Grocery Shopping on St. Maarten — Where Locals Shop and Why It Matters
Grocery shopping on St. Maarten and St. Martin is one of the island's hidden pleasures — and one of its best money-saving opportunities. If you are staying in a suite or villa with a kitchen, or simply want to stock up on snacks and drinks without paying resort prices, knowing where to shop makes a real difference.
Rule number one: if a supermarket is within walking distance of your resort, prices will be high.
Shop Where the Locals Shop
On nearly every corner and block, you will find small convenience stores — mostly operated by Chinese families, as they are known locally. These stores carry a solid range of basic products, primarily US brands, at surprisingly reasonable prices. Do not expect fine cheeses, wines or specialty meats, but for everyday essentials they are reliable and convenient.
Dutch Side: Carrefour
Carrefour is the dominant supermarket brand on Sint Maarten, with several locations across the island. The main store is in the Philipsburg area, a large store in Cole Bay, a mid-sized location at Porto Cupecoy, and a smaller market in Jordan Village serving the surrounding condominiums.
Carrefour stocks a complete range of US brands alongside a broad European selection. The cheese and meat counters will satisfy any serious cook. If you are visiting from the United States, this is a good place to step outside your usual brands — European dairy products in particular often reveal a striking difference in quality compared to their American counterparts.
For fresh bread, Sint Maarten has a few genuinely ambitious bakeries. Look for variations of European-style bread you may never have encountered before — worth seeking out if you appreciate good baking.
French Side: Super-U and Monoprix
Super-U is the price leader on French Saint-Martin and draws shoppers from the Dutch side as well. There is a large store at the Howell Center in Marigot and another in the commercial district of Hope Estates on the eastern side of the island. The range is predominantly French products and the prices are consistently competitive.
Monoprix is where you go for fine food. It is not budget-priced, but the quality on the shelves is exceptional. The store is located at the Bellevue shopping center at the entrance to Marigot, coming from the Dutch side.
The Currency Rule on the French Side
This is important. On the French side, most residents pay in US dollars — and stores generally accept euros and dollars at a one-to-one rate. The same goes for gas stations. If you pay in euros, you overpay by up to 20 percent. If you pay by credit card, the transaction is processed in euros and you lose the same margin. Pay in US dollars cash on the French side wherever possible.
Super-U and Monoprix convert euros to dollars at the daily exchange rate. The Cadisco markets accept USD and euros at a one-to-one rate — use dollars there.
The Price Difference Is Real
Here is something that surprises most visitors. The same package of mozzarella cheese sells for USD 10.43 on the Dutch side and the equivalent of USD 3.30 at Super-U on the French side. That is not an exception — it is the pattern.
A pound of quality coffee: USD 5.40 on the Dutch side, USD 1.50 on French Saint-Martin. On the other hand, canned tuna is significantly cheaper on the Dutch side — over USD 3.50 at French supermarkets versus USD 1.30 across the border.
You are on vacation, and price-hunting may not be your priority. But if you are the kind of traveler who appreciates a good deal, comparing prices across the border on Sint Maarten is its own small sport — and the French side often wins.
