It used to be common to fill your suitcase with food before coming to the Cook Islands. But times have changed and now 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 you want to stock up your waterfront bungalow with 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 food, alcohol and shopping and the markets, dairies, and supermarkets in Rarotonga.
- Supermarkets in Rarotonga
- Convenience Stores
- Markets in Rarotonga
- Food in Rarotonga
- Food Prices in Rarotonga
- Liquor Stores in Rarotonga
- Shopping in Rarotonga
So Are There Supermarkets in Rarotonga?
Yes. Rarotonga has a range of large and medium supermarkets.
There are five main Supermarkets on the island:
- Avatiu: CITC
- Vaimaanga: Wigmores Supermarket (24 hours)
- Titikaveka: Pataka CITC
- Avarua: Foodlands CITC
- Avarua: Prime Foods
Large Stores & Supermarkets in Rarotonga
There are five main, large supermarkets in Rarotonga:
CITC – Avarua
CITC is the largest supermarket in Rarotonga operated by Cook Islands Trading Corporation. The CITC has a large bakery section, huge frozen section, small butchery, stationery and homewares section. Alcohol is sold here.
Wigmores – Vaimaanga
The Wigmores Supermarket in Rarotonga stocks the biggest range of organic, vegan, and imported fresh dairy and dairy-alternative products. Alcohol is sold here.
Foodlands CITC – Avarua
Smaller than CITC on the main road in Avarua town, Foodlands is the second largest supermarket in Rarotonga with a decent-sized frozen section, cold drinks, fresh bread, homewares, and toiletries. There is parking out in front and across the road.
Prime Foods – Avarua
Prime Foods has a large butchery section and is more of a meat wholesale (the largest and cheapest on the island). There is a small boutique fresh produce and international food section with limited food items from Asia and Europe available. Alcohol is sold here.
Patai CITC – Titikaveka
The Patai Supermarket in Titikaveka is a CITC (Cook Islands Trading Corporation) Food Group convenience store that opened in March 2025. It offers groceries, fuel, hot and cold meals, and ice cream.
Convenience Stores
There are five medium sized supermarkets on the island. These are more like a minimarket and convenience store style of supermarket.
These shops are generally 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)
Convenience stores from the Super Brown chain are open 24 hours per day.
Village Stores
Plus most of the villages right around Rarotonga also have a local convenience store.
These are more like what we would call a ‘dairy’ in New Zealand. In Rarotonga these can be small private stores, part of the ‘Woo Store’ or ‘TEM’ chain, or the bright green ‘Tex Mart’ shops.
Can you Buy Alcohol at the Supermarkets in Rarotonga?
Alcohol is available at the medium and large supermarkets in Rarotonga:
- CITC, Avarua
- Foodlands, Avarua
- Wigmores, Vaimaanga
- Prime Foods, Avarua
- Super Brown, Tupapa
- KAPS, Matavera
- CITC, Kavera
- Super Brown, Nikao
- TEM Store, Muri
Liquor Stores
There are also three Liquor Shops in Rarotonga:
- The Bond Liquor Store
- CITC Liquor Centre
- Raro Liquorland
Both The Bond and CITC Liquor Centre are located in Avarua. Raro Liquorland is in Arorangi (near Blackrock).
Do 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.
Do 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.
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 some seasonal and local produce available.
Markets in Rarotonga
The main market in town sells fresh fruit and vegetables and is open daily.
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.
Is Food More Expensive 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!’
So if you are wondering about the cost of food in Rarotonga, that is a fair question.
There are plenty of fabulous restaurants and cafes all over the island. Plus the supermarkets in Rarotonga are stocked with familiar brands and everything you could want food-wise.
But overall it is generally about the same or slightly more expensive than buying food in New Zealand.
Food Costs at Supermarkets in Rarotonga
Some food costs (in NZD) you might expect visiting Rarotonga:
- 1L Bottled Water: $3.60
- Milk (1L Anchor UHT): $4.00
- Coffee (instant; Nescafe Gold 100g): $12.90
- Coffee (in café): $6
- Drinking coconut: $5
- Beer (handle): $7
- Wine (glass): $9
- Loaf of sliced bread: $7.50
- Ice cream (fresh fruit cone; at the market): $7
- Ice cream (kid-cone at supermarket): $3
- Burger (beachfront restaurant): $15
- Burger (takeaway): $10
- Kids meal (restaurant): $15
Things like yoghurt and fresh milk that come in by air cost more. Though it isn’t off the charts as far as comparison costs for most things.
Is Bottled Drinking Water more Expensive in Rarotonga?
Albeit a standard 1L bottle of drinking water is more expensive than in New Zealand. But 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!
Can you 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 fresh fruit and vegetables are permitted from overseas.
But 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.
- Tip: More information and all the specific details is available from the Ministry of Agriculture.
Read More About Travel to Rarotonga
- All About The Rarotonga Bus.
- Hiring A Scooter In Rarotonga.
- Renting A Car In Rarotonga.
- How To Buy A Car In Rarotonga.
- Finding And Renting A House In Rarotonga.
- Rarotonga Reef Explorer Tour With Ariimoana.
- Is Dengue Fever A Worry For Travel To Rarotonga?
- Transport And Getting Around Rarotonga.
Travel Planning for Cook Islands & Beyond
These are the companies we use while traveling as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation and it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally.
- Skyscanner– This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world. Everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
- 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 the Cook Islands!
Hi! I’m Sarah. I am the self-confessed dreamer, travel-schemer and the main editor behind this blog. I love to write, and it is a dream come true to share so many experiences together and inspire others in our stories.