There are different supermarkets chains in Madrid. I put together a list of my favorite ones and wrote a little explanation to give you some local knowledge about grocery shopping in Spain.
In this post, I haven’t mentioned how much things cost, you can check cost of living in Madrid for that.
1. Mercadona
Mercadona is my favorite of them all. They have some quality products and it’s easy to find what you are looking for, everything follows an order and it’s stored and organized on shelves.
Every Mercadona has a fish market to get some fresh fish and also a butcher’s. There is usually a guy cutting some ham on the spot in case you want to get some good jamón serrano at a lower price.
Another of my favorite things at Mercadona is the juicer.
Mercadona has its own brand “Hacendado” which is cheaper than the others and can save you some bucks.
Some Mercadonas have a stand of take-out food. They have paella, tortilla and some other Spanish dishes ready to take home.
The only downside about Mercadona is that there are only a few in Madrid city center—although they keep opening new ones.
Anyways, if you are like me and love this supermarket you can get the food delivered to your house paying a little extra—about 5€. They also do online shopping.
2. Carrefour
If you are or have already been to Madrid, you probably know this supermarket. There are many in the center of Madrid and they have different stores depending on the purpose they fulfill.
Carrefour 24h:
As you might have inferred from the name, they are open 24h, and for this reason, the products will be a little bit more expensive than in other Carrefour options. That’s the price you have to pay for convenience.
Carrefour Express:
They are smaller than regular ones and they have a wider schedule. They are usually opened until 11:00 p.m.
Tip: you can’t buy any alcohol after 10:00 p.m.
I like to go to Carrefour Express whenever I need something in particular and everything is closed—they also open on Sundays (some supermarkets are closed). Same as in Carrefour 24h, you’ll pay a little bit more for convenience.
Carrefour:
There is a bigger Carrefour usually located on the outskirts of Madrid. This would be similar to Target but smaller. Along with your groceries you can also buy clothes, silverware, and some lotions and other pharmaceutical products.
3. Día
This is my least favorite grocery store in Madrid, however, it was the only one I was doing my grocery shopping at for a few years. Why? The answer is it was close to where I lived.
What I don’t like about Día is that you don’t get the feeling of being in a clean place. It’s messy and sometimes they run out of things early.
Something good about Día is that they are refurbishing new stores to make them look nicer and cleaner. I guess it’s still an option if it’s super close to you.
4. Ahorramas
Ahorramas reminds of Mercadona but not as nice.
I would say it would rank between Mercadona and Día. They have good fruit, fresh fish and meat.
Ahorramas supermarkets open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and they are closed on Sundays.
However, some supermarkets in Madrid are opened till 11:00 p.m., like Carrefour Express, or even 24h like Carrefour Market. They come in handy for last-minute things, when we need something and everything else is closed.
5. Lidl
This German supermarket has seasonal produce throughout the year. They sell clothes, kitchen utensils and even gardening tools. I like to go and check every now and then to see if there’s anything useful.
I love their cookies, try them if you have the chance!
6. Aldi
Aldi is another German supermarket which is similar to Lidl. They follow the same policies of hard discount.
7. Supercore
There are not many Supercores in Madrid, I only know a few.
They are small supermarkets like Carrefour Express but with better quality products. Therefore expect to pay a little bit more than at Carrefour Express. I hardly ever go to Supercore so there’s no much I can say about it.
8. El Corte Inglés
El Corte Inglés is one of the most expensive supermarkets in Madrid. They are in some of the Corte Inglés buildings.
I go to El Corte Inglés to get some products that would be difficult to find anywhere else, like Ginger Beer for making Moscow mules.
9. Simply
This supermarket is similar to Supercore, because everything is organized and clean. They usually have a butcher’s and a fish market and the prices are a little higher than in other supermarkets in Madrid. There are not many Simply stores in the city, but they are worth visiting.
10. Costco
There are two Costcos in Madrid, but you’ll need a car to get there since they are in the outskirst.
At Costco you’ll find some American products and brands. They have a lot of ready meals like quesadillas, sushi, etc.
Tip 1: In some supermarkets like Carrefour, you are expected to weigh the fruit and vegetables and put a sticker on them for the cashier.
Tip 2: You’ll have to pay for plastic bags, so it’s better to get reusable ones.
Tip3: Once you have the bags and have paid for the groceries, you’ll have to bag everything yourself while the cashier starts throwing the next person groceries next to your groceries. I know sometimes it can be overwhelming, but you’ll get used to it and it doesn’t feel as stressful later.
