Tijuana - Post Report Question and Answers
How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Easy access to groceries. Anything you can’t get in TJ can be found across the border in San Diego (relatively easy to cross), and Amazon deliveries are easy. - Oct 2024
Groceries are cheaper than the US, especially compared to D.C., but more expensive than the rest of Mexico. There are major local supermarkets: Soriana and Calimax. You can get most things there, and certain produce is definitely cheaper in Mexico. However, we found that we did more shopping in San Diego due to the better quality (especially of produce) and selection, and overall variety of stuff. We usually went to Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Sprouts etc., on the weekends. Thus, the cost of living is about the same as DC, however we get no COLA unlike other Mexico posts. In Tijuana, there is COSTCO, Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Home Depot, etc here, but again I found that COSTCO in the US was a better deal and more consistently stocked with the items that we needed. One can, however, get a COSTCO membership in Mexico and use it in the US: it is about 50% cheaper than the US membership with the only disadvantage being that one can’t use a Mexican membership to shop online on COSTCO’s US website. I think most consulate US citizen employees, and a lot of Mexicans as well, do a lot of shopping in San Diego on the weekends. - Apr 2023
Everything is available on both sides of the border, but prices differ. Food tends to be less expensive in Tijuana, while household supplies, electronics, clothing, etc. are less expensive in San Diego. WalMart and grocery stores are 10 minutes from the border, Target 15 minutes, and an outlet mall is right at the border in San Ysidro. - Nov 2017
Not less expensive than the U.S. Household items are more expensive and the quality is a lot worse. We bought most of that stuff on the other side. - May 2015
Fresh produce is cheaper in Mexico, while everything else is cheaper in the U.S. Officers tend to do the bulk of their grocery shopping on the U.S. side. - Mar 2015
They seem more expensive - I just shop across the border as the organic selection and prices are better. - Apr 2014
Groceries are 25% more than in the U.S. Prices for locally produced fruits and vegetables are cheaper than in U.S. - Feb 2014
You can get anything in San Diego. Tijuana doesn't offer as much variety and as good quality as what you can get in San Diego, though for standard stuff you need in a pinch, you don't need to cross the border. - Apr 2011
Groceries are comparable to the U.S. Depending on what I am looking for, I split my shopping between the Supermarkets here (Calimax and Soriana) and the grocery stores in the U.S. Produce is cheaper in Mexico and the quality is generally good. - Mar 2011
Almost identical to the U.S., but then again, a 15 minute drive will get you U.S. prices. - Dec 2010
The top-quality produce is shipped north, so you have to go to San Diego to get good Mexican strawberries. Costco and Walmart are both here and are slightly cheaper than in the US, with some difference in selection. - Aug 2010
About the same as DC and San Diego. Many Mexicans travel north to do shopping but Super Gigante comes across nicely (and clean). - Mar 2008
