By David Simmonds 

One of the coolest aspects to living in Mexico is that there are small tiendas everywhere that don’t look remotely like the ubiquitous 7-eleven on every other corner north of the border. They are family-run, friendly, funky and essential to every neighborhood. When you require a large grocery purchase with a wide variety to choose from, the chain stores, which are now plentiful in areas where expats settle, carry everything you will need. Many have their own bakery, tortilleria, food deli, and ATM’s. And the prices, if you buy domestic products, are relatively inexpensive.

Here is a short list of grocery store prices from a recent trip to a mainland town on the coast, in an area where fruits and vegetables are grown. More remote areas, like most of the Baja peninsula can be nearly double these prices, due primarily to transportation costs. I have converted the prices to U.S. dollars and kilos to pounds.

Whole Chicken $0.80 per pound

Ground beef $1.75 per pound

Sirloin $2.33 per pound

Pork chops $1.95 per pound

Bacon $3.25 per pound

Milk $0.56 per liter

Eggs $0.90 per dozen

Cereal- Cornflakes $0.90 box

Cheese $2.77 per pound

Beans $0.24 per pound

Bread loaf-sliced $0.79

Bolillos (rolls) $0.10 per roll

Sugar $0.40 per pound

Mayonnaise jar $1.23 24 oz. jar

Fresh fish filet $1.36 per pound

Butter $1.50 per pound

Oranges $0.20 per pound

Mango $0.34 per pound

Tomatoes $0.88 per pound

Can tomatoes $0.79 12 oz. can

Beer – Corona $2.90 per six-pack

Rum – domestic $6.00 per liter

Beach sunset – Priceless