Mouthing Off | The cost of food in Hong Kong has risen, but you can save money if you shop smartly – and not just at gourmet supermarkets

Grocery prices in Hong Kong have gone up, but you can enjoy great food on a budget unless you only buy from premium supermarkets, as some expats do

Visit a wet market for cheap and fresh produce, or direct import chains like PrizeMart and Best Mart 360. Don’t say you haven’t been given money-saving tips!

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Seafood on sale at a supermarket in Tsim Sha Tsui. Shoppers in Hong Kong could save money by going to a wet market instead. Photo: Jelly Tse

Published: 7:45am, 22 Nov 2023

We all know the cost of groceries has risen dramatically in the past few years. Even some expatriate friends in Hong Kong recently complained about it.

I said I agreed, then expounded on the various factors that led to such sharp increases, from ingredient shortages to supply chain bottlenecks, climate change and the state of geopolitics.

However, as the chat continued it became obvious that we were talking about very different things.

Their points of reference were the price of French Comté cheese and organic Roma tomatoes at City’super and gourmet shops like Mercato, whereas I was thinking about the cost of local staples such as frozen dumplings, Chinese vegetables and dried shrimp noodles at the Wellcome store around the corner.

Expats in Hong Kong may gripe about the rising price of imported French Comté cheese, but most Hong Kong shoppers have less gourmet appetites. Photo: Sbutterstock

I suppose Comté and Italian tomatoes can be everyday necessities too. But in Hong Kong, clearly, they are not items the masses buy regularly. These imported, speciality goods fall under the category of luxuries for a small demographic. That’s why they rarely get marked down – unless on the verge of expiry.