Shopping in Costa Rica

Several of my friends and relatives continue to ask what we will and won't be able to purchase in Costa Rica. It seems that some people forget that Costa Rica is a third world country and others don't realize that it is becoming more American by the day (which I'm not necessarily happy about).

Yes, it will be difficult to find some of the name brand items we as Americans tend to consume without thought. Yet, it's not so backward like some countries we have visited where it is difficult to find toilet paper let alone a napkin when you need it (Morocco and Turkey).

I have found myself wondering what we should buy here in the States to take with us in case we can't find it in CR. Luckily, I have found the website for Hipermas. This store is partially owned by Wal-Mart and when looking at the ads, you can tell. So, I feel much more comfortable knowing that almost anything we desire can actually be found in CR.

Check out the website for yourself. I know it is in Spanish but with the flyers it is easy to get a feel for the store and products available: http://www.hipermas.co.cr/

Also, use the XE.com currency converter found here: http://www.xe.com/ucc/
to change Costa Rica colones into dollars (or any other currency).