The Ultimate Guide to Playa Del Carmen Shopping

Playa Del Carmen Guides

Shopping is usually high on the list of many tourist that come to Playa Del Carmen. In this guide we are going to tell you everything you need to know about Playa Del Carmen shopping! Everything from 5th Avenue shops and stores to shopping malls and other things you need to know about if you live in Playa Del Carmen or stay here for a while.

The Guide to Playa Del Carmen Shopping

Lets start where most tourist start, 5th Avenue. This is the main pedestrian street that runs parallel to the beach and goes for about 22 blocks. This avenue has nonstop shops, restaurants and places of interest for tourist. There is so much it can be overwhelming. So we will narrow it down for you so you can go to the best shops.

Shopping Guide to 5th Avenue

5th Avenue starts where the Cozumel Ferry Pier is on the south end of town. The main stretch that tourist walk reaches to about 40th Street. The streets go by even numbers only, so for example, 2nd Street, 4th Street, 6th Street and so on. You will find many souvenir shops to looks at and for this reason we wrote a guide to 5th Avenue. In this guide we show you on a map all the points of interest and places to check out.  Below are other specialized Playa Del Carmen shopping guides for 5th Avenue.

Souvenir Shopping in Playa Del Carmen

Souvenirs are the main thing people look for when shopping in Playa Del Carmen. There are a lot to choose from for sure! You can find t-shirts, magnets, tequila, Mexican sombreros and so much more. Happy shopping!

There are even some really tacky souvenirs to buy in Playa Del Carmen. Some people buy them for a joke gift and some are serous about it. For a look at the search for the tackiest souvenir in Playa Del Carmen, see our article here. It is funny what you can find here shopping in Playa Del Carmen.

A great store for souvenirs is Hacienda Tequila. We like this store because it has a large selection, good air conditioning to cool you off, a large tequila and alcohol section and it is easy to find. To read more about Hacienda Tequila see our article here including photos.

If you are shopping in Playa Del Carmen around Christmas and want some things to buy, we recommend Tequila Bazar. Not to be confused with the above mentioned shop (Hacienda Tequila). This store has the best selection of ornaments and small things to buy for Christmas. You can read about Tequila Bazar here.

Shopping in Playa Del Carmen
Mexican made fashion on 5th Avenue in Playa Del Carmen.

Great Souvenir Ideas to Shop for in Playa Del Carmen

Here are a few recommended things to look for when shopping for souvenirs. These things are unique items you can find in Mexico and range in price from a few U.S. dollars to a couple hundred.

  • A bottle of Xtabentun liquor. Pronounced “esh-tah-ben-toon“, this is a Mayan liquor that taste like anise. This is the only part of the world where you can find this liquor. It is made in Yucatan State and something unique to try. You can get bottles for about $4-15 USD. Some of them are small enough to carry on the plane when leaving. You can find this at stores on 5th Avenue or in La Europea liquor store.
  • Mexican blown glass. You probably are familiar with blue rim glasses and other Mexican handmade glass that you see around. There is a workshop and store right here in Playa Del Carmen where you can buy it. It is called Vidrio Soplado Mexicano. We have a fun video in the article of how they make the glassware.
  • Mayan tapestry table runners or pillow covers. These tapestries are beautiful. Most are made in Chiapas, Mexico. The best store is Rosalia which is on 5th Avenue between 12th Street and 14th Street. These can cost $10-150 USD depending on what you buy. Just be sure to wash these separate when you buy them. The dyes are very strong and can bleed onto other fabrics.
  • Mexican chocolate and coffee. These are two products from Mexico. Ah Cacao coffee shops sells products and you can even get fun chocolate massage oil for only about $1.50 USD. You can find these coffee shops in our guide to Ah Cacao here.
  • Local art. What makes for a better memory of your trip then a work of original art. You can find local artist on 5th Avenue on Thursday evening. If you are not able to go then, you can also find local artist set up on the street beside Quinta Alegria Mall between 5th Avenue and 10th Avenue.

Fashion Shopping on 5th Avenue in Playa Del Carmen

If you are a fashionista you might want to know what the good stores are for clothes shopping. There are some nice unique shops where you can get accessories and clothing. We put together a guide for you! See our article on The Fashionistas Guide to 5th Avenue here. There is even a map to show you where each cool store is.

What are our Top Picks for Places to Shop on 5th Avenue?

Well with so much shopping to choose from, you might ask us what are the top places so I can focus on going there. We listened to our readers and made this guide for you. You can read what our Top 10 Places to Shop are on 5th Avenue in this article. Some of the stores on the list are for souvenirs. Other store are for great Mexican made art and unique stores of artisans. Therefore this list of stores will give you a nice rounded out selections of some of the best stores to visit as a tourist.

Playa Del Carmen shopping
Some of the Mexican art you can find on 5th Avenue.

Great Little Shops Just Off 5th Avenue

Many people don’t walk off of 5th Avenue and it is a shame. The rent is very expensive on 5th Avenue for shops and some of the good ones are on side streets. Just the savvy shoppers find these. We want you to be a savvy shopper so we are telling you about them. You can find handmade jewelry, local made art, and high quality crafts in these stores. We have a guide about these stores where we give you a map and we also included a video. See what many other tourist miss by not reading this guide.

Shopping Malls and Plazas

Lets start with the shopping plazas and malls on Playa Del Carmen’s 5th Avenue. There are three to mention. They are:

  • Paseo Del Carmen. 5th Avenue and Calle 3 Sur. This is the Street that goes to the Cozumel Ferry Pier.
  • Calle Corazon. 5th Avenue and 12th Street.
  • Quinta Alegria. 5th Avenue and Constituyentes Avenue.
Playa Del Carmen shopping
Quinta Alegria shopping Mallon 5th Avenue all aglow at night.

Shopping at Paseo Del Carmen

This Playa Del Carmen shopping mall is an open air shopping center. This mall continues to grow in size what seems like each year. There are some good clothing stores like Zara, Pull & Bear, and Bershka. Another type of store you will find here are souvenir shops. To read more about this shopping plaza and see photos, see our article here.

Calle Corazon Shopping Plaza

Right between 12th Street and 14th Street you have a more high end shopping center. You can find such stores as Lacoste, Michael Kors, and Swarovski. To read more about Calle Corazon Shopping center see our article here including a video! This shopping plaza has stores on 5th Avenue and also a small semi circle that loops off 5th Avenue.

Quinta Alegria Shopping Mall

This is a three story Playa Del Carmen shopping mall. It is semi enclosed and air condition cooled.  Both locals and tourist like this shopping mall because it has some affordable options. In front of this mall there is always entertainment at night and this can be a great place to stop and watch some street performers. For more about Quinta Alegria Mall see our article here including photos.

A popular place for tourist to stay in is the Playacar section of Playa Del Carmen. This large neighborhood on the south end of town is home to many all inclusive hotels and one shopping plaza. This plaza is called Plaza Playacar. Here is more about this shopping plaza if you don’t want to go into town.

Shopping at Plaza Playacar

If you are staying in Playacar you might not want to go all the way into town to grab some quick souvenirs. This is the place to go shopping then for you. This is a small shopping plaza that gives tourist somewhere to shop while staying in the large neighborhood of Playacar. This small shopping plaza has mostly tourist shops and is not too noteworthy. If you want to do some more serious shopping be sure to walk or take a taxi into town and walk 5th Avenue.  To read more about Plaza Playacar and see photos, see our article here.

Outside of the downtown there are two shopping malls. These are not huge malls like many other shopping malls in the world. Malls are just catching on in Mexico. The two mall names are Plaza Las Americas and Centro Maya. These can be a good place to go shopping when it rains in Playa Del Carmen. You can read everything about these two shopping malls in Playa Del Carmen here in our article. Below is a brief description of  each mall.

Plaza Las Americas Mall

This is the larger of the two malls in Playa Del Carmen. Plaza Las Americas Mall has a movie theater, food court, grocery store, one large department store and then smaller stores. This mall is particularly busy on the weekend when people that live in Playa Del Carmen go out to see a movie or send time with friends. Tourist don’t really go to these malls  because there are so many options for shopping on 5th Avenue.

Centro Maya Mall

This shopping mall is the smaller of the two. It has one grocery store, a food court, movie theater, shops and City Club big box store is here.

 Playa Del Carmen shopping
Centro Maya Mall, a place for Playa Del Carmen shopping.

Our Best Playa Del Carmen Shopping Tips

Since we want you to have the best time shopping in Playa Del Carmen, we compiled some of our best shopping tips for you. Feel free to add some below in the comments.

  • If you can, it is better to pay in pesos. You will get a better rate of exchange.  Each store can decide at what rate they offer customers and this is often worse then the official rate.
  • Shopping on 5th Avenue starts around 10:00am but the best time is after 7:00pm when it is cooler and everything is open. The nighttime is more magical and there is more energy. Save your days for the beach.
  • Most stores have fixed prices. Only people that have items on the sidewalk will haggle on the price a little. We just recommend shopping at stores with prices marked.
  • See our article on tourist shopping traps and scams. You will hear some con lines while shopping on 5th Avenue. Be prepared by reading this.
  • Do not use the ATM’s on 5th Avenue to take your money out for shopping. This is just a precaution. Many times people get their card cloned. We recommend using just a bank ATM. See our article about exchanging money and the map we provide to show you two ATM’s at banks just off 5th Avenue.

Playa Del Carmen Shopping Tax Free!

Playa Del Carmen shopping tip!  As a tourist you can receive some or all of the tax you pay on purchases. You will need to shop at stores that display the Tax Free sticker. There are rules and conditions so it is important to read this article on tax free shopping in Mexico. Note: Please see our article because some people have not been able to get their refunds.

Shop with Confidence in Playa Del Carmen

Did you know Mexico has a consumer protection agency of sorts? This agency is called Profeco. This agency will check to see if advertised prices are recognized and everything in a store has a marked price on it. They also check quantities and proper advertising of quality is done. Occasionally you will see a sticker on a store window that failed to adhere to the laws. They have to keep these large notices on the store until they comply.

It is good to know that behind the scenes this agency is making sure stores play fair. Profeco is looking out for your interest.  To read more about Profeco and how it protect you as a consumer, see our article here.


Playa Del Carmen Shopping for Locals

Below is our guide for locals and long time residents. These are all places you will find helpful for shopping in Playa Del Carmen for things.

What is Buen Fin Shopping Holiday?

One shoppers holiday to take note of in Mexico is Buen Fin. This is the equivalent of Black Friday  in the United States after the Thanksgiving holiday. Buen Fin also falls before Christmas and when most people get paid. This shopping sale is to promote people to buy and often times you can find some good deals.  This shopping event is good to take note of when you are a local. To read more about Buen Fin see our article here.

Grocery Stores and Food Shopping in Playa Del Carmen

For grocery stores we have the following chains:

  • Mega. This is one of the more popular grocery stores in the downtown.
  • Walmart. There are two Walmarts in Playa Del Carmen. One is in the downtown and the other further back on 115th Avenue.
  • Sorianana. This large grocery store is in the Centro Maya Mall.
  • Chedraui. There are two of these supermarkets in Playa Del Carmen. One is on the south end of town and one in Plaza Las Americas Mall.
  • Aki. This is one of the cheapest super markets and offers lower end products.
  • Bodega Aurrea. This is a lower end supermarket.

To read more about these grocery stores and see maps, see our article here.

Playa Del Carmen shopping
Mega Grocery Store in Playa Del Carmen.

Alcohol, Wine and Beer Stores

No doubt if you like to partake of some drinks you will want to read our guide on where to buy beer, wine or alcohol. Hours are different at each location and beer is sold separately than wine and alcohol. In the afore mentioned article we mention some of the things that make Playa Del Carmen unique for buying alcohol. We even included a map to help you find the stores.

Shopping in Playa Del Carmen for Specialty Food

Other places to buy food include smaller markets and specialty shops. In some of these shops you can find unique things or better quality. Sometimes it is just easier to go in and get out more quickly.

Fish and Meat

Cheese shops

Fruits and Vegetables

Italian Specialty Store

Restaurant Food Supplies and Rare Foods

  • Pacsadeli is a specialty store that is for restaurants and people looking for unique things usually not found in super markets. Locals like it because you can sometimes find bagels, gluten free products, Asian cooking ingredients, baking supplies and more. For more on Pacsadeli see our article here.

Where to Buy Used Cars, Furniture and Clothes in Playa Del Carmen

If you have moved to Playa Del Carmen you might need to buy some furniture. It can be hard to know where all the stores are. That is why we made this guide to tell you where the furniture stores are and what they offer. Here is our furniture shopping guide to Playa Del Carmen.

There is one thrift store in Playa Del Carmen and one store that sells used furniture and miscellaneous items. In the highlighted guide we also list all the places online where you can look for a used car and the places in Playa Del Camren where you can look at them in person.  To read more about where to buy used cars and find thrift stores see our article here.

Besides the malls another good place to go shopping is Liverpool Department Store. This is a higher end department store. They sell name brand clothes, electronics, furniture and housewares. This is a good store if you want upper end quality. They can have some decent sales where prices come down a bit. This store is on the 307 Highway just south of the Centro Maya Mall on the south end of town.

Bicycle Shopping in Playa Del Carmen

Bikes are a popular item to buy if you are a new resident of Playa Del Carmen. Most of the basic bike stores are on 30th Avenue between Constituyentes Avenue and 30th Street. There are also some high-end bike stores in Playa Del Carmen. If you are looking to buy a bike and want to know more, see our guide here.

One tip for shopping for a bike is buy a good bike lock for your bicycle. Many bikes get stolen in Playa Del Carmen even if they have a lock, albeit cheap one.

Playa Del Carmen Shopping at Big Box Stores

Here are four big box stores to mention in Playa Del Carmen.

  1. City Club. This is a more local version of Sam’s Club. It is nearly just as large and is a membership store. So if you are going to join, compare it with Sam’s Club to see which you like more. City Club is located in Centro Maya Mall on the south end of Playa Del Carmen.
  2. Sams Club. A popular Playa Del Carmen shopping option for expats. This is good for some food items, furniture, and TV’s. Compare this with City Club. Sam’s Club is on the 307 Highway just before you get to Centro Maya on the east side of the highway.
  3. Home Depot. After years of having to go to Cancun to visit the Home Depot there, Playa Del Carmen has one now. To read more about the Playa Del Carmen Home Depot see our article here.
  4. Boxito. this is the Mexican version of Home Depot. It can be harder to shop here though since many products are behind the counter. If you are renovating or building it is good to stop here and compare prices. There are two Boxito stores in Playa Del Carmen. The main one is on the 307 Highway and corner of 34th Street.

Home Depot in Playa Del Carmen MexicoThe Home Depot in Playa Del Carmen.

Other Random Things You Need to Shop for in Playa Del Carmen

Thank you for reading our Playa Del Carmen Shopping Guide. Do you have comments or questions about shopping in Playa Del Carmen? Let us know below. We would love to hear from you.

About The Author

38 Comments

  1. Thanks for this shopping guide. We are going to Playa Del Carmen this month and found your website. It seems you have everything covered. We have been using your articles to plan.

    • Hello Jane

      Thank you very much for your comments. We hope you have a great trip to Playa Del Carmen and enjoy the variety of shopping here. If you are looking for anything else and cannot find it on our site, just let us know and we will try to find you the answer. Cheers.

  2. I have to say that I do a lot of traveling and research before going on vacation and your website is super helpful! I know how much work you have put into this shopping guide. Thanks for all your hard work and effort into making peoples travels better. It shows you have a real passion for Playa Del Carmen.

    • Thank you Bliss for your comments. We have traveled around the world as well and appreciate the people that make websites for locals and insider tips. We wanted to pass that on. We try to make things a little more user friendly each time we write and we like to update things all the time so people visiting Playa Del Carmen can have correct information. We will keep working hard for you and everyone that visits. Thanks again.

  3. Hello Mr. Yucatan,
    I am so happy that I found your website by accident, it has made my planning of what to do, where to go and what to eat while I am down there so much more exciting for myself and my partner.
    I do have a question, I hear that Mexico has wonderful silver jewelry and I was wondering if you knew place that I could find some while I am playa?
    Thank you so much,
    Micheal
    P.s. I hope you keep the goatee 😉

    • Hello Micheal

      Yes, Mexico has some great silver and silver jewelry. Most of it comes from Taxco, Mexico. This is far from the Yucatan Peninsula. Most of the jewelry stores here are either in two categories. One category is for cruise ship people that just get off the boat and want to buy jewelry for some strange reason. Here you can find all the tanzanite or other weird sounding stone attached to some jewelry. We do not have cruise ships docking here thankfully but some people so make it here. Most of the cheap jewelry stores are from the Cozumel ferry pier on 5th Avenue to about Constituyentes Avenue. The second category is for tourist walking on 5th. This is still not the best deals but does save you a trip to other parts of Mexico. Many of these stores do have authentic silver from Mexico. We do recommend some of the smaller stores that hand make jewelry. Some of these have authentic designs, local craft people and are likely to use good quality metals. One small store is Casa Kuxtal. https://everythingplayadelcarmen.com/casa-kuxtal-a-new-store-for-the-artsy-side-of-you/ They have a small selection of jewelry. EL Jaguar Dorado also has some jewelry. This store is on 8th Street. There is a little more commercial store but with some nice authentic Mexican crafts right on Constituyentes near 5th call Ambarte. Hopefully you find something you like in Playa. P.s. The facial hair comes and goes by mood. 🙂

  4. Hey Mr. Yucatan,
    Thank you so much for your recommendations, i will definitely check them out when I get down there on September 26. I always prefer checking out the smaller store away from the tourist.
    I am pretty excited to get down there, I never have been down to playa before, I am looking forwards to seeing almost all the places in your website and getting some sun.
    Thank you again and take care,
    Micheal
    P.s I always have a beard, I look like 20 with out it lol

  5. Greetings! Very helpful guide. I don’t know how you could of missed anything anyone would need to shop for in Playa Del Carmen.

    Thanks a lot for sharing!

  6. I just checked out the Evolve Gym on 6th Street. It is not used by many people and very airy with the open windows. Great to go to and not that many people there.

  7. This is an extremely helpful guide and complete. I think I will use this as my shopping mecca site and guide for my time in Playa del Carmen. Thanks as always for all the writing.

  8. I think you covered all the shopping things I was looking for in Playa. Thanks for the guide. Hello from Italy.

  9. We planed one night going up and down 5th Avenue to go shopping. We only made it to about half the stores. There are so many options for shopping in Playa.

  10. If I want to buy some leather bags, is this a good thing to shop for in Playa del Carmen? I am also looking for some piñatas for a party, can you help me with that too?

    • Hello Herbert

      You can find leather for sale along 5th Avenue in Playa Del Carmen but this part of Mexico is not known for leather. You can find things but it is not the best. For Piñatas there is a store on Constituyentes Avenue on the south side between 40th and 45th Street. Happy shopping in Playa Del Carmen!

  11. I am curious to see what 5th Avenue is like after not being in Playa Del Carmen for 5 years. I try to keep up on your website but I guess I will be in for a surprise when I come.

  12. We are leaving for Playa tomorow for our honeymoon and found your guide extremely useful and time saving! Thank you for effort you’ve put in to help people like me!

    • Thank you so much for reading Raeleen. We hope you have a great honeymoon and find everything just how you expect it. Let us know if you need any specific advice for your trip.

  13. Hola, An awesome guide but I am looking for a patio umbrella in lime green or with at least some lime green in it. I have checked all the sites and each one seems to have very little choice in regard to umbrellas. Any other options?

    • Have you tried the Mi Patio Store? They have more outdoor style furniture and accessories. This store is along the 307 Highway near Avenue 28 de Julio.

  14. Hi – we were scammed by a salesperson at a jewelry store in Playa del Carmen that shows “Creacion Mayra” on the receipt. Does anyone have contact info for the owner? (The amount charged on the credit card was double the amt we agreed to.) Shop was right as we walked into Playa del Carmen through the gated road from where the hotels are.

    • Hello Paula. Sorry we do not have the contact number or email for this store and sorry to hear this happened to you. One reason we don’t have any jewelry stores on our shopping guide is because it is hard to find one that offers good value and service to our readers.

  15. Hello, thank you so much for such an informative website! I was wondering if there are any shops that have handcrafted or unique woodworks. My husband and I started collection wooden bowls while on vacation and it has become part of our vacation tradition to go on the hunt for a beautiful wooden bowl to remind us of our visit. We don’t want the ‘tourist’ mass made type products but something either made local with local materials or something that just stands out as unique and beautiful. Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated!

    • Hello S. Bailey

      There is not as much wood crafts people in Playa but we do know the perfect place for you. The road between Tulum and Coba has a lot of craftspeople. One place does tropical hardwood spoons and utensils. If you don’t get there you can go to Das Brot Bakery on 8th Street between 20th and 25th Avenue in Playa. The owner speaks English and is also a good place to get some German style pastries. You might find a bowl ion the orad between Coba and Tulum. The BEST place is a town outside of Merida. It is called Dzitya. The entire town is stone and wood craftspeople. There are some of the most beautiful bowls there for about $50 USD They are whole pieces of trucks that have been carved. Some of them were burnt stumps that still have char marks from the Mayan farmers clearing the land. It would be worth a trip to Merida just to get one of these special bowls.

  16. I just bought a condo and need to have a jacuzzi/hot tub installed. Where is the best place to buy one? Is it cheaper to have one made or buy an pre-med one?

    • Hello Laura

      It will be a bigger project then you might expect. One place to start is at Albercas Azul Infinito on Avenida 55 between Calle 1 sur and 3 sur. A pool store will be the ones that can install or recommend an installer. Most all jacuzzis are made to fit your space. It will involve an electrical connection, drainage, and water lines to be installed. It is much better when a builder has then installed. Depending on your place, it will involve tearing up your tile floors and opening walls to run lines.

  17. Thank you so much for this informative guide! I’m wondering if you can recommend any seamstresses in Playa?

    • Get in touch with Mercedes Pino Torrealba, she‘s well liked and speaks english!
      Whatsapp +56 9 9236 3459

  18. Thank you for the info on Playa. I am coming my first time after not being there for 4 years. Are most things open?

  19. Great ideas for stuff to buy. I always like to shop locally. I guess it is a little harder since not many products are actually made in Playa Del Carmen.

  20. It was a lot of fun shopping in Playa because there are stores that offer unique products and not like a lot of towns in the Caribbean. There was one store on 38th Street that was great for hammocks and locally made stuff. I will definitely comeback.

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