Chile has several large supermarket chains. Some feel very familiar if you’re coming from the U.S.

Lider

U.S. equivalent: Walmart

Lider is literally Walmart, and the shopping experience reflects that from branding, lower prices, and a wide variety of both Chilean and imported brands. You’ll find Great Value items, bulk cleaning supplies, and the best prices on basics. Produce quality varies by location, but generally, Lider is the budget-friendly grocery store. We only shop here when we need a product we can’t easily find somewhere else.

Tottus

U.S. equivalent: Target meets Safeway

Tottus offers a slightly nicer shopping experience without straying too far from Lider-level pricing. They carry good store-brand products, reliable produce, and solid bakery items (do not sleep on their marraquetas!) We love Tottus and it is our go-to grocery store for all the non-produce essentials

Jumbo

U.S. equivalent: Whole Foods / Trader Joe’s hybrid

Jumbo is the “premium” supermarket in Chile. Expect imported goods, organic produce, gluten-free and vegan sections, specialty cheeses, and very good bakery and prepared foods. It’s more expensive, but when you want something specific or higher quality, Jumbo usually has it.

Unimarc

U.S. equivalent: Safeway

We have only shopped at Unimarc a handful of times, mostly when we travel to other cities in Chile. It has all your basics for reasonable prices.

Santa Isabel

U.S. equivalent: Albertsons 

Owned by the same company as Jumbo, but smaller, cheaper, and more casual.

⭐️ Tip: Don’t forget to pack a reusable grocery bag! We own this one, but we’d be lying if we didn’t share that we would forget it, and ended up with over 5 grocery store-branded bags.