Mercado Central sells almost everything from soup to nuts to toilets.

The prices for everything are usually very good, especially for food...... maybe the best prices in San Jose. But the quality of goods can be sketchy. Not so with the food.....that's great.Sorry Rac but you might need to get out of the gulch and the tourists trap areas (Mercado Central) before making such a statement!!! Compared to Del Mar, the Rey, SL, and other Gringo owned places, yes it is cheaper. Compared to hundreds of other "Tico" restaurants, most in Mercado Central are about 25-50% higher and many are equally as good or better than those in the Mercado. As for fresh food (meat, veggies, and fruit) just a block north the prices are about 30% less!!! In fact for just about anything, you can find it cheaper within a block in just about any direction from the market itself!!

Look carefully before you buy......... and keep your hand on your wallet in that neighborhood. It's generally safe during the day, but it's always good to keep your street-smarts functioning.

Mercado Central encompasses an entire city block. There are MANY storefronts surrounding Mercado Central in that neighborhood. Those storefronts are good to explore, too.

Also, good quality clothing, electronics, shoes, in fact just about anything, the prices here are often higher than in the States. The import taxes here are very high and Costa Rica manufactures virtually nothing!! many items for sale here are now imported "junk" from China!! There are stores (mostly in the upscale malls) that sale good high quality clothing (Often imported from Colombia) but you will pay! It ain't cheap!! Just as in the States one of the cheapest places to buy things like electronics is WalMart because of their volume buying. But even at WalMart a TV will cost 50% more that the same TV in the States. In my opinion Costa Rica is not the place to go to shop for anything more than small local souvenirs.

BB, where's that 'second-hand' pawn-shop-type place near Pension Monicas? The place the chicas go to sell the 'gringo presents' that they receive? They had a Canon t5 for half the amazon rate the last time I walked through. Other stuff too (along with tons of crap), but I wasn't looking for anything.

I can't recall the exact streets it is on.

BlueDevil,

I think I have some bad news for you!! La Casona is just about "no more"! I had noticed in recent weeks many empty areas. I was by there just a couple days ago and it seemed that the majority of the places were gone and part of the building is even closed up! It is a shame because as you stated, they have/had much better merchandise!

The coffee, that is roasted in century old charcoal fired machines and ground on the spot at two stores on the street side, west of Mercado Central, is a great value compared with Britt. Another thing that is of good quality in Costa Rica for discount prices is leather goods. A good place to look for boots, belts and bags is the area just west of Parada de Autobus Coca Cola off of Paseo Colone. There are two stores that I know of there. Similar items are offered in Mercado Central but the selection is not as good and neither is the price. This area is about another quarter mile west of the Mercado Central.

Some types of jewelry may be of extra value here at exclusive stores. One store I know of is Sabana Sur in a residential area and requires knowledge to find and get inside. There is no sign.

Most things like televisions, phones, computers, cars and cameras cost double in Costa Rica what you can by them in the states.

How do you feel about the malls? Anything worthy of interest or just standard fair of American malls?