Grocery Shopping in Medellín: A Guide for Visitors and Longer-Term Stays

Quick Guide: Where Should You Shop?

If you're staying in Medellín for more than a few days, you'll probably end up using more than one.

1. Éxito

Éxito is one of the easiest supermarkets for a visitor to understand.

Larger locations can function almost like a combination of a traditional supermarket and department store. Depending on the location, you'll find groceries, household products, toiletries, prepared food, pharmacy products, and other everyday essentials.

Typical grocery departments include:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Meat and chicken
• Dairy
• Eggs
• Bread
• Coffee
• Snacks
• Frozen foods
• Household supplies
• Personal care products

Some neighborhoods also have smaller Éxito Express locations, which are useful when you only need a few items.

Best for

Visitors who want to buy almost everything in one place.

Cituras Tip

Éxito is a good first supermarket for someone who has just arrived in Medellín. Once you become familiar with local products and prices, you can start mixing in cheaper stores and neighborhood markets.

2. Carulla

Carulla generally targets a more premium grocery market.

You'll often find a larger selection of imported, specialty, gourmet, organic, or higher-end products than you would at discount supermarkets.

This can make Carulla especially convenient for foreigners looking for particular products or brands that may be harder to find elsewhere.

The tradeoff is price.

Best for

• Imported products
• Specialty foods
• Premium groceries
• Convenience in wealthier neighborhoods
• Travelers willing to spend more for selection

If your main goal is keeping your grocery bill low, Carulla probably shouldn't be your only supermarket.

3. D1

D1 is one of the places worth learning about if you're staying in Medellín for several weeks or months.

These are smaller discount supermarkets focused heavily on keeping prices low.

Don't expect the enormous selection of a large Éxito. Instead, you'll find many everyday essentials and private-label products.

Typical purchases include:

• Eggs
• Milk
• Rice
• Pasta
• Cooking oil
• Cleaning products
• Snacks
• Coffee
• Frozen products
• Toiletries

Best for

Keeping everyday grocery costs down.

One strategy for longer stays is to buy basic products at D1 and then purchase specialty items elsewhere.

4. Ara

Ara occupies a similar part of the market to D1.

The stores generally focus on affordable everyday groceries rather than offering dozens of brands for every product.

For someone living in Medellín rather than simply vacationing, comparing D1 and Ara near your apartment can be worthwhile.

You may find that one has better prices or selection for the products you regularly buy.

Best for

Budget-conscious grocery shopping.

5. Don't Ignore Local Supermarkets

Not every grocery run needs to involve one of Colombia's national chains.

Medellín has plenty of independent and regional supermarkets throughout residential neighborhoods.

Depending on where you're staying, your neighborhood supermarket may actually become your most convenient option.

This is particularly true outside the most tourist-heavy parts of El Poblado.

Ask your Airbnb host, building staff, or neighbors:

¿Dónde hacen mercado por aquí?

That roughly means:

Where do people around here buy groceries?

You may discover somewhere better and cheaper than the supermarket that appears first on Google Maps.

6. Buy Fruit and Vegetables at a Fruver

You'll frequently see stores in Colombia described as a fruver.

The name comes from:

frutas + verduras

These businesses specialize primarily in fresh produce.

You can find things such as:

• Bananas
• Plantains
• Avocados
• Tomatoes
• Potatoes
• Onions
• Limes
• Pineapple
• Mango
• Papaya
• Passion fruit
• Herbs
• Other Colombian fruits and vegetables

If you're staying for a while, compare your local fruver with supermarket produce prices and quality.

Medellín is also a great place to experiment with fruits you may rarely encounter back home.

7. Neighborhood Tiendas Are Extremely Convenient

Small neighborhood stores, usually called tiendas, are everywhere.

They aren't where most people would necessarily do an enormous weekly grocery shop, but they're extremely useful when you suddenly realize you're missing something.

Depending on the tienda, you may find:

• Water
• Soda
• Beer
• Milk
• Eggs
• Bread
• Snacks
• Coffee
• Toiletries
• Cleaning products
• Basic cooking ingredients

Some are tiny storefronts. Others resemble miniature supermarkets.

If you're staying in a residential neighborhood, there's a good chance you'll have one within walking distance.

8. Grocery Delivery in Medellín

You don't necessarily need to visit a supermarket at all.

Rappi offers grocery delivery throughout Medellín, including supermarkets, convenience stores, produce sellers, specialty shops, and other food retailers. Availability varies by neighborhood.

Éxito products are also available for delivery in Medellín, and Éxito itself offers grocery delivery within the Medellín metropolitan area.

Delivery can be particularly useful when ordering:

• Cases of water
• Large grocery orders
• Cleaning supplies
• Heavy beverages
• Groceries during heavy rain
• Items after you've already settled into your apartment

If you're staying in an apartment building, find out how deliveries work before ordering. Some buildings allow couriers into reception, while others require you to meet them at the entrance.

Cituras also has a separate guide explaining how to order food, drinks, and groceries through Rappi.

9. Useful Spanish for Grocery Shopping in Medellín

You don't need to speak much Spanish to buy groceries in Medellín, especially at larger supermarkets where you can simply pick up what you need and pay at the register.

However, knowing a few Colombian Spanish phrases makes shopping at neighborhood tiendas, fruit stores, butcher counters, and local markets much easier.

What Does “Hacer Mercado” Mean?

You'll probably hear Colombians use the phrase:

hacer mercado

It doesn't necessarily mean going to a traditional market. In Colombia, it commonly refers to doing the grocery shopping or buying groceries for the household.

For example:

Voy a hacer mercado.
I'm going grocery shopping.

You might also hear someone refer to the groceries themselves as el mercado.

Finding What You Need

¿Dónde puedo encontrar ___?
Where can I find ___?

Example:

¿Dónde puedo encontrar los huevos?
Where can I find the eggs?

¿Tienen ___?
Do you have ___?

Example:

¿Tienen leche de almendras?
Do you have almond milk?

Estoy buscando ___.
I'm looking for ___.

¿Hay otro supermercado cerca?
Is there another supermarket nearby?

¿Dónde hacen mercado por aquí?
Where do people around here buy groceries?

That last question can be especially useful when you're staying in a residential neighborhood and want to find out where locals shop.

Asking About Prices

¿Cuánto cuesta?
How much does it cost?

¿Cuánto vale?
How much is it?

You'll hear ¿Cuánto vale? frequently in Colombia.

¿Cuánto cuesta el kilo?
How much is a kilogram?

¿Cuál es más barato?
Which one is cheaper?

¿Está en promoción?
Is it on sale?

Buying Fruit, Vegetables, and Meat

At supermarkets, produce stores, and butcher counters, knowing quantities can be particularly helpful.

Quiero un kilo de ___.
I'd like one kilogram of ___.

Quiero medio kilo de ___.
I'd like half a kilogram of ___.

Me da dos aguacates, por favor.
Give me two avocados, please.

A slightly more natural English translation would be:

I'll take two avocados, please.

Solo necesito uno.
I only need one.

¿Está maduro?
Is it ripe?

¿Tiene uno más maduro?
Do you have a riper one?

¿Tiene uno más pequeño/grande?
Do you have a smaller/larger one?

At the Checkout

¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
Can I pay by card?

Voy a pagar con tarjeta.
I'm going to pay by card.

Voy a pagar en efectivo.
I'm going to pay in cash.

En pesos, por favor.
In pesos, please.

That last phrase is useful if a payment terminal or cashier gives you the option of paying in Colombian pesos or another currency.

¿Necesita bolsa?
Do you need a bag?

You may hear this from the cashier.

You can respond:

Sí, por favor.
Yes, please.

or:

No, gracias.
No, thank you.

If you brought your own:

Tengo mi propia bolsa.
I have my own bag.

Ordering Grocery Delivery

¿Hacen domicilios?
Do you deliver?

In Colombia, domicilio is a very useful word. It refers to delivery, particularly food, groceries, and other purchases delivered to your home.

Quiero pedir un domicilio.
I'd like to place a delivery order.

Estoy en la entrada.
I'm at the entrance.

Ya bajo.
I'm coming downstairs now.

Puede dejarlo en portería.
You can leave it at reception/security.

That last phrase can be useful when staying in an apartment building with a portería, the front desk or security entrance commonly found in Colombian residential buildings.

Grocery Vocabulary

Cituras Tip

Don't worry about speaking perfect Spanish.

A simple:

Hola, ¿tienen ___?

combined with the name of whatever you're looking for will handle a surprising number of situations.

And if you don't understand something at the checkout, you can always say:

Disculpe, todavía estoy aprendiendo español.

Sorry, I'm still learning Spanish.

Most everyday grocery interactions are short, so learning even five or six of these phrases can make shopping in Medellín considerably easier.

10. Bring or Buy Reusable Bags

Don't assume you'll automatically receive a pile of free plastic bags like you might at some supermarkets in the United States.

Reusable shopping bags are useful, particularly if you're staying in Medellín for several weeks.

They're also much better for carrying groceries home on foot.

11. Cash or Card?

Large supermarkets generally make paying by card straightforward.

Smaller tiendas, produce sellers, and neighborhood businesses may be more cash-oriented, so carrying some Colombian pesos can still be useful.

When a payment terminal gives you the option of paying in Colombian pesos (COP) or your home currency, choosing COP will generally allow your card issuer to perform the currency conversion instead of accepting the merchant's dynamic currency conversion.

If your card charges foreign transaction fees, check your card's terms as well.

12. Don't Assume El Poblado Prices Represent All of Medellín

If you're staying in El Poblado, particularly around tourist-heavy areas, your impression of Medellín grocery prices may be somewhat distorted.

Convenience stores, specialty shops, imported-food stores, and premium supermarkets can cost considerably more than discount supermarkets and neighborhood stores.

If you're staying for a month or longer, experiment.

Try buying:

Basics: D1 or Ara

Fresh produce: local fruver

Specialty/imported products: Carulla or larger supermarkets

Everything in one trip: Éxito

Emergency purchases: neighborhood tienda

Heavy or inconvenient purchases: delivery

That combination can give you convenience without unnecessarily paying premium prices for everything.

13. Grocery Shopping for an Airbnb

If you're staying in an Airbnb for a week or longer, don't immediately buy everything you think you'll need.

Check the apartment first.

Many rentals already contain things such as:

• Salt
• Cooking oil
• Coffee
• Sugar
• Dish soap
• Sponges
• Paper towels
• Basic cooking supplies

Then make your first grocery trip.

For a short stay, a basic shopping list might include:

• Bottled or filtered water if desired
• Eggs
• Bread or arepas
• Fruit
• Coffee
• Milk
• Chicken or another protein
• Rice
• Vegetables
• Snacks
• Toilet paper
• Any toiletries you're missing

14. Where Should You Shop Based on Your Stay?

Staying 3–5 days

Don't overthink it.

Use the nearest reputable supermarket, convenience store, or grocery delivery.

Saving a few thousand pesos isn't worth spending half your vacation traveling between supermarkets.

Staying 1–4 weeks

Start comparing nearby stores.

A combination of Éxito, D1/Ara, your neighborhood fruver, and delivery usually works well.

Staying 1–6 months

Shop more like a resident.

Learn where your neighborhood's affordable produce, meat, household goods, and basic groceries are sold rather than purchasing everything from whichever premium supermarket is closest to your apartment.

Common Questions

Is grocery shopping expensive in Medellín?

It depends heavily on what you buy and where you shop.

Imported products, premium supermarkets, and specialty foods can become expensive. Local products and discount supermarkets can make grocery shopping considerably more affordable.

Your diet matters too. Someone buying mostly Colombian staples and fresh produce will have a very different grocery bill from someone trying to recreate an American grocery cart with imported brands.

Can foreigners use Colombian supermarkets?

Yes. Shopping at a supermarket in Medellín is straightforward, even if you speak very little Spanish.

Can I pay with a foreign credit card?

Major supermarkets commonly accept cards. It's still useful to carry some COP for smaller neighborhood businesses.

Can groceries be delivered to my Airbnb?

Yes. Grocery delivery is widely available in Medellín through services such as Rappi. Rappi says its Medellín marketplace includes supermarkets, produce sellers, specialty stores, and other grocery businesses.

Ask your host how couriers should enter or where you should meet them.

What's the cheapest place to buy groceries?

There isn't one universally cheapest store for every product. Discount chains such as D1 and Ara are worth comparing for basics, while local produce stores can be excellent for fruits and vegetables.

Where should I buy imported American products?

Start with larger or more premium supermarkets such as Carulla and larger Éxito locations. Availability varies significantly by location.

Cituras Recommendation

If you're visiting Medellín for the first time, start with Éxito. It's straightforward, has a broad selection, and gives you a good introduction to Colombian grocery shopping.

If you're staying longer, don't keep buying everything from the same supermarket.

Try this approach:

Éxito → general shopping

D1 or Ara → inexpensive basics

Fruver → fruits and vegetables

Carulla → specialty and imported products

Neighborhood tienda → quick purchases

Rappi → delivery

After a couple of weeks, you'll probably develop your own combination based on what's closest to your apartment and what you regularly buy.

The biggest mistake isn't choosing the “wrong” supermarket. It's paying convenience or premium prices for every single grocery purchase simply because you haven't explored what's available around your neighborhood.