Supermarkets Shopping

The Vibe: The undisputed king of budget shopping in Turkey. The layout is simple, items are often stacked in boxes, and they avoid flashy advertising to pass savings to the customer.

What to Buy: Excellent own-brand dairy ( Dost brand), bulk rice, lentils, pasta, and generic pantry staples.

Good to Know: They do not sell alcohol or tobacco, and their fresh meat selection is usually limited to chicken and packaged beef mince.

The Vibe: BIM's fiercest competitor. A101 stores generally carry a slightly wider variety of name brands alongside their cheap private labels.

What to Buy: Great prices on large-format items (like 1-gallon buckets of Turkish yogurt), snack aisles, and budget-friendly household goods.

Good to Know: Like BIM, they keep operations bare-bones and generally don't stock alcohol.

The Vibe: A borderline discounter that feels a bit more like a traditional supermarket while maintaining highly competitive pricing.

What to Buy: Fresh produce. Out of the big three, Şok typically has the best-maintained and most affordable fruit and vegetable section.

Good to Know: They feature a massive aisle dedicated strictly to affordable chocolates, biscuits, and local treats.

Mid-Tier Supermarkets (For Selection & Sales)

If you need specific international brands, fresh pork/beef cuts, or alcohol, you will need to step up to Migros or CarrefourSA (both have prominent branches in the Avsallar hub right next to Incekum). While regular prices here are higher than at BIM, you can easily turn them into budget options using one trick:

💡 The Loyalty Card Strategy

Never buy anything at Migros without a Migros Money Card (you can get one at the register for a nominal fee or via their app). Migros runs massive "buy one get one" or 50% off second-item deals weekly, but only for cardholders.

Note on Migros Sizes: The size of the store is determined by the number of letters. A Jet Migros or M Migros is small and tailored for quick stops.

For a massive budget haul, look for a 2M or 3M Migros slightly further into Alanya.

The Avsallar Wednesday Market (Pazar)

For the absolute cheapest and freshest fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and olives, skip the supermarkets entirely and go to the local open-air market. Because Incekum is mostly residential and hotel-focused, the closest major weekly market takes place in Avsallar (the sister town directly bordering Incekum to the east) every Wednesday.

When: Every Wednesday from early morning until sunset.

Where: The central Avsallar indoor/designated market area (just a short dolmuş/bus ride or walk from Incekum hotels).

Shop late: Go around 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM when the market is winding down. Vendors drastically slash prices on remaining tomatoes, figs, melons, and herbs because they don't want to pack them back up.

Watch the locals: Do not buy from the first stall at the entrance. Walk deep into the market, check where local Turkish grandmothers are lining up, and buy your produce there.

Summary Checklist for Budget Shopping

Item Type Best Place to Shop Why?

Water, Dairy, Pasta, Oil BIM or A101 Lowest baseline prices on private labels.

Fresh Produce (Mid-week) Şok Better fruit/veggie quality than BIM, cheaper than Migros.

Fresh Produce (Weekly) Avsallar Wednesday Market Farm-fresh, bulk savings, deeply discounted in the evening.

Alcohol & Foreign Brands Migros (with Money Card) Discounters don't sell alcohol; Migros offers major card-only promos.

3 Golden Rules for Incekum Tourists on a Budget

Avoid "Market" and "Buffet" (Büfe) signs near the sand: Small beachside kiosks charge up to 3x more for water, ice cream, and sunscreen. Walk 5–10 minutes inland toward the D400 highway to find a BIM or A101.

Check your receipt and change: In tourist-heavy areas, busy cashiers can occasionally make mistakes. It is standard practice to briefly glance over your receipt before leaving the register.

Buy water in bulk: Don't buy individual small water bottles. Buy the 5-liter or 10-liter jugs at A101 or BIM for pennies, and use them to refill a reusable bottle for the beach.