Frankfurt - Post Report Question and Answers
How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
We shop at the local grocery stores for most everything. Metro is great for bulk purchases but also for fresh produce and regular groceries. Rewe and Penny are convenient. We make a monthly run to the commissary for steaks, ribs, Amy's frozen meals, individually packaged seaweed, sharp cheddar cheese sticks, and sometimes soft American toilet paper. In my opinion, on the local economy, produce and packaged foods are healthier and either comparable or less expensive. Meat is more expensive. Pork is very high quality. We prefer to purchase beef at the commissary. - Aug 2023
You can find just about anything that you need on the local economy, but groceries are very expensive. You will not save any money at this post. At the time the US dollar was very weak in comparison to the Euro so the difference over the years of the sheer cost of things was mind blowing. Thankfully if you have certain dietary needs, you can find things GF, dairy-free, vegan, etc., at many grocery stores. - Oct 2022
Availability was great, costs were on-par or cheaper than most stores in the States. - Feb 2022
Groceries can be bought at the Commissary (35-45 drive minutes away) or at the local stores. You can find pretty much anything you want at Rewe, plus a whole lot of interesting things you may not have tried before. Prices seemed to be about the same as Washington, DC, except beef was much more expensive (but beer was much cheaper)! - Oct 2021
Widely available; not much more than Washington DC, and consulate employees have access to the commissary in Wiesbaden. - Sep 2020
You can find just about everything on the economy. However what you don't find you do have base privileges and can purchase from the commissary or PX. - Mar 2020
Basically the same as in the US - everything is available. In addition, we have access to the commissary and PX. - Mar 2020
Most groceries are less expensive than in NoVa. The exceptions are ethnic foods and beef. Both of those are available and affordable in Wiesbaden at the Commissary, for reasonable prices. - Feb 2020
Anything you could want. This is a modern European city. Prices about the same as a large city in the U.S. If you're with the Consulate, you can use the PX at the base about 30 minutes away. Not much difference in prices but a good selection of American brands. - Sep 2019
Availability is great. Produce is cheap and plentiful. Dairy products, eggs, and chicken in line with US prices. Beef is expensive, pork is cheap. Ordinary US brands can be hard to find and expensive, but as of 2018 we still had access to the Commissary in Wiesbaden. That may change, so if it matters check first. - Apr 2019
Less expensive than DC by far, plus the commissary is only 30-40 minutes away. - Sep 2017
Less variety but not bad. Everything but beer and wine are more expensive in Germany. - Jan 2017
Nearly everything you could want is available on the economy or at the commissary/PX in Wiesbaden, a 30 minute drive away. Costs are similar to the USA. - Aug 2016
Pretty much everything is available. Buying household supplies without a modicum of German can be a bit daunting at first, but you get used to it. The incredible variety of cheese is initially terrifying. You can't swing a cat without hitting a sausage link in this country. Cooks will love the place. - Feb 2016
About the same if purchased at the Commissary in Wiesbaden, maybe a bit higher if purchased at German stores, though selection and prices are still good. - Dec 2015
There is a commissary and PX about 30 minute's drive away. The commissary isn't the greatest but does the job. Local grocery stores are plentiful, with cost similiar (or a tad higher) than DC-area prices. - Jun 2014
Very cheap because of the ability to use the Commissary. Great local grocery stores as well. We have not found it too prohibitive at all. Just have to be a smart shopper. You can also order stuff through Amazon and other vendors on-line. Costco, etc. - Mar 2014
Everything you may want is available here but it may cost more than in the USA. The brands are European as well. - Nov 2013
Pretty cheap if you shop on base. - Apr 2012
Thirty percent more than DC, but you can shop on the base 20 minutes away. - Mar 2012
Everything is available, again, it's Western Europe. If you are affiliated with the Consulate the you will be able to shop at the base which is much cheaper than German stores. - Oct 2011
Grocery shopping is good here. It's expensive, but their are two grocery stores within a 10 minute walk. They have everything you need. There is a commisary for Consulate and military folks, but it's a 40 minute drive each way. Not very convienent. - Jul 2010
Everything is available, it just costs more. Go to the commisarys on the military bases to stock up on U.S. staples, but buy your produce from the many local markets for fresh food at better prices. - Jul 2008
Everything is available. The military bases have all the products one might need. - Feb 2008
We buy most of our groceries at the base because of our tastes and the euro/dollar rate. We sometimes buy a few things at the nice market nearby, but they are more expensive. - Jan 2008
