If you’re planning a self-catering holiday, and want to know what to buy in a Spanish Supermarket then check out this supermarket video tour below of one of Spain’s most popular chains, Mercadona.
This article will also be helpful if you’re thinking of moving to Mallorca or if you’re thinking of booking a holiday to the island and would like to know the cost of living. So if you want to know the cost of essential food and drink items, then this post will help give you an idea.
There are several supermarkets in Mallorca. The food hall in the department store El Corte Ingles is the top end of the price range.
Euroski supermarkets are popular in most towns but can be quite pricey, especially the “city” mini-supermarkets.
There are also some Aldi and Lidel supermarkets which have given the island much cheaper options for shopping.
Carrefour is a huge supermarket and is also mid-priced and there are two main supermarkets in Palma.
However, I visited Mercadona which is a mid-way supermarket and one of the biggest is in Son Caliu near Palmanova.
Because of the high level of expats the supermarket does stock many English products.
Don’t expect to find the same products in every Mercadona supermarket in Majorca. Where you go depends on the resident population.
So while in Son Caliu you may find some English products, you may not find the same in say Inca.
Know what you’re buying
If you don’t speak Spanish then I recommend downloading the Google Translate app as I demonstrated in the video below.
Check out the app from the Google app store here, or from the iPhone store here to find out the ingredients or name of the products before you buy.
Just hover the app over the ingredients or name of the product you are buying to get an automatic translation.
This is particularly important if you have an intolerance to certain ingredients.
The Cost of Essentials in Mallorca *
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, Mallorca has become more expensive to shop. And prices in supermarkets have risen.
However, it is still cheaper to shop here then many other countries in Northern Europe.
Mercadona also stocks some popular UK products in some of it’s supermarkets, such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Cadbury’s chocolates, but it is still cheaper to buy locally made or Spanish products.
Fruit and veg that is in-season and grown on the island is going to be a lot cheaper than imported products.
Vegetarian food in Mercadona
When I first arrived in Mallorca, it was extremely difficult to find vegetarian food in Mercadona. Today they sell meat substitutes including alternative chicken-style fillets, veggie burgers as well as tofu.
You can watch more about the pros and cons of living in Mallorca here.
Here is an approximate cost of key products in Mercadona.
The Cost of Food *
The most popular items are:
- Jamon Serrano – 120 g – 2,19€
- Cheese Slices: 1€
- Cheddar Cheese 2,45€
- Jamon York 500h – 1,99€
- Cured Jamon leg 30€
- A whole chicken: 5,45€
- Pack of Chicken Breasts 3,50€
- Jar of babyfood – 1,15€
- Veggie meat substitutes – 2,40€
- Cheddar cheese 2,20€
- Litre of milk – 95c
- Baguette 45c
- Pack Iberico sliced sausage 1,95€
The Cost of Alcohol *
Alcohol is also quite inexpensive. Here are the approximate costs:
- Average cost of a bottle of red wine: 3,50€
- Average cost of a bottle of white wine: 2,15€
- Freixenet Cava 4,50€
- Beer – pack of 6 small bottles: 3,10€
- Gin – 13,00€
- Vodka 8,75€
- Baileys- 11,99€
- Tunel Hierbas 10,10€
The Cost of Toiletries *
- Pack of 6 loo rolls – 2,15€
- Bottle shower gel – 1 €
- Bottle shampoo – 1€
- Tube toothpaste – 1,99€
- Surgical face masks x 10 – 1€
- FFP2 face masks x 3 – 1,50€
The Cost of Cleaning Products*
- Bottle washing up liquid – 95c
- Laundry liquid – 5,60€
- Bottle bleach – 1,30€
* All costs are approximate
For a quick look what to buy in a Spanish supermaket, check the video below for more prices bearing in mind this was filmed in Summer 2021. But this video will give you an idea what you can expect to pay.
