Shopping in Playa del Carmen
Groceries, the big stores, pharmacies we trust and delivery apps, from Avalon del Sol on Calle 26 in Centro.
Groceries close to the condo
- 7-Eleven at Calle 26 Norte and Avenida 10, the end of our block. Walk out the Quadra Alea gate, turn left, and it's at the next corner. Water, snacks, beer and the basics.
- OXXO convenience stores are on nearly every block.
- Chedraui Selecto on Avenida 10 at Calle 34, a few blocks up past the Mario Villanueva sports complex. A full supermarket with a good deli, bakery and imported foods.
The big stores
Worth one trip early in a longer stay. Take a ride; they're too far to carry bags home.
- Walmart on Avenida 30 near Calle 8. Groceries, household things and cheap beach gear.
- Mega Soriana on Avenida 30 at Constituyentes.
- Sam's Club on the highway at Juárez, beside Chedraui, for stocking up on a month-long stay. You need a Sam's membership (a U.S. one works).
Store hours change; check Google Maps before you go.
Pharmacies
Use the big Mexican chains. Pharmacists there can help with everyday things, and many have a doctor next door for a quick, cheap consult.
- Farmacias del Ahorro
- Farmacias Similares (Dr. Simi), the cheapest for generics, with a doctor's office at most branches
- Farmacias Yza
- Farmacias Guadalajara and San Pablo
Avoid the pharmacies on 5th Avenue that advertise to tourists. They charge several times the going price, some sell fakes, and in December 2025 the authorities shut five of them down for selling counterfeit pills and prescription drugs without prescriptions. If a pharmacy has signs in English offering "no prescription needed", walk on.
Delivery
Rappi, Uber Eats and DiDi Food all deliver in Playa. Rappi also brings groceries and pharmacy orders. You can download these apps on your phone before you arrive; sign up with your own phone number. Guests get the exact delivery address, and how to let the driver through the gate, in their guest guide.
5th Avenue
Fun to walk, but most of what's sold on 5th is the same souvenirs at tourist prices. Look past the shop fronts for the bakeries, cafés and side-street places, and bargain at the stalls.