Grocery Shopping in Colombia 2026 — Supermarkets, Stores, and Where to Find US Products
Colombia has every level of grocery shopping, from Costco-style warehouses to neighborhood corner shops where you buy two eggs and a single cigarette. The trick is knowing which store to use for what. Premium supermarkets carry imported goods at steep markups. Discount chains sell local staples for a fraction of the price. Traditional markets have the freshest produce you have ever seen. This guide covers all of them.
Premium Supermarkets
Carulla — The Whole Foods of Colombia
Carulla is an upscale supermarket chain owned by Grupo Exito. It is the go-to for imported products and premium local goods. Clean stores, well-organized aisles, and an imported section that carries items you will not find anywhere else.
- US equivalent: Whole Foods or a nicer Publix
- Price level: High. A liter of imported olive oil runs 45,000 COP ($12 USD). Imported cheese starts at 20,000 COP ($5.40 USD).
- Best for: Imported cheeses, wines, specialty sauces (ranch, BBQ, Sriracha), oat milk, and premium meats
- Skip: Basic staples like rice, beans, and pasta — buy these at D1 or Exito for half the price
- Payment: Cards and cash accepted, including international Visa and Mastercard
- Hours: 8am-10pm daily
Jumbo — Large Format, Good Imports
Jumbo is Chilean-owned (Cencosud) and operates large-format stores similar to a US Kroger or Safeway. Good imported section, wide aisles, and a decent deli counter.
- US equivalent: Kroger or large Safeway
- Price level: Mid-to-high. Imported milk around 8,000 COP ($2.20 USD). Good prices on household items in bulk.
- Best for: Imported meats and dairy, household items, large shopping trips
- Skip: Fresh produce — cheaper at plazas de mercado or fruver shops
- Payment: Cards and cash accepted
- Hours: 8am-10pm daily
PriceSmart — Colombia's Costco
PriceSmart is a membership warehouse club that carries US brands in bulk. If you miss Kirkland Signature, this is the closest thing. Membership costs about 150,000 COP ($41 USD) per year.
- US equivalent: Costco (same concept, smaller stores)
- Price level: High per trip, low per unit. Bulk items save 30-50% compared to buying individually at Carulla.
- Best for: Bulk nuts, protein powder (50,000 COP / $13.60 USD), cleaning supplies, American snacks, frozen meats
- Skip: Fresh produce and bakery items — limited selection and not always fresh
- Payment: Cards and cash (membership card required at entry)
- Hours: 9am-9pm daily
Mid-Range Chains
Exito — Colombia's Walmart
Exito is the biggest supermarket chain in Colombia with stores everywhere. It is owned by Grupo Casino and functions like a Colombian Walmart — groceries, clothing, electronics, and home goods all under one roof.
- US equivalent: Walmart Supercenter
- Price level: Mid-range. 1kg of rice for 2,500 COP ($0.68 USD). A full weekly shop runs 120,000-180,000 COP ($33-49 USD).
- Best for: One-stop shopping. Good produce section, decent meat counter, household essentials
- Skip: Imported specialty items — Carulla (same parent company) has a better selection at similar prices
- Payment: Cards and cash accepted
- Hours: 8am-10pm daily
Olimpica — The Regional Powerhouse
Olimpica is a family-owned Colombian chain strongest on the Caribbean coast (Barranquilla, Cartagena, Santa Marta). Good for local products and everyday groceries.
- US equivalent: Regional grocery chain like Publix or H-E-B
- Price level: Mid-range. Local milk at 3,500 COP ($0.95 USD). Competitive on local brands.
- Best for: Local dairy, meats, produce, and everyday staples
- Skip: Imported goods — limited selection compared to Carulla or Jumbo
- Payment: Cards and cash accepted
- Hours: 8am-9pm daily
Budget & Discount Stores
D1 — Colombia's Aldi
D1 is a hard discount store with a limited number of products, almost all private label, at rock-bottom prices. There are D1 stores on practically every block in Colombian cities.
- US equivalent: Aldi
- Price level: Very low. 1kg of rice for 1,800 COP ($0.49 USD). Weekly basics for 80,000-120,000 COP ($22-33 USD).
- Best for: Rice, beans, pasta, eggs, milk, cleaning supplies, snacks, basic toiletries
- Skip: Fresh produce (limited and inconsistent), anything imported
- Payment: Most locations now accept cards, but carry cash as backup
- Hours: 8am-8pm daily
Ara — The Other Discount Option
Ara is Portuguese-owned (Jeronimo Martins) and follows the same hard discount model as D1. Slightly different product mix but comparable prices.
- US equivalent: Aldi or Lidl
- Price level: Very low. Local milk at 2,500 COP ($0.68 USD).
- Best for: Dairy products, cleaning supplies, snacks, personal care items
- Skip: Fresh meat and produce — better quality at plazas or Exito
- Payment: Most locations accept cards
- Hours: 8am-8pm daily
Convenience Stores
Oxxo — Quick Stops
Oxxo is a Mexican convenience chain expanding aggressively in Colombian cities. Think 7-Eleven: beverages, snacks, quick meals, and basic necessities at convenience store markup.
- US equivalent: 7-Eleven
- Price level: High for what you get. Bottled water at 4,000 COP ($1.10 USD). Snacks and drinks at 30-50% more than D1 or Ara.
- Best for: Late-night snacks, beverages, phone top-ups, quick stops when nothing else is open
- Skip: Anything you can buy at a supermarket — you are paying for convenience
- Payment: Cards and cash accepted
- Hours: 6am-10pm or later, some 24 hours
Traditional Shopping
Tiendas de Barrio — Neighborhood Corner Shops
Every Colombian neighborhood has multiple tiendas — small shops selling basic items. You can buy a single egg, one cigarette, a small bag of rice, or a cold beer. They are the social hub of the neighborhood and usually know everyone on the block.
- US equivalent: Nothing comparable. The closest is a bodega in New York, but smaller and more personal.
- Price level: Low to mid-range. Individual item prices are fair. No bulk savings.
- Best for: Forgotten items, single-serve purchases, cold beverages, building relationships with neighbors
- Payment: Cash only. Some accept Nequi transfers.
- Hours: 7am-9pm typically, varies by owner
Plazas de Mercado — The Cheapest and Freshest
Every Colombian city has at least one plaza de mercado — a large indoor market with dozens of vendors selling fresh produce, meats, fish, herbs, and prepared food. Prices are the lowest you will find anywhere. A kilo of tomatoes costs 1,500 COP ($0.41 USD). Fresh tropical fruit you have never heard of costs almost nothing.
- US equivalent: A large year-round farmers market, but indoors and more chaotic
- Best for: Fresh produce, tropical fruits, herbs, fresh meat, fish, and cheap prepared lunches (corrientazos for 8,000-12,000 COP)
- Skip: Processed or packaged goods — supermarkets are better for those
- Payment: Cash only
- Hours: 6am-2pm for best selection (many stalls close by 4pm)
Fruver Shops
Small shops specializing in fresh fruits and vegetables. Found in most neighborhoods, they bridge the gap between supermarket produce sections and the plaza de mercado. Better quality and lower prices than supermarket produce.
- Price level: Low to mid-range. 1kg of apples at 4,000 COP ($1.10 USD).
- Best for: Daily fresh produce when you cannot get to the plaza de mercado
- Payment: Cash, some accept Nequi
- Hours: 7am-7pm
Finding US Products
Missing your favorite American products? Here is where to find them and what to expect to pay. The general rule: imported goods cost 2-4 times what they cost in the US.
- Peanut butter: Carulla, Jumbo, PriceSmart — 15,000-25,000 COP ($4-7 USD). Local brand Manitoba makes a solid alternative for around 8,000 COP.
- Ranch dressing: Carulla occasionally stocks Hidden Valley — 10,000-15,000 COP ($2.70-$4 USD). Unreliable availability. Many expats bring bottles from the US.
- Maple syrup: Carulla or PriceSmart — 25,000-40,000 COP ($6.80-$11 USD). Often only the small bottles. Check MercadoLibre for better options.
- Cheddar cheese: Carulla, Jumbo, PriceSmart — 20,000-30,000 COP ($5.40-$8 USD). Colombian cheese is different but excellent — try queso costeno or quesillo.
- American-style bacon: Carulla, Jumbo — 15,000-20,000 COP ($4-5.40 USD). Colombian tocineta is thinner but widely available and cheaper.
- BBQ sauce: Carulla, Jumbo — 8,000-15,000 COP ($2.20-$4 USD). Common brands available.
- Sriracha: Carulla, Jumbo — 10,000-18,000 COP ($2.70-$5 USD). Colombian hot sauces (aji) are everywhere and worth trying.
- Protein powder: PriceSmart or specialty nutrition stores — 50,000-120,000 COP ($13.60-$33 USD). MercadoLibre often has better prices.
- Oat milk: Carulla, Jumbo — 12,000-15,000 COP ($3.30-$4 USD). Local brands like Alpina now make oat milk.
Online Grocery Shopping
You do not have to leave your apartment to buy groceries in Colombia.
- Rappi: Delivers from Exito, Carulla, Jumbo, and hundreds of smaller stores. A personal shopper picks your items and delivers within 1-2 hours. Rappi Prime (20,000 COP/month) removes delivery fees. See our full delivery apps guide for more on Rappi, iFood, and Uber Eats.
- Exito.com and Carulla.com: Both have their own delivery service with scheduled time slots. Wider product selection online than browsing in-store sometimes.
- MercadoLibre: Colombia's Amazon. Search for specialty imported items you cannot find in stores — specific protein powder brands, American snacks, hot sauces, baking ingredients. Shipping takes 1-3 days in major cities.
- PriceSmart online: Limited delivery available in some cities. Check the app for availability in your area.
Money-Saving Tips
- Mix your stores: Buy staples (rice, eggs, milk, cleaning supplies) at D1 or Ara. Buy imports and specialty items at Carulla. Buy fresh produce at the plaza de mercado or fruver. No single store is best for everything.
- Check expiration dates on imports: Imported products sit in shipping containers and warehouses. Always check the expiration date, especially on dairy, sauces, and anything refrigerated.
- Learn to love local alternatives: Colombian cheese, tropical fruits, local hot sauces, and fresh-baked bread from panaderias are better and cheaper than their imported equivalents. Give them a real chance.
- Shop plazas de mercado for produce: The same tomatoes, avocados, and mangoes cost 50-70% less at the plaza than at Carulla or Exito.
- Use Rappi Prime: If you order groceries delivered more than 3 times per month, the 20,000 COP monthly fee pays for itself in saved delivery charges.
- Go early: Plazas de mercado and fruver shops get the freshest stock in the morning. By afternoon, the best produce is gone.
- Bring your own bags: Colombia charges for plastic bags (50-100 COP each). Reusable bags save money and hassle.