How to Find the Best Spices in Latin America

Many expats assume good spices are difficult to find in Latin America. In reality, they're often shopping in the wrong places.

If you're stuck wandering the overpriced aisles of corporate supermarkets looking for imported plastic jars, you're missing out. When it comes to buying spices abroad—whether you're high in the Andes or down by the Amazon gateway in Puyo—the local mercado is where the real flavor hides.

When you buy those tiny jars at the supermarket, you are mostly just paying a premium for the glass and plastic packaging. I avoid grocery store spices as a universal rule—an old habit I learned back in the States because supermarket herbs are almost always overpriced and stale, which is one reason the quality of life and cost of living in Ecuador can be so much better if you shop right.

Just look at the sheer volume and vibrant variety at the local mercado! From massive mounds of cúrcuma, achiote, and paprika to fresh ginger root and tied-off bags of star anise, oregano, and cloves. The aroma walking through these stalls is absolutely incredible. Hitting the local stalls instead of the big-box stores is the ultimate hack for frugal grocery shopping while keeping your travel budget perfectly intact. For more specific local examples, check out my Otavalo grocery cost guide.

You'll hear some claim that imported warehouse spices are superior because of fancy packaging. But let's be real: hoarding a large bag of imported ginger in a pantry for months means it's going to lose its flavor quickly.

The secret to finding the best spices in Ecuador—and across Latin America—isn't hermetic factory sealing. It's buying fresh, pure ingredients from the bulk bins in small batches exactly as you need them, for pennies on the dollar. This approach is a core part of being a successful frugal adventure planner. You can easily source your own mason jars (or local equivalents) to store your bulk finds properly at home.

What about the complaint that local blends are 50% salt or full of fillers? The irony is that most of those expensive, imported US rubs and chili powders are loaded with salt, too. Whether you are whipping up homemade Mexican tacos in your hostel kitchen or trying your hand at local dishes, you want full control over your sodium levels.

The real trick—which has been my go-to for decades—is buying strictly pure, unblended spices at the market and mixing your own blends. You guarantee unadulterated flavor. Whether you're seasoning traditional Andean meats like cuy or making a rich curry, the spices found at a local mercado or dedicated spice shop are rich and high quality, whereas supermarket versions fall flat. If you are exploring the northern highlands, my Otavalo markets guide will point you to the best stalls.

You'll hear folks make the excuse, “My town doesn't have a market like that, so I have to rely on the grocery store.” But more often than not, that just comes down to not putting in the effort to look.

If there isn't a massive market right next door, hop on a local bus! Overland bus travel is generally safe, and navigating the regional transit is incredibly easy, as I've outlined in my Imbabura bus guide. It's the best way to find the real local hubs. Living in the Blue Ridge Mountains, hunting down roadside farmers' markets and fresh produce is just ingrained in my culture.