Walmart, known as Latin America’s largest retailer, entered Costa Rica in 2005 and became Walmart Centroamérica in 2006. Being the largest retailer in Central America and Latin America, Walmart currently operates the following stores: Walmart Supercenter, Mas x Menos, Maxi Pali, and Pali. The Walmart headquarters are in San José. Walmart has been expanding with rapid growth across Central America and Latin America since 2005, with plans to have more than 1,000 stores by 2025.
To learn more about one of the world’s largest retailers, Walmart, in Costa Rica and the differences between Walmart Supercenters and traditional grocery stores in Costa Rica, read on!
Walmarts in Costa Rica
Walmart Centroamérica, one of the world’s largest retailers, owns and operates all of Costa Rica’s Walmart Supercenters, Mas x Menos, Maxi Pali, and Pali grocery stores. Currently, there are 188 Pali, 49 Maxi Pali, 38 Mas x Menos, and 14 Walmart Supercenters open and operating in Costa Rica.
Most of the Wal-mart stores and Walmart subsidiaries operate in the Central Valley region in, near, and around the capital city of Costa Rica, San José. Outside of the Walmart Supercenters in the Central Valley, there are three other Walmarts spread throughout Costa Rica. One of them is in San Carlos, which is a bit outside of the Alajuela Province, in the Puntarenas Province. There is another Walmart Centroamérica in Liberia, which is in the Northwest of the country, in the Guanacaste Province. The last one is in the Southwest of the country, in the small city of San Isidro de El General, which is in the San José province.
Interestingly enough, Walmarts in Costa Rica have food courts in most of their locations, which isn’t the case for most Walmarts in North America. You may find the occasional Subway or Auntie Anne’s in some Walmarts in the US, but not a food court or an area where you can sit and eat.
A lot of people wonder if Costa Rica or countries in South America have Sam’s Club or Costco, and the answer to that is no. You’d think Costa Rica would have Sam’s Club considering Sam’s Club is owned and operated by Walmart in North America. Even though Costa Rica doesn’t have Sam’s Club, they do have a store that is similar, named PriceSmart. Currently, there are seven in the San José area, and one that is just a way out in Liberia. PriceSmart stores are actually spread throughout many countries in Latin America and Central America.
Different Walmart Stores in Costa Rica
Where there isn’t a Walmart Supercenter in Costa Rica, there is definitely a Walmart subsidiary like Mas x Menos, Maxi Pali, or Pali. For example, in the west of the country, near the Gulf of Nicoya, a small town near Playa Hermosa has a Mas x Menos and Maxi Pali. On the complete opposite side of the country, in the east of the country, there is another Mas x Menos and Maxi Pali in the Limón province.
There are even more Maxi Pali stores throughout Costa Rica. Outside of San José, there is a Maxi Pali in Liberia, La Fortuna, San Isidro de El General, Tamarindo, San Ramón, and Barrio La Amelia. And, last but not least, also outside of San José, there are also some Pali stores you can shop at in Tamarindo, La Fortuna, Quepos, and Chacarita. So if you live in or are visiting a popular destination or area in Costa Rica, then you will likely have a Wal-mart store-like grocery store to shop at for all your needs.
Walmart Hours & Online Shopping
Thankfully, Walmart Centroamérica has a website and online shopping capabilities. You can browse products online by store location and even place online orders. To gain access to the products and options of a Walmart Centroamérica near you, feel free to click here!
Most of Costa Rica’s Walmart locations have similar store hours. The general standardized store hours of Walmart Centroamerica stores are 7:30 AM – 10:00 PM. Be sure to check Walmart’s official website linked above to ensure the Wal-mart store you plan on visiting is open during the hours you will be visiting the store.
Take A Peek Into A Walmart in Costa Rica
We’ve given you all the basic information you would need to know about Walmarts in Costa Rica, but you may want to take a look at the stores yourself. Here are a few review videos provided by some Youtubers that you can watch to get a better idea of the structures of Walmart stores in this region, and some thoughts and opinions of ex-pats or tourists about Walmarts in this region.
A Walmart Video Review By An Ex-Pat
A Walmart Video Review By A Tourist
A Walmart Video Review By A Tourist Family
Grocery Stores in Costa Rica – General Information
Outside of Wal-mart stores and Walmart Centroamérica, Costa Rica has a wide variety of grocery stores where you can find almost anything you want or need. Most of these grocery stores are locally owned or Tico native. There are several different types of grocery stores, but here’s an overview of the most common ones:
Automercado: High-end supermarket with high-quality items, a big range of foreign products, and a wide selection of high-quality produce.
Supermercado: These are large supermarkets that offer a wide variety of goods. They usually carry basic items for your household such as shampoo, toothpaste, soap, cereal, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, etc. Prices tend to be cheaper here than in regular markets.
Mercados: These are small shops located inside malls or shopping centers. Most of them sell basic items and similar products as the supermercados, but they often have lower prices. Some mercados even specialize in certain categories like fruits and vegetables.
Here are some common chain markets and uncommon independently owned markets you may recognize if you live there, or on your trip there:
- Mercado Central – This is the biggest supermarket chain in Costa Rica. They carry most of the basic food items and household goods.
- Supermercados Unidos – These are smaller supermarkets that specialize in selling produce and meat.
- Almacenes Abarrotes de la Sabana – A small supermarket located in San José that sells mostly local products.
- La Paz Market – Located in Escazú near the international airport, this market specializes in fruits and vegetables.
- El Bazar – An upscale supermarket that carries a wide variety of imported food items.
- Líder – A large supermarket chain that primarily serves Ticos in the capital city. They offer a wide selection of food items, including alcohol.
Have More Questions About Costa Rica?
We realize you may have more questions about Costa Rica, like where you can rent cars in Costa Rica or things to do in Costa Rica. No worries, we’ve got you covered! Make sure to visit our blog page before you go to see our informative articles about Costa Rica.
If I purchase a gift card in the US, is it good for Costa Rica Walmart too?
Hi Jody,
Unfortunately you won’t be able to use a Walmart US gift card in Costa Rica. The gift card has to be purchased in Costa Rica. Here’s some more information about it: https://www.walmartgift.com/wmgift/
I live near Jaco, a new community called Quebrada Bonita. Do you deliver groceries and household products in our area?
Hi Cheryl,
Thanks for your question! To be clear, we are not Walmart and they are not managing this listing (yet). The closest Walmarts are all over an hour away from you in San Jose, so most likely, no delivery to you. BUT, they may deliver larger items perhaps… You might also look into having a 3rd party bring your Walmart stuff for you.
Cherly, it looks like they do deliver out your way via a service called WM Rural. Go to the Walmart Costa Rica website and go pick your store location in the upper left (see image). You should call them to confirm how it works and what to expect. 800-8000-722 Come back and let us know how it goes!
Do all Maxi Pali accept credit cards?
Hi Kris, it seems like they do accept credit cards. They don’t have a website to know for sure, but based on multiple forum responses online, you should be able to pay with credit card at all locations.