Caribbean Supermarkets & Grocery Prices

For a self-catering Caribbean trip, the supermarket can matter almost as much as the hotel. Grocery costs vary dramatically: Trinidad and the Dominican Republic have large domestic markets and relatively competitive prices, while Barbados, Anguilla, Cayman, Turks & Caicos and the British Virgin Islands can make an ordinary shopping basket feel surprisingly expensive.

The price ratings below are relative to the Caribbean, not to Germany, the United States or the UK. A “medium” Caribbean island can still feel expensive for imported European brands. Local produce, fish, regional brands and public markets can change the picture completely.

Relatively low
Large market, more local production or strong competition.

Medium
Imported products cost more, but everyday shopping remains manageable.

High
Import dependence is clearly visible in the bill.

Very high
Small wealthy/tourism market, heavy import dependence or difficult logistics.

The Best Major Supermarkets by Island

Island / territory	Main supermarkets worth knowing	Price level	CaribSurf assessment
Anguilla	Best Buy; J.W. Proctors	Very high	Full-service shopping is good for a small island, but most products arrive by ship. Selection is best shortly after deliveries.
Antigua	Epicurean; First Choice Foods; XPZ	High	Epicurean has the broadest imported selection; First Choice and XPZ are generally better for value.
Barbuda	No large full-service supermarket	Very high	Buy major supplies on Antigua when possible; the small population and transport costs limit choice.
Aruba	Super Food Plaza; Ling & Sons; CMart	High	Excellent selection of Dutch and U.S. goods, but most food is imported.
The Bahamas — Nassau	Super Value; Solomon's Fresh Market	Very high	Nassau has good selection, but imported food is expensive. Smaller Family Islands are usually even more costly.
Barbados	Massy Stores; Popular Discount; Jordan's; PriceSmart	Very high	One of the Caribbean's more expensive grocery destinations. Popular and Jordan's can beat Massy on everyday staples; markets help with local produce.
Bonaire	Van den Tweel; Warehouse; BonDiGro	High	Strong Dutch selection; imported European products can cost substantially more than in the Netherlands.
British Virgin Islands	RiteWay Food Markets; OneMart	Very high	Good provisioning on Tortola, but island logistics make food expensive. Outer islands have much less choice.
Cayman Islands	Foster's; Hurley's; Kirk Market	Very high	Excellent supermarket quality and choice, but one of the region's highest overall food-cost environments.
Cuba	State/MLC stores and local markets	Availability varies	The central problem is often stock, not choosing between supermarket chains. Travellers should not assume imported basics will be consistently available.
Curaçao	Mangusa Hyper; Centrum; Van den Tweel; Bon Bini	Medium to high	More supermarket competition than on many islands. Mangusa and local chains can be better value than premium Dutch-oriented stores.
Dominica	Whitchurch IGA Supercentre	Medium to high	Roseau and Portsmouth have the best full shops. Local produce can be good value compared with imported packaged food.
Dominican Republic	Nacional; Jumbo; La Sirena; Bravo	Relatively low	One of the best-value large Caribbean markets because of scale, domestic agriculture and strong competition.
Grenada	Real Value IGA; Foodland; Ram's	High	Real Value has one of the broadest ranges; local markets are useful for fruit, vegetables and spices.
Guadeloupe	Carrefour; Super U / Hyper U; E.Leclerc	High	French supermarket standards and excellent selection, but imported and branded goods can be costly.
Haiti	Large stores in Port-au-Prince/Pétion-Ville where operating	Availability varies	Security and supply conditions can change quickly. Use current local advice rather than relying on a static store recommendation.
Jamaica	MegaMart; Progressive Foods / Shoppers Fair; Hi-Lo	Medium	Large domestic market and local production keep many everyday foods below small-island prices, though imports can still be expensive.
Martinique	Carrefour; Hyper U; E.Leclerc	High	Broad French and European selection; local produce and regional brands can offer better value.
Montserrat	Local supermarkets and grocery stores	High	No hypermarket-scale choice. Provisioning depends on imported stock and delivery cycles.
Nevis	Ram's; Horsford's Valu Mart IGA; Best Buy	High	Good choice for the island's size, but imported products remain expensive.
Puerto Rico	Econo; SuperMax; Pueblo; Selectos	Medium	Large market, U.S. supply chains and competition make groceries generally better value than on most small islands.
Saba	Big Rock Market; Unique; My Store / local groceries	Very high	No large chain supermarket. Fresh stock depends heavily on deliveries, so shop when shipments arrive.
Saint Barthélemy	Super U and local gourmet supermarkets	Very high	Excellent French products and premium food, but prices match the island's luxury market.
Saint Kitts	Ram's; Horsford's Valu Mart IGA	High	Reasonably good selection for a small island, but imports dominate much of the basket.
Saint Lucia	Massy Stores; Super J IGA	Medium to high	Good full-size options around Castries, Rodney Bay and the south. Local produce helps reduce costs.
Saint Martin / Sint Maarten	Carrefour Market; Cost U Less; Super U on the French side	Medium to high	One of the better shopping islands because competition and cross-border supply create broad choice.
Saint Vincent	Massy Stores; Super J IGA; CK Greaves	Medium	Better value than many smaller Grenadine islands; provision here before sailing south.
The Grenadines	Small local supermarkets on Bequia / Union Island	High to very high	Choice drops sharply on the smaller islands. For a sailing trip, do the major shop in Saint Vincent, Grenada or Barbados.
St. Eustatius	Local supermarkets	High to very high	Small market dependent on imported deliveries; selection and fresh produce can vary.
Trinidad	Xtra Foods; Massy Stores; Tru Valu; PriceSmart	Relatively low	Among the better-value grocery markets in the Caribbean because of population size, competition and more local production. Massy is not always the cheapest.
Tobago	Penny Savers; larger supermarkets around Scarborough/Lowlands	Medium	Usually more expensive than Trinidad but still cheaper than many small tourist islands. Buy larger shops in the southwest.
Turks & Caicos	Graceway IGA; Graceway Gourmet	Very high	Providenciales has excellent supermarkets but very high import costs. Self-catering still saves money compared with restaurant prices.
U.S. Virgin Islands	Pueblo; The Market; Plaza Extra; Cost U Less	High	St. Thomas and St. Croix have reasonable choice, but imported goods are costly; price differences between stores can be substantial.

Why Barbados Feels So Expensive

Barbados has excellent supermarkets, but much of what a visitor recognises is imported. Recent local price-comparison tools show substantial variation even between supermarkets on the same island. Massy generally has a broad selection, while Popular Discount and Jordan's can be better for many basic items. PriceSmart can make sense for a family or long stay. The important point is that Barbados has good availability but not low prices.

Why Trinidad Is Usually Better Value

Trinidad's population, industrial base, domestic agriculture and supermarket competition create a very different market. Xtra Foods, Massy, Tru Valu, PriceSmart and numerous independent chains compete on the same island. Consumer surveys show meaningful price differences between stores, and Massy is not automatically the cheapest. Imported premium goods still cost money, but an ordinary local shopping basket is generally much easier on the budget than in Barbados or the smaller tourism islands.

The Islands Where Self-Catering Saves the Most

On Turks & Caicos, Cayman, Anguilla, the BVI and Saint Barthélemy, groceries are expensive, but restaurants are even more expensive. A villa kitchen can therefore still save a large amount. The calculation is different in Trinidad or the Dominican Republic, where both supermarkets and local restaurants can be relatively affordable.

Large Supermarket or Public Market?

Large supermarket	Best for imported products, household supplies, dairy, frozen food, packaged groceries and reliable card payment.
Public market	Often better for local fruit, vegetables, herbs, spices and sometimes fish or meat.
Roadside vendor	Can be excellent for seasonal produce and is often cheaper than imported supermarket fruit.
Warehouse club	PriceSmart and Cost U Less can work well for families, sailing crews and long stays, but pack sizes are large.

How to Cut the Grocery Bill

Buy local or regional brands instead of automatically choosing the brand you know from home.
Use public markets for fruit and vegetables that are actually in season.
On small islands, ask which day the supply boat arrives; fresh stock can change dramatically afterward.
Do the main shop on a larger island before sailing into the Grenadines or other small-island chains.
Check whether the apartment is genuinely close to a supermarket. Repeated taxis can erase the saving from a cheaper room.
Compare supermarkets: on Barbados and Trinidad, official or community price-comparison tools show that the cheapest store changes by product.

A Simple Regional Price Ranking

Usually easiest on the budget: Trinidad, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Jamaica. Middle group: Saint Vincent, Curaçao, Saint Lucia, Dominica and Tobago. Expensive: Aruba, Bonaire, Grenada, Antigua and the French Antilles. Very expensive: Barbados, Anguilla, Cayman Islands, Turks & Caicos, BVI, Saint Barthélemy and many small outer islands.