Baja Food Price Survey - Compare to Your Hometown
There is a new low price sheriff in town but, with more grocery chains to select from in Baja Sur, the difference between the low price winner and the high price loser has nearly double that of our Spring 2011 survey.
On December 10, 2011 we took our shopping list of 22 staple food items to the major grocery chain stores in La Paz, Baja California Sur. Our first Insider Baja Food Price Survey was done in March of 2011.
Things certainly have changed since I arrived in La Paz a little over a decade ago and the number of supermarkets has grown explosively. Aramburo's Market was established in the 1920's on Calle Madero after silver began to run out in El Triunfo and the Aramburo family relocated to the smaller, but growing city of La Paz. The Centro Commercial California or CCC local supermarket established over a century ago in the pearling business brought the next evolution of grocery shopping with two "supermarket" locations to Baja Sur in the 80's. Ley's opened two supermarkets just eight years ago and were the first of the spacious American style multi-markets to open in La Paz. Soriana locations came along about 7 years ago and this evolution brought the wine, deli and bakery sections so popular in northern supermarkets along with the introduction of frequent shopper points cards. Then came Walmart and the gringos flocked in for familiar brands.
In the past year we have seen the end of CCC, which was replaced by Chedrauri and the opening of the Mega Store and Bodega Aurrera (a Walmart Company) and each store now has at least 2 locations in La Paz and another in San Jose del Cabo or Cabo San Lucas. At the "Cola de Ballena' (Whale Tale) shopping district being developed at the west side of La Paz you can find all these chains in locations within 2 miles of each other.
This new survey is a little more scientific in the selection, brands and quantities to more accurately reflect a real shopping bill. We selected some brands for continuity between store chains, such as FUD bacon and deli products. When shopping these are not my first choice, but were available at all the chains for fair comparison. When a brand was not specified such as with milk, we selected the lowest price in that store for comparison.
Since I am not a loyal chain shopper, I have frequented each of these chains many times. I tend to shop the store closest to where I call home, where my path takes me for that given day, or if I need a specific item only available at one store.
Statistics show that most folks shop the store closest to home, regardless of price, and in most cases the time and gas more than covers the difference in prices, unless of course the most expensive store is the one closest to you. Our various supermarkets in La Paz vary in price almost as much as they vary in presentation and what additional products they carry.
We did not include the Aramburo Markets. The oldest market in La Paz was established in the 1920's when silver began to run out in El Triunfo and Sr Aramburo moved his family to La Paz. The original location is on Madero, and is affectionately known as 'The Cow Store" for the huge Angus hanging over the entry. The Cabo store in downtown Cabo varies dramatically from the prices in La Paz. Duh!
Winter 2011 Grocery Price Survey Winners & Losers
For the Price Comparison Chart click here
#1 – Comercial Mexicana / Mega Stores (Not in last years survey)
Mega is the newest addition to La Paz shopping, but there has been a Mega Store in San Jose del Cabo for many years now. Comercial Mexicana is an umbrella company that also includes Costco Mexico. Like Walmart they have a very broad selection of products other than grocery items, from towels to car batteries. They have a decent foreign foods section and a fair wine selection.
#2 – Chedraui - (last year #1)
Chedraui has probably has the best selection of the gringo brands and premium quality products, but this is NOT true at all locations. They seem to have a transport or inventory management problem, being out of key items like all chicken, fresh bread or ground beef for hours, sometimes days. The wine sections vary dramatically from locations to location.
#3 – Soriana more expensive, but if you use your card... (last year #3)
The 'anchor' store in both the La Paz and Cabo locations, and now with a new location at the "Cola de Ballena". Soriana's represented the first huge multi-store in both cities. The last store with an effective points program, you do have to know how to use the points to benefit. When we applied the discounts from my points card they moved much closer to 2nd place in our low price survey. They have a 
wide selection of dry goods, however I have found many of their products below my standards, particularly clothing. Often it is the cheapest crap the buyer could find.
I also have the reoccurring problem of never finding the same product on different visits.
Soriana also offers online shopping with home delivery within a specified radius of their stores. Most of La Paz is covered, here in CostaBaja we are not. The prices on some items was less than that in the stores. In some items only premium choices were available.
#4 – Ley- Something is slipping (last year #2)
Locals refer to Ley's as 'the poor peoples store'. Honestly I have no idea why, except for maybe their location in the city. The stores were just as clean and well stocked. Wine selections were very limited and the focus in the alcohol section was on beer. Produce was the best of the markets on the day we walked the isles.Leys are grocery stores with some dry goods, not of impressive quality to be sure. All the other stores in our survey had more 'other' products. They have the fewest 'gringo brands'.
Walmart - The Baja Price Gouger at nearly 15% higher. (last year dead last too)
The most expensive of our entries, they also have the best selection of dry good. In the states Walmart quality is OK, here the dry goods quality was probably the best. . They have a good selection of gringo brands. The store layout will be familiar to most north Americans but you will find fewer of the Walmart de branded products as money savers.
So what does it mean?
Let us presume that the price comparison is across the board on all grocery products. This is a flawed assumption of course, but on your $1000 peso bill, that is only $150 pesos or about $11USD. Over the course of a year that is about a free months worth of groceries if you switch from the highest priced store to the most affordable.
A final note: Shopping sale items makes all the difference in the world, but only on the big ticket items. Look for sales flyers that promote good values on meats and chicken, bags of dog food and other pricey items you buy. Saving a few cents on canned items or a kilo of frijoles doesn't add up to a hill of beans. 
All prices were taken from the shelf prices and register tapes on 12/10/11. Prices are in Mexican Pesos
Mega |
Chedraui |
Soriana |
Ley's |
Walmart |
|
Dozen Eggs |
$18.25 |
$34.39 |
$25.50 |
$23.50 |
$22.00 |
1kg Hamburger 80/20 |
$56.80 |
$66.41 |
$49.00 |
$82.90 |
$104.90 |
Whole Chicken /Kg |
$33.00 |
$32.00 |
$32.90 |
$22.50 |
$32.90 |
1 gallon Milk |
$48.46 |
$46.50 |
$46.00 |
$46.50 |
$46.00 |
1kg Cheese Manchego |
$118.40 |
$108.90 |
$119.90 |
$115.90 |
$118.00 |
500g Iberia Margarine |
$27.55 |
$28.00 |
$32.00 |
$32.50 |
$20.00 |
1kg FUD Virginia Ham |
$81.25 |
$90.00 |
$119.00 |
$88.90 |
$83.60 |
500g FUD Bacon |
$23.96 |
$38.50 |
$36.90 |
$38.50 |
$36.90 |
1kg Wheat Flour |
$8.75 |
$8.30 |
$10.10 |
$13.25 |
$10.00 |
1kg Sugar White |
$20.00 |
$21.90 |
$13.10 |
$24.00 |
$20.90 |
16oz Jar Best Foods Mayo |
$20.00 |
$18.00 |
$22.00 |
$25.65 |
$21.85 |
1lt Bottle 123 Corn Oil |
$22.10 |
$23.65 |
$24.90 |
$26.00 |
$23.65 |
6 Pk Corona Beer |
$53.45 |
$59.40 |
$54.00 |
$63.00 |
$59.70 |
2lt Bottle Coke |
$13.25 |
$16.71 |
$15.00 |
$19.00 |
$18.70 |
950g Frosted Flakes |
$32.90 |
$42.90 |
$42.00 |
$46.85 |
$42.00 |
250g Marino Ground Coffee |
$46.04 |
$49.75 |
$48.00 |
$36.90 |
$59.70 |
1lt Jumex Mandarina Juice |
$14.95 |
$16.66 |
$16.70 |
$15.90 |
$13.00 |
12 Bread Fresh Bollios |
$13.20 |
$10.80 |
$10.80 |
$13.20 |
$14.40 |
1kg Roma Tomatoes |
$10.90 |
$10.38 |
$12.95 |
$16.50 |
$14.90 |
1 Head Lettuce |
$7.90 |
$7.44 |
$9.95 |
$7.50 |
$9.90 |
1kg White Onions |
$17.90 |
$10.63 |
$17.98 |
$16.50 |
$18.50 |
Total |
$689.01 |
$741.22 |
$758.68 |
$775.45 |
$791.50 |
|
WINNER |
+7.58% |
+10.11% |
+12.55% |
+14.87% |