If you're staying in a condo or want to save serious money on meals, your first stop after picking up your rental car should be a grocery run. Food prices on Maui are 30-50% higher than the mainland, so where you shop makes a real difference. Here's the complete breakdown of your options and exactly what to buy.
Costco (Kahului) — The Essential First Stop
Located right near the airport, Costco is the single most important money-saving stop on your Maui trip. Membership is required, but even if you have to buy one ($65/year), it pays for itself in a single shopping trip on Maui. Best buys: reef-safe sunscreen (a $15 bottle at Costco is $28+ at resort shops), cases of bottled water, bulk snacks for the beach, breakfast items (eggs, bread, fruit, yogurt), alcohol (Maui Brewing Co. variety packs, wine, spirits — all significantly cheaper than anywhere else on the island), and basic snorkel gear sets ($25-40 vs. $15-25/day rental). The Costco gas station has the cheapest fuel on Maui — fill up here before heading to West Maui. Tip: Go straight from the airport before heading to your hotel. The Costco lot gets very busy mid-morning.
Times Supermarket (Lahaina) — Your Neighborhood Grocery
Once you're settled in West Maui, Times Supermarket in Lahaina is your go-to for regular grocery runs. It's a full-service grocery store with good produce, local brands you won't find on the mainland, and a prepared foods section that's great for easy first-night dinners. Look for local items like POG juice (passionfruit-orange-guava), li hing mui snacks, and locally baked bread. The deli has solid poke bowls and plate lunches. Prices are higher than Costco but reasonable by Maui standards, and you can buy normal quantities instead of bulk.
Foodland (Lahaina) — Best Quick Meals
Foodland is a Hawaii-born grocery chain with a convenient Lahaina location. Their standout feature is the poke counter — freshly made poke bowls with a rotating selection of preparations (shoyu, spicy, limu, Hawaiian-style) that rival many restaurants. Grab a poke bowl, some rice, and a drink for under $15 and you've got an excellent dinner. The grocery selection is decent though a bit pricier than Times. They also carry a good selection of local snacks and gifts if you want to bring something home.
What to Buy on Day One
Essentials: reef-safe sunscreen (SPF 50 — you will burn faster than you think at this latitude), bottled water (at least a case), aloe vera gel (just in case), reusable water bottles, and a reusable shopping bag. Breakfast supplies: eggs, bread, tropical fruit (pineapple, papaya, mango — buy pre-cut to save hassle), coffee or tea, milk, and yogurt. Beach supplies: snacks (trail mix, chips, fruit), sandwich fixings for beach lunches, and a cheap cooler bag if you didn't bring one. Drinks: whatever you like — beer, wine, sparkling water, juice. Buying drinks at the grocery store instead of resort bars saves $8-15 per drink.
What to Skip: Don't buy expensive snorkel gear at resort shops — rent weekly from Snorkel Bob's or Boss Frog's if you didn't grab a set at Costco. Don't buy souvenirs at grocery stores — wait for farmers markets and local shops. Don't buy sunscreen at your hotel gift shop — it's marked up 100% or more.
Money-Saving Hack: If you're staying more than 5 nights, the grocery savings from cooking breakfast and packing beach lunches versus eating every meal out adds up to $500-$800 for a couple over a week. That's enough to fund a helicopter tour or a fancy dinner at Merriman's.
Local Knowledge
This article is written with local Lahaina knowledge and updated regularly to stay current.