocery store chains in Colombia.

Exito has 26 of its large grocery stores in the Medellín metro area. It also has some smaller Exito local markets. In addition, Exito owns the Carulla grocery store chain, which has several locations in Medellín.

But don’t expect to find as big of a selection at Exito as you will find in big grocery stores in the U.S.

If you shop frequently at Exito and/or Carulla you should sign up for Puntos Colombia, which is a program that used to be known as Puntos Exito. Puntos Colombia is a frequent shopper program where you accumulate points for each purchase. You can use these points to purchase items in the future.

To sign up for Puntos Colombia you just need a Colombian cedula ID. And with this program it’s essentially like getting 1 percent cash back on your purchase that you can use for future purchases. With Puntos Colombia you get 1 punto for every 700 pesos in purchases. And that 1 punto is worth 7 pesos for future purchases.

Exito frequently has sales on groceries and other items like appliances, TVs and other electronics. Also, on Wednesdays, there is a 20 percent discount on fruits, vegetables and meats at Exito.

One of the entrances to Jumbo in Premium Plaza mall

One of the entrances to Jumbo in Premium Plaza mall

Grocery Shopping at Jumbo

Jumbo is a large supermarket that also sells appliances, electronics, clothes, home furnishings, kitchen items, and many other things. A Jumbo is similar to a Walmart or Target in the U.S.

Jumbo has five stores in Medellín, which are located in the Premium Plaza and Santafé malls as well as additional stores at La 65, Envigado and Rionegro.

If you shop frequently at Jumbo you should sign up for Jumbo’s Puntos (points) program. Jumbo Puntos is a frequent shopper program where you accumulate points for each purchase. These points can be used to purchase items in the future. However, to sign up you need a cedula.

Jumbo frequently has sales on groceries. Also, Jumbo frequently has sales on appliances, TVs and other electronics, which are similar to the sales at Exito. If you are furnishing a place, make sure to check out the sales at both Jumbo and Exito.

Jumbo used to be named Carrefour in Colombia. France-based Carrefour sold all of its stores in Colombia to Chile-based Cencosud in 2012.

Tiendas D1 in Sabaneta

Tiendas D1 in Sabaneta

Grocery Shopping at Tiendas D1

Tiendas D1 is a large chain of small neighborhood grocery stores in Colombia with good prices. The company now has over 500 stores in Colombia. By shopping at Tiendas D1 it is possible to save over 30 percent on your grocery bill compared to shopping at Exito or Jumbo in Colombia.

Tiendas D1 is a large chain of small discount grocery stores in Colombia that is owned by Koba.  The major shareholder in Koba is Valorem and other shareholders include Capital Group from the U.S. and IHAG from Switzerland.

Most people shopping at D1 can save 30 to 40 percent compared to shopping at an Exito or Jumbo store for similar items.

D1 is able to offer lower prices with a no-frills shopping experience and low overhead. The D1 stores are small with an average of only about 500 products per store.

So, you won’t find anywhere near as big of a selection of products as you will find in a large Exito or Jumbo store in Medellín or other cities, which will have thousands of products.

Tiendas D1 doesn’t accept credit or debit cards at all locations, as some are cash only. And you are responsible for bagging your own groceries at D1. Also, Tienda D1 has a money back policy where you can return a product without explanation and they will refund your money.

Comparing pricing between Tiendas D1 and Exito in August 2017

Comparing pricing between Tiendas D1 and Exito in August 2017

The savings at Tiendas D1 can be substantial and I previously compared the pricing with an Exito and found the average savings at Tiendas D1 of the 20 items I surveyed was 35.5 percent.

Justo y Bueno store in Sabaneta

Justo y Bueno store in Sabaneta

Grocery Shopping at Justo y Bueno

 Justo y Bueno is a chain of small neighborhood grocery stores similar to Tiendas D1 in Colombia with good prices. By shopping at Justo y Bueno, it is possible to save over 30 percent on your grocery bill compared to shopping at Exito or Jumbo in Colombia.

Justo y Bueno started to enter the market in the Medellín metro area in 2017 and had 34 stores in the metro area by the end of 2017.

After selling Valorem (the major shareholder of Tiendas D1), the founding partners of Tiendas D1 did not stand still and founded the competitor ‘Justo y Bueno’. The company started in Bogotá by reportedly opening its first store in February 2016. And the company has been growing very rapidly since.

The average store size is about 500 square meters (5,382 square feet), which is somewhat larger than the typical Tiendas D1 store. Justo y Bueno normally has about 600 products per store. This is about 20 percent more products than the typical Tiendas D1 store, which reportedly averages about 500 products per store.

In my opinion, Justo y Bueno could be described as a slightly upscale version of Tiendas D1. It has somewhat larger stores that are better laid out with about 20 percent more products including some fruits and vegetables.

Also, Justo y Bueno accepts credit cards and you are responsible for bagging your own groceries.

Comparing pricing between Justo y Bueno and Exito in October 2017

Comparing pricing between Justo y Bueno and Exito in October 2017

The savings at Justo y Bueno can be substantial and I previously compared the pricing with an Exito and found the average savings at Justo y Bueno of the 14 items I surveyed was 32.7 percent.

Inside PriceSmart in Medellín

Inside PriceSmart in Medellín

Grocery Shopping at PriceSmart

PriceSmart warehouse club in Medellín has good prices to enable saving over 30 percent on grocery costs compared to shopping at Exito or Jumbo. It also has many imported items that are hard to find elsewhere.

PriceSmart opened in Medellín in November 2014 with a reported investment of $20 million. I have shopped there since it opened.

But be careful as we have found that not everything sold at PriceSmart is cheaper than at Exito. For example, a number of the fruits and vegetables like onions, pineapples and tomatoes tend to be more expensive at PriceSmart.  Also, several locally produced products can be less expensive in Exito as Exito buys in huge quantities.

To enter PriceSmart someone in your group needs a membership card. A member can bring up to three guests but only a member can purchase items. And members must be at least 18 years old.

The company has two types of memberships. The Diamond membership is intended for personal use. And for the current annual cost of 75,000 pesos you get two Diamond membership cards for two people.

Comparing prices between PriceSmart and Exito in July 2017

Comparing prices between PriceSmart and Exito in July 2017

The savings at PriceSmart can be substantial and I previously compared the pricing with an Exito and found the average savings at PriceSmart of the 12 items I surveyed was 31 percent.

Inside the Makro near the Poblado metro station in Medellín

Inside the Makro near the Poblado metro station in Medellín

Grocery Shopping at Makro

Makro is a chain of warehouse stores in Colombia with good prices to enable saving on grocery costs. The chain has 16 stores in Colombia, which includes two stores in Medellín that primarily sell groceries.

By shopping at Makro it is possible to save over 25 percent compared to the prices found at other grocery stores in Medellín like Exito and Jumbo.

Makro is an international brand of warehouse clubs, also called cash and carries. The company is part of the Dutch Group SHV (Steenkolen Handels-Vereeniging), which was founded in 1896.

In Latin America, Makro has over 150 stores including over 75 stores in Brazil, over 35 stores in Venezuela, 20 stores in Argentina, 16 stores in Colombia and seven stores in Peru

Warehouse stores like Makro are able to keep prices low due to the no-frills format of the stores. At these wholesale stores you can buy low cost wholesale value alcohol, groceries, sweets and other products.

To buy products at Makro you need a membership card. Unlike PriceSmart, Makro doesn’t charge for its membership. And you can sign up with a passport or cedula.

Comparing prices between Makro and Exito in September 2017

Comparing prices between Makro and Exito in September 2017

The savings at Makro can be substantial and I previously compared the pricing with an Exito and found the average savings at Makro of the 12 items I surveyed was 28.5 percent.

The Euro Supermercado in Florida Parque mall

The Euro Supermercado in Florida Parque mall

Grocery Shopping at Euro

Euro Supermercado is one of the other grocery store chains you can find in Medellín. The Euro grocery chain was founded in 2001 with its first store in Central Mayorista in Itagüí.

There are several Euro grocery stores in the metro area including two in Envigado, one in El Pobaldo, one in Laureles, one in Belén, one in Sabaneta, one in Bello and one in Central Mayorista in Itagüí.

I almost never shop at Euro as I have never lived near one. And I have heard from some other expats that the prices in Euro tend to be roughly similar to an Exito or Jumbo but it can have cheaper fruits and vegetables.

Plaza Minorista José María Villa in Medellín

Plaza Minorista José María Villa in Medellín

Grocery Shopping at Plaza Minorista

Plaza Minorista is a popular farmers market in Medellín with hundreds of small stores. It’s a place where you can find seemingly unlimited amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables. Also, Plaza Minorista is a good place to find many of the exotic tropical fruits of Colombia.

But it’s more than a farmers market with fish, meats, other types of groceries, kitchen utensils, clothing and many small restaurants.

I have shopped at Plaza Minorista several times over the past eight years. But I rarely shop there anymore, as it’s located a long way from Sabaneta where I live now.

Plaza Minorista is best known for its fruits and vegetables, which occupy the biggest portion of Minorista. But Minorista has two floors with hundreds of small shops in several sections. And many of the shops sell other products.

Beyond the huge selection of fruits and vegetables, you can find groceries, meats, fish, birds, plants, chocolates, grains, sauces, drugstore items, clothing, footwear, restaurants and bars.

You can find many things in Minorista for lower prices than in other locations in Medellín. That is why it’s a very popular place. Also, keep in mind you can negotiate the prices in many of the stores.

Central Mayorista in Itagüí, photo courtesy of Central Mayorista

Central Mayorista in Itagüí, photo courtesy of Central Mayorista

Grocery Shopping at Central Mayorista

Central Mayorista is huge area that is much larger than Minorista. Also, Mayorista means wholesaler. So, you will find many wholesalers in the area selling large quantities of goods. In addition, this is where some small grocery stores buy products and also some restaurants.

Mayorista is so big it has four grocery stores including Boom, Euro, Olímpico and Pacardyl. Also, in the wholesaler area you can find all kinds of groceries being sold by merchants. Here you can find huge bags of potatoes and onions and many other things for sale.

Approximately 15,000 people work in Mayorista with a total of about 1,500 merchants. And you can find many groceries being sold in Mayorista for lower prices than in Exito or Jumbo.

Central Mayorista is located in Itagüí but it’s easy to get on the Medellín metro, as it is located a short walk from the Ayura metro station. However, I rarely shop at Mayorista, as I shop more often at the grocery stores near where I live.

Merkepaisa, a local grocery store in Sabaneta next to Parque Sabaneta

Merkepaisa, a local grocery store in Sabaneta next to Parque Sabaneta

Grocery Shopping at Other Grocery Stores and Local Tiendas

There are several other grocery stores found in the local neighborhoods in the Medellín metro area. For example, in Sabaneta there are Merkepaisa, La Vaquita and Supermercado Sabaneta grocery stores.

In my experience these smaller local grocery stores tend to have somewhat lower prices than in Exito.

Also, some of these local grocery stores also provide domicilio (delivery services). For example, we use delivery services from the Merkepaisa and Supermercado Sabaneta grocery stores in Sabaneta to have groceries delivered to our apartment.

Neighborhood tienda in Sabaneta, with free delivery service

Neighborhood tienda in Sabaneta, with free delivery service

Also, throughout the Medellín area you can find many small local tiendas selling groceries and also fruits and vegetables with prices typically lower than you will find in Exito.

In addition, you can find many small butcher shops with prices for meat and seafood normally lower than in Exito.

Grocery Shopping Tips to Save Money

Here are seven tips to save money on groceries in Medellín and other cities in Colombia.

  1. Make sure to sign up with the puntos (points) programs at Exito and Jumbo. These puntos programs are essentially are like getting 1 percent cash back on your purchases. Over the past eight years I have likely saved well over $750 using the puntos programs.
  2. Shop at the discount grocery stores. By shopping at Tiendas D1, Justo y Bueno, PriceSmart and Makro it is possible to save substantially over the prices at Exito or Jumbo.
  3. Find out the discount days at grocery stores. For example, Exito has a 20 percent discount on fruits, vegetables and meats on Wednesdays. And the Merkepaisa grocery store in Sabaneta has 20 to 30 percent discounts on some products every day of the week.
  4. Shop at the local grocery stores, tiendas and butcher shops in your neighborhood. These smaller grocery stores, tiendas and butcher shops tend to have lower prices than in Exito and some even offer delivery services.
  5. Shop at Minorista or Mayorista. By shopping at these large markets, you can save compared to the prices in Exito or Jumbo.
  6. Shop the sales. Exito, Jumbo and the local grocery stores frequently have sales. With these sales you can typically save at least 20 to 50 percent on some grocery items and sometimes even more.
  7. Compare prices at stores. While the discount stores like Tiendas D1, Justo y Bueno, PriceSmart and Makro tend to have lower prices than at Exito. For some products, the prices can be lower at Exito.

The Bottom Line: Guide to Grocery Shopping in Medellín and Money Saving Tips

While it is convenient to do all your shopping at a big Exito or Jumbo you can save substantially by shopping at some of the discount grocery stores or the local grocery stores and tiendas found in most neighborhoods.

The discount grocery stores like Tiendas D1, Justo y Bueno, PriceSmart and Makro all tend to have lower prices on average than Exito or Jumbo.

Also, if you follow the tips in this article you will likely be able to cut your grocery costs by at least 30 percent compared to buying everything at Exito or Jumbo.

In addition, “Where should I go to buy cheap groceries?” is a common question asked by expats visiting Medellín. So, we included this question in our list of Medellín frequently asked questions (FAQ).

Also, if you live in Medellín, share your grocery shopping tips in the comments below.

Sign up for the Free Medellin Guru Newsletter – You can see all of the previous Medellin Guru weekly email newsletters and sign up here.

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20 thoughts on “Guide to Grocery Shopping in Medellín with Tips to Save Money”

    1. Great article with good grocery shopping tips.

    2. Roland June 17, 2021

      where do you buy decent cheddar cheese without cutting off you rh index finger for payment

    3. Alain Letort February 17, 2021

      Is okra available in Medellín ? If so, where ? Thank you very much for answering.

      A reader in Washington, D.C.

    4. mark coblin December 23, 2019

      Great article for grocery shopping thanks for sharing.

    5. Big Steve August 22, 2019

      Jeff, do you have any butcher recommendations in the sabaneta area ?

      • Yes, efi Carnes – Calle 75S #45D and La Perla – Carrera 43b #70 Sur-02.

    6. Great guides, I live in US California region and i was searching for money saving tips and land on your blog. I read it and i like the way you define. Really good post keep working and i request you to write for USA market as well.

    7. Patrick Salbaing December 27, 2018

      La Vaquita is where my wife loves to shop with Wednesday and Friday have 30% discounts on Fruits and Vegetables. Most Carullas have discount days for spirits ( Fridays)

    8. Juan Osorno December 27, 2018

      Hi. I am a Colombian living in the US (now a US Citizen). I was born in Medellin but left 42 years ago and return maybe once every 3 years. I read all your articles and feel goosebumps about how my city turned for the better after being hell on earth. I am so happy you all live there and enjoy the people and the city. I hope more people will discover Medellin when they read your blog. God bless and thank you!!!

    9. Raymond Jackson December 27, 2018

      Any recommendations on wine purchases. Merkle Paisa has 20% off on all brands on Fridays but I am looking for a consistently lower price on Chilean wine. Thanks Ray

    10. Hello, actually I am impressed by how useful and thorough this article is. I will keep reading your letter. Thanks

    11. You mention that D1 does not take credit cards, but not that it DOES take Debit Cards. I use my Colombian bank debit card all the time to purchase at a D1 close to where I live in El Poblado. And why would you want to buy your food on credit !?

      • Thanks, the article is updated to say “Tiendas D1 doesn’t accept credit or debit cards at all locations, as some are cash only.” The D1 stores I have been at are cash only and don’t accept debit or credit cards. Also, they used to have a policy of cash only in all stores but I guess this has started to change.

        Things change all the time in Colombia. That is why over 100 articles on this website have been updated in only 18 months of existence of this website.

    12. Mary Johnson December 26, 2018

      Thanks for the great article. This should be required reading for any newbies. When I moved here I started shopping at Exito for everything. But later found D1 and Justo y Bueno and now save so much money. I also shop at Pricesmart for imported items.

    13. Great article. Very thorough. I respectfully disagree with Pricesmart being a discount supermarket. Pricesmart is akin to Sams club and costo in the USA. 80 percent of what is available at pricesmart are USA ítems with some prices double to what they are in the USA. Meat and Vegetables are a good value but Jumbo and Makro equal and surpass Pricesmart which by the way is located very inconveniently requiring a 10-15.000 taxi ride each way from my house in Laureles. My friends who really are price conscious shop at Minorista and Mayorista and plaza La America for fantastic bargains. Minorista is located in a rather dangerous location, I recommend going in pairs or groups and by all means leave your cell phone at home or deep in your pocket. There are many good shopping bargains available here. For well healed expats Pricesmart is The place to go for familiar USA items.

      • Only about 50 percent of the items at the typical PriceSmart are imported according to their investor relations. They also have many Colombian brands but with big packages you normally can’t find at Exito.

        The prices are lower for many items at PriceSmart compared to the prices for the same items at Exito or Jumbo. The items I compared prices were 31 percent less expensive at PriceSmart compared to Exito.

        The items we buy at PriceSmart end up being about 40 percent cheaper than at Exito, which makes it worth a trip for us. And they have several products that you can’t find elsewhere.

        • Jeff. You are amazing and we are blessed to have you here. Your knowledge and thorough research is priceless. I have been a member of Pricesmart since Pricesmart opened. Every American I know loves it including myself, but I would be happy to go there with you one day and we can go aísle by aísle. I think you might be in for a surprise on many of the ítems that I have price compared. Additionally 30.000 pesos round trip taxi fare offsets the potential savings. I love their pizza and their food court. I enjoy the availability of my favorite USA cheeses, deli meats and many other items totally unavailable anywhere else in Colombia. Some of the best bargains here still are at Plaza La America here in Laureles and Olympica and D1. Honestly D1 has some prices that are outstanding reason being no credit cards are accepted. The most expensive supermarket here is Carulla and why is that? They all are located in the most pricey areas of Medellin and pay mucho rent. They have a great variety of international items and USDA meat and Argentine beef, but expect to pay prices out of this world. My local butcher shop at Consumo La America runs circles around Carulla but it’s all local beef of the finest quality cuts available at 1970s USA prices. Keep up the outstanding work Jeff. I enjoy providing feedback here.

    14. nice tips and great post you shared.
      loved the concept and it should share by all.
      Thanks for the details.

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