Shopping and Supermarkets in Rarotonga, Cook Islands: Everything you need to know.

Sarah Steiner

2 months ago

It used to be common to fill your suitcase with food before coming to the Cook Islands, but times have changed and it is pretty much possible to get anything you need at the supermarkets in Rarotonga.

So whether you forgot to pack some essentials in your luggage or want to stock up your waterfront bungalow with your favourite snacks and drinks, sometimes you just need a supermarket.

We have put together a list of the supermarkets in Rarotonga and options for buying fresh fruit and vegetables, groceries, toiletries, alcohol and more. So that no matter where you are on the island you can easily grab your daily necessities.

Here is everything you need to know about shopping and the markets, dairies, and supermarkets in Rarotonga.

Are there supermarkets in Rarotonga?

Yes. Rarotonga has a range of large and medium supermarkets.

There are four main supermarkets on the island:

Avatiu: CITC
Vaimaanga: Wigmores Supermarket (24 hours)
Avarua: Foodlands
Avarua: Prime Foods

Inside Foodlands in Avarua one of the main supermarkets in Rarotonga. — Inside *Foodland* in Avarua.

About the main supermarkets in Rarotonga

CITC; Avarua
CITC is the largest supermarket in Rarotonga. (Most closely likened to a Pak’n Save in New Zealand). There is everything you need here with a large bakery section, huge frozen section, small butchery, stationery, and homewares section. Alcohol is sold here.

Wigmores; Vaimaanga
Stocks the biggest range of organic, vegan, and imported fresh dairy and dairy-alternative products. (I am pretty sure it’s the only shop on the island that stocks fresh milk from New Zealand!). Alcohol is sold here.

Foodlands; Avarua
Smaller than CITC on the main road in Avarua town, Foodlands is the second largest supermarket in Rarotonga. Decent-sized frozen section. Cold drinks, fresh bread, homewares, and toiletries available. Parking out in front and across the road.

Prime Foods; Avarua
More of a meat wholesale. Prime Foods has a large butchery section (the largest on the island) and is the cheapest place to buy meat. Also, a small boutique fresh produce and international food section (limited food items from Asia and Europe available). Alcohol is sold here.

Medium-sized supermarkets in Rarotonga

There are five medium sized minimarket/convenience stores. These shops are open 6:00am – 9:00pm and stock a range of fresh produce, cooked food, bread, tinned food, toiletries and household items.

Tupapa: Super Brown (24 hours)
Matavera: KAPS Store
Kavera: CITC
Nikao: Super Brown (24 hours)
Nikao: Oasis (24 hours)

And most of the villages right around Rarotonga also have a local convenience store (more like a ‘dairy’ in New Zealand). These can be small private stores, part of the ‘Woo’ chain or the bright green ‘Tex Mart’ shops.

Map of Rarotonga supermarkets and convenience stores

Can you buy alcohol at the supermarkets in Rarotonga?

Alcohol is available at supermarkets in Rarotonga and at two liquor shops.

CITC, Avarua
Foodlands, Avarua
Wigmores, Vaimaanga
Prime Foods, Avarua
Super Brown, Tupapa
KAPS, Matavera
CITC, Kavera
Superbrown, Nikao

The Bond Liquor Store, Avarua
CITC Liquor Centre, Avarua

Do the supermarkets in Rarotonga stock organic/vegan/foods for dietary requirements?

Wigmores Supermarket in Vaimaanga stocks the largest range of organic, vegan, dietary and dairy-alternative products.

Imported dietary specific foods at Wigmores Supermarket in Rarotonga.

Do the supermarkets in Rarotonga accept NZ/AUS bank cards?

Yes. All the large and medium-sized supermarkets in Rarotonga accept EFTPOS transactions.

What food is available at Rarotonga supermarkets?

Most common goods and services are readily available in the Cook Islands. Prices at the supermarkets in Rarotonga range from similar to slightly higher than in New Zealand and Australia.

Because of the size of the island a huge majority of the food is imported from New Zealand. Thus, the price of imported food is inflated to account for transport, shipping, handling and location.

However, the good news is that there is plenty of local produce available.

The main market in town sells fresh fruit and vegetables and is open daily. (Note: Although the main day for the market in Rarotonga is Saturday there are some fruit and vegetable stalls that are open daily at the marketplace).

Each village has small public market stands on the roadside that sell coconuts and fresh produce too. You won’t get far around the island before spotting these.

Buying a fresh drinking coconut at a roadside stall in Aroa.

The cost of food in Rarotonga

One piece of advice you are likely to hear when planning your visit to Rarotonga is to ‘take your own food from home!’

There are plenty of fabulous restaurants and cafes all over the island. And supermarkets in Rarotonga are stocked with familiar brands and everything you could want food-wise. But it is generally more expensive than buying food in New Zealand.

Some food costs (in NZD) you might expect visiting Rarotonga:

1L Bottle of water*: $3.60
Milk (1L Anchor UHT): $3.50
Coffee (instant; Nescafe Gold 100g): $11.90
Coffee (in café): $5
Drinking coconut: $5
Beer (handle): $7
Wine (glass): $9
Loaf of sliced bread: $4.90
Ice cream (fresh fruit cone; at the market): $7
Ice cream (kid-cone at supermarket): $3
Burger (beachfront restaurant): $10
Burger (takeaway): $8
Kids meal (restaurant): $10

*Note: Rarotonga is amazing in that there are free drinking water refill stations all around the island. Please bring your own re-useable bottle and prevent any unnecessary plastic waste heading to the island’s landfill…

Wondering if you can bring food into Rarotonga?

This is often one of the first questions we are asked by family or friends wanting to visit Rarotonga. It used to be more common to fill your suitcase before a trip to the island but times have changed and these days you can get just about anything you need at the supermarkets in Rarotonga.

Some food items can be brought with you into the Cook Islands but all food items must be declared on your arrival card. No fruit and vegetables are permitted.

More information and all the specific details is available from the Ministry of Agriculture.

And pre-planned foods aside you can look forward to trying something new and making the most of the abundance of beautiful fresh fruit and produce on Rarotonga.

Planning travel to Rarotonga – more information

These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family (for five years now) and ones that we would recommend to anyone booking a holiday trip to Rarotonga.

Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. There is a great selection of budget accommodation and be sure to check the filters and cancellation flexibility that we love!
Skyscanner – We use this for all our flights. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss.
GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world.
SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home). Make sure you have travel insurance before traveling to Rarotonga!