# Samples of prices in Ensenada



## BajaRick16 (Aug 3, 2015)

This should be a light and fun topic...whenever I see the price for something in Mexico that is so much less than what I'm typically paying in the U.S. (San Jose, CA specifically), I get more excited about moving and living there. I've done lots of research, but specific examples, particularly for Ensenada, are a little hard to come by, or are outdated.

So - I thought I would just ask those who live there - or thereabouts - what their experiences are with regard to some common things I would buy...and this would also help out a friend of a friend who is also looking to move to the Ensenada area.

So, please don't feel compelled to provide answers for all items....even one is helpful. Thanks in advance. Feel free to provide any answers in either Dollars or Pesos, pounds, or kilos...I can do the math. 

Apples
Avocados
Peaches or Nectarines
Blackberries
Blueberries
Bananas
Carrots
Potatoes (for Baked Potatoes)
Lettuce (Romaine?)
Bell Peppers (red, green,yellow?
White or Yellow onions
Tomatoes
Garlic
Milk (Organic 0%?)
Whole Wheat bread
Bottle of Kahlua
Six pack of Pacifico, Sol, or XX
Fresh Jumbo shrimp
Bottle of L.A. Cetto Cabernet

Thanks much!


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

Yo Rick, you could go to a large markets website ( like Mega,Soreina) and look at their ads for the week..


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## BajaRick16 (Aug 3, 2015)

chicois8 said:


> Yo Rick, you could go to a large markets website ( like Mega,Soreina) and look at their ads for the week..



Great advice. I'll search for their websites...Thanks!

Trying to find if they have a website...no luck yet.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

chicois8 said:


> Yo Rick, you could go to a large markets website ( like Mega,Soreina) and look at their ads for the week..


Great idea for general information. I find the mercados are usually a little cheaper and fresher than the big stores for fruits and vegetables, but for what he is doing, the difference is in the noise.


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## BajaRick16 (Aug 3, 2015)

TundraGreen said:


> Great idea for general information. I find the mercados are usually a little cheaper and fresher than the big stores for fruits and vegetables, but for what he is doing, the difference is in the noise.


Found a website with their prices.
http://www1.soriana.com/site/default.aspx?p=10823


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

You can also go to walmart mx........


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## BajaRick16 (Aug 3, 2015)

Looking more for fruits and vegetables....don't think I would shop there for groceries. Thanks.


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## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

BajaRick16 said:


> Looking more for fruits and vegetables....don't think I would shop there for groceries. Thanks.


Actually, we find WalMart grocery prices can be very competitive, especially on Tuesdays.


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## BajaRick16 (Aug 3, 2015)

coondawg said:


> Actually, we find WalMart grocery prices can be very competitive, especially on Tuesdays.


Thanks. Interesting...didn't even know Walmart sold groceries( fruits and vegetables) ...almost never go there. I will look to see if they have Farmer's markets like they do where I live now. I think it would be more fun to shop where the locals do for best prices.


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## WintheWin (Jul 15, 2015)

Locals go to where it's cheapest.
Ley and Soriana are also Wal-Mart esque stores, where many families shop.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Department stores sometimes have items that you do not find locally. If I want sometimes decent artichokes in Chiapas I buy hem in the supermarket as they are sold for medecine at the market and are way too old to eat. You also find some fruit and veggies that you do not see at the market but for freshness of local products you cannot beat the mercado.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

BajaRick16 said:


> Thanks. Interesting...didn't even know Walmart sold groceries( fruits and vegetables) ...almost never go there. I will look to see if they have Farmer's markets like they do where I live now. I think it would be more fun to shop where the locals do for best prices.


There are traditional _mercados_ in every nook and cranny of Mexico, even in the heart of Mexico City, where I live. You'll find Mexicans shopping in them as well as in the kind of supermarkets you are used to in the States.


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## buzzbar (Feb 9, 2013)

I'm wondering if Ensenada is pretty similar to up the road in Tijuana. There's a Monday morning market at Playas de Tijuana, with about 200 stalls - about ten are large fruit and veg places, along with various smaller, organic, boutiquey type joints. I've noticed that in the large F & V places the prices are consistently around half that charged by the three local supermarkets (Calimax, Walmart and Mega.) Some prices by memory or looking at a recent receipt: tomatoes - 18 pesos kilo supermarket, 8 pesos kilo market, Gala apples, 20 / 10, mushrooms 79 / 36, potatoes 14 / 8, papaya 14 / 6, bananas 12 / 8, grapes 35 / 20.


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## BajaRick16 (Aug 3, 2015)

buzzbar said:


> I'm wondering if Ensenada is pretty similar to up the road in Tijuana. There's a Monday morning market at Playas de Tijuana, with about 200 stalls - about ten are large fruit and veg places, along with various smaller, organic, boutiquey type joints. I've noticed that in the large F & V places the prices are consistently around half that charged by the three local supermarkets (Calimax, Walmart and Mega.) Some prices by memory or looking at a recent receipt: tomatoes - 18 pesos kilo supermarket, 8 pesos kilo market, Gala apples, 20 / 10, mushrooms 79 / 36, potatoes 14 / 8, papaya 14 / 6, bananas 12 / 8, grapes 35 / 20.


Thanks Buzzbar. I'll find out next month when I do a prelim. visit for a week. I did see that Ensenada has a Farmer's market.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

BajaRick16 said:


> Thanks Buzzbar. I'll find out next month when I do a prelim. visit for a week. I did see that Ensenada has a Farmer's market.


In most places there are permanent fixed mercados that are open every day of the week. Then there are mobile tianguis that visit different neighborhoods on different days. In my neighborhood there is a permanent Mercado that is always there. Then on Thursdays it is supplemented by stands that come in for the day. Nearby there are several places that have tianguis on different days of the week.

Last time I was in Spain, I noticed that all of the villages have a market day. Mexico must have inherited the tradition from there. In Spain, they prohibit selling on the street except on Market day. Mexico didn't hear about that part of the tradition, I guess. Fortunately, in my opinion.


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## mes1952 (Dec 11, 2012)

Walmart is usually NOT the cheapest store at least here in Baja esp. produce and the produce is no better than anywhere else here. I shop at different stores every week; sometimes Walmart if I need hard-to-find items and sometimes Commercial Mexicana has more hard-to-find items than Walmart. Most "farmers markets" here in Ensenada are called "swap meets" rather than farmers markets. In Rosarito and Tijuana they have a different name, sobre ruedas. So names you use in the U.S. more than likely will be different in Mexico (good reason to improve your Spanish). Also you will find if you shop around frequently that prices vary week to week depending on the market. Once you settle into a specific area then you will be able to find the markets esp. if you are able to speak Spanish. A study done a year or two ago rated Walmart at the most expensive store in Baja so don't think prices (and quality) will be the same as in the U.S. This is why it is so important when you move to an area and really explore and get out of your comfort zone.


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## mes1952 (Dec 11, 2012)

Sometimes prices are less here in the Ensenada area as it is closer to San Quintin where much of the produce is grown. Also the Maneadero area south of Ensenada is an agricultural area as well. Because TJ is closer to the border probably prices higher than going south.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

TundraGreen said:


> Last time I was in Spain, I noticed that all of the villages have a market day. Mexico must have inherited the tradition from there. In Spain, they prohibit selling on the street except on Market day. Mexico didn't hear about that part of the tradition, I guess. Fortunately, in my opinion.


I suspect that the tradition of each village having one day of the week as a market day dates to pre-Hispanic times. That's why they have the Nahuatl name of "tianguis", at least in areas of the country once dominated by the Mexica.


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## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

BajaRick16 said:


> I think it would be more fun to shop where the locals do for best prices.


One thing for sure, WalMart, Soriana, Ley, Mega, HEB, Sam's, etc. would not be selling groceries if the locals did not buy lots from them. Only the poorer Mexicans can't afford to buy at these stores.


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## BajaRick16 (Aug 3, 2015)

*Muchas Gracias*

Thanks everyone for posting all the choices I should have available to me in Ensenada. I will have my work cut out for me to visit most/all suggestions, and it will give me ample opportunity to practice my Spanish which I am studying every day.


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## angel22 (Aug 9, 2015)

Mexican families living on much lower income than expats tend to buy fruit and vegetables in season sometimes right off the transport trucks before it gets to a store, buy meat from local butchers, buy fish from local fishermen and sometimes raise a few chickens in their patio.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

angel22 said:


> Mexican families living on much lower income than expats tend to buy fruit and vegetables in season sometimes right off the transport trucks before it gets to a store, buy meat from local butchers, buy fish from local fishermen and sometimes raise a few chickens in their patio.


And don't forget the staples - tortillas and beans can make a limited budget stretch a long way. Fortunately I (and my family) happen to really like tortillas and beans, so I always figure if worse comes to worst, we can survive a long time on this pre-Columbian diet.


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## BajaRick16 (Aug 3, 2015)

A member in another forum sent me this link to the published ads for Calimax. This pretty much answers my questions. Also - found out about the "swap meets," particularly the weekly one at Maneadero. Great stuff....


Calimax.com - El Mandado Se Dice Calimax - Bienvenidos


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## mes1952 (Dec 11, 2012)

Once you are settled in Mexico, you will discover that much of the produce is priced according to the season, i.e., prices will be higher if the produce is out of season. Also prices vary store to store depending on the promotion of the week. This week I found variations of bananas from 14.90mxn to 9mxn depending on the store. 
There are some items that are consistently lower priced than the U.S. such as herbal teas which are all produced in Mexico; they range from $2USD plus per pkg less than in the U.S. for the same exact product. Usually if the product is made in Mexico (or another country with a trade agreement) it is cheaper than in the U.S.


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## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

I found Mexican beer on sale in the US cheaper than here (except right now).


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## ZaPatton (Aug 17, 2015)

BajaRick16 said:


> A member in another forum sent me this link to the published ads for Calimax. This pretty much answers my questions. Also - found out about the "swap meets," particularly the weekly one at Maneadero. Great stuff....
> 
> 
> Calimax.com - El Mandado Se Dice Calimax - Bienvenidos


Best thing is ask a Mexican Mother where she shops 9/10 she will lead you to the cheapest spots.


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## BajaRick16 (Aug 3, 2015)

ZaPatton said:


> Best thing is ask a Mexican Mother where she shops 9/10 she will lead you to the cheapest spots.


Since I posed this question, I was fortunate to find a place to rent and it is from a Mexican Mother. Getting really good local advice now. Thanks.


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## ZaPatton (Aug 17, 2015)

BajaRick16 said:


> Since I posed this question, I was fortunate to find a place to rent and it is from a Mexican Mother. Getting really good local advice now. Thanks.


Do you miss san jose??


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## BajaRick16 (Aug 3, 2015)

ZaPatton said:


> Do you miss san jose??


Haven't left yet. I'm sure I will miss some things but looking forward to living on the ocean for a price that i could never afford here.


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## ZaPatton (Aug 17, 2015)

BajaRick16 said:


> Haven't left yet. I'm sure I will miss some things but looking forward to living on the ocean for a price that i could never afford here.


I bet much cheaper than santa cruz and monterey. And you will be eating at some real taquerias!!


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## BajaRick16 (Aug 3, 2015)

Now that I have been here for 10 days...I have learned much as to where to shop. Favorites are Walmart, Calimax, the "swap meets," and a couple of local fruit vendors. Costco was also pretty awesome for certain things.


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