Quito - Post Report Question and Answers
How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Local produce and meats are quite affordable. And there are nearby farms that will deliver high-quality dairy and meat products if you order in advance via WhatsApp. Typical packaged goods, toiletries and items like dishwasher detergent and trash bags are definitely more expensive than the US. Dog food is very expensive, so we order it through the DPO. - Jul 2023
Groceries are a little more expensive than in the US. Produce is cheap if purchased at the small stands. There are several large American style grocery stores and also markets where you can get mostly everything you need. All the cleaning supplies are heavily perfumed. Any kind of clothing or electronic was very expensive and low quality. - Jul 2023
In the time we've been here, the grocery store has gotten more imported food products which has been nice but it's basically fine. Groceries are not terribly cheap - they're almost as expensive as a mid-range grocery store in the US like Giant. There are fruterias all over town where you can get inexpensive and fresh produce. - Jul 2019
For some things, more expensive, and anything packaged. Some produce not from Ecuador (blueberries, apples) tend to be more expensive. Many things are not of the same quality as the U.S. and people buy much of their supplies, food, toiletries, etc on Amazon or Walmart which arrive in about a week. There are fruit/vegetable markets and for locally grown items it is cheaper. When in doubt though, bring or buy from the U.S. - Jul 2018
As the economy gets worse, the cost of everything is going up. Fruits, vegetables, and meat tends to be a little less expensive than in the States but other products are more expensive. Paper and hygiene products are more expensive and poor quality. Liquor is heavily taxed. - Mar 2017
Groceries are surprisingly expensive but not much more than a major city in the USA. Availability of local items is consistent but imported items cannot always be relied upon. An item could be on the shelves one week and then not available ever again. Items from a home-goods store or garden supply store are much higher than in the USA. - Sep 2016
Artisan Market – occupying a city block, it has row after row of vendors selling clothing, chocolate, jewelry, trinkets, and other items. At the end of row six you’ll find the ice cream place, which has a variety of fruit-based desserts – yum! Mercado Iñaquitos - S0° 10.292' W78° 29.145' this is a large market, about a city block, which has a variety of vendors selling meats, produce, etc. It’s one of the cheaper places to purchase fruits and vegetables. It’s not geared towards tourists. Butcher Shops El Arbolito – is a deli shop that has decent cold cuts. They make good party platters. El Cordobes – is our favorite shop. They have two locations: one in Quito and another in Tumbaco. The Tumbaco store is their main one. They can vacuum-seal food, which makes storing things easier. They offer imported meat from Uruguay/Argentina and local cuts. Pretty much everything is good. Federer – we like their salami the best. Their products are sold in other locations like Supermaxi. Supermaxi – some people complain about the quality of meat, but we find it’s okay. Their lomo fino (tenderloin) is great and less expensive than El Cordobes. Swiss Corner – is near Ventura Mall in Tumbaco and has our favorite sausages. Their products are sold in a few other locations like a grocery store in La Esquina in Cumbaya. Bread stores Cyrano - is our go-to place for bread. We like their Sin Levadura in particular. They often have Italian-style ice cream under the brand Corfu as part of their stores. Jurgen – has two locations, one in Quito and the other just off the Cumbaya plaza. It’s a Dutch bakery and has very good bread. Try their tomato/basil rolls. - Aug 2015
Super cheap, but with ridiculous import restrictions recently imposed by the socialist, anti-American government lots of products disappear off the shelves and reappear randomly. It's a game of chance at the supermarket... Produce, meats, and seafood are all cheap and great quality. Imports are double the cost, especially liquor and wine. - Aug 2014
Most locally grown fruits and vegetables are quite cheap. Imported ones (apples, etc) are quite expensive. MegaMaxi has most everything you'd want. Ecuadorians love mozzarella based on the shelf space allotted it at the supermarket, but most other quality cheeses and ethnic foods are difficult to come by. - Jul 2012
It's easy to shop for groceries. There are several local markets around town - they can be pretty cheap for fruits and vegetables. The main grocery store is SuperMaxi and it stocks a large range of foods, including imports. If you want to buy imported food be prepared to pay twice what you'd pay for Ecuadorian made food (but sometimes it's worth it). Usually our grocery bills run about $350 per month for two people, but I think if you budget well you could spend less. - Jan 2011
My grocery bill has been about the same as in the U.S. Local items are less expensive and imported things more expensive, so it evens out. SuperMaxi is the major grocery chain and carries just about everything. They are increasingly carrying organics ranging from cereals and grains to fresh produce too. Fresh vegetables and fruits are abundant and delicious. It is difficult to find unscented soaps and laundry detergents, juices and baby foods that don't have added sugar, some ethnic and specialty foods (like colored sugar at Christmas). But the AERA commissary can special order items by the case or to stock on their shelves. I've noticed my grocery bill has increased about 30% in the past 6 months, so it remains to be seen whether prices will plateau or continue rising. - May 2010
This administration has highly taxed imported items, so local items are what you can buy at reasonable prices. Imported items are becoming more scarce and, if you can find what you want, it's very pricey! - Oct 2009
Supermarkets have everything you need, if not everything you want. Prices are more or less comparable to Washington, DC, although with markups on many imported goods. Fresh milk is almost unknown, although UHT milk is plentiful and not terribly expensive. Local markets are also available for cheaper produce, meat, etc. Specific brands and products sometimes come and go from store shelves. - Jan 2009
