Vacations for Sun and Fun. Follow the Set-Jetting Trend. AARP City Guide. Discover Tucson, Arizona. AARP Smart Guide to Cruises. Tips for Planning, Packing and Landing. Movies for Grownups. Movies for Grownups Awards Winners. TV for Grownups. New Shows to Watch in Free Online Novel.

Read 'The Raging Storm'. Spice Up Your Love Life. Navigate All Kinds of Connections. Get Fit. How to Create a Home Gym. Personal Tech. Store Medical Records on Your Phone?

Tech Tips. Maximize the Life of Your Phone Battery. Virtual Community Center. Join Free Tech Help Events. Your Home. Create a Hygge Haven.

Soups to Comfort Your Soul. AARP Smart Guide. Car Buying. Driver Safety. Is Now the Time to Buy an Electric Car? We Need To Talk. Assess Your Loved One's Driving Skills. AARP Smart Driver Course. Building Resilience in Difficult Times.

Tips for Finding Your Calm. Weight Loss After 50 Challenge. Cautionary Tales of Today's Biggest Scams. Quick Digest of Today's Top News.

AARP Top Tips for Navigating Life. Get Moving With Our Workout Series. You are now leaving AARP. org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP.

A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply. Go to Series Main Page. With grocery bills up nearly 6. Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index, any savings can help, even if it means going somewhere new. AARP Membership.

Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP The Magazine. Join Now. The variety on store shelves, the quality of the food , handling and labor costs, competition and the demographic of the shopper all play into the prices a particular retailer charges.

Stores that cater to lower-income shoppers tend to keep prices lower, while supermarkets that have a lot of variety may have higher prices as a result. There are discount stores where you can get big bargains on select items, traditional grocery stores that amp up the savings by offering generics and loyalty programs, and one-stop shops where you can get everything from bread to batteries in one place.

Proximity to the store and the type of food you purchase will play a role in how much you save. But all things being equal, in some categories, location is everything when it comes to getting a deal. The totals are based on non-sale prices and do not include coupons, loyalty discounts or taxes.

Here are our results. Walmart has been a part of American culture since , when the first store opened in Rogers, Arkansas. Today there are 4, stores across the U.

Walmart is known for its low prices, and that is true of its groceries. Across most categories, Walmart came in first or second when it comes to price.

The ability to buy everything under one roof on the cheap appeals to many consumers, including Robert and Sherri Evans. The 74- and year-old retirees say they shop at Walmart for the convenience and to save. Privacy Policy. But by and large, they are drawn to Walmart because of the pricing and selection.

The key to saving is to know your prices and be willing to compare, the couple say. Shopping Tip : Know your prices and be willing to comparison shop. Hailing from Germany but now headquartered in the U. It also focuses on keeping costs down so that it can pass on the savings to its customers.

Coupons for Local Stores. Save on clothing, gifts, beauty and other everyday shopping needs. Popular with Aldi shoppers is its weekly Aldi Finds. Every Wednesday the retailer puts out new discounted food items, small kitchen appliances, seasonal decor, outdoor furniture, gardening tools, apparel and other items.

It's a big draw for Victor Sukhai, who started shopping at Aldi on the recommendation of his brother. Sukhai comes for those Aldi finds and to purchase peanuts and other food items he knows he can get for cheap. The key to really saving at Aldi, as Sukhai sees it: Get there early.

But they were sold out. Shopping Tip: The early bird gets all the deals. The grocer has been around for more than years, hawking everything from produce to specialty cheeses. After all, as a regional chain it offers a huge selection of both name-brand and generic items.

Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. She racks up reward points that she applies to her bill.

She has spent over two decades writing and covering news for several national publications including The Wall Street Journal , Forbes , Investopedia and HerMoney.

Discover AARP Members Only Access. Already a Member? Take 5 Expenses Off the Chopping Block. Staples You Should Always Buy On Sale. See All. High Yield Savings from Marcus by Goldman Sachs®. Rate bonus on high-yield online savings account. AARP Long-Term Care Options from New York Life.

Custom long-term care options to fit your needs and budget. A free resource to help you assess a financial advisor. AARP® Staying Sharp®. Activities, recipes, challenges and more with full access to AARP Staying Sharp®.

SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS. What We Do. Rewards Star AARP Rewards. CLOSE × Search. Popular Searches Games Car rental AARP daily Crossword Puzzle Hotels with AARP discounts Life Insurance AARP Dental Insurance Plans Travel. Suggested Links Help Show me my account info Change my Address How do I contact AARP?

Where is my membership card? How do I get a digital card? LIMITED TIME OFFER-Black Friday Sale. Join now and get a FREE GIFT. Renew Now. Staying Fit Your Personalized Guide to Fitness.

AARP Hearing Center Ways To Improve Your Hearing. Mental Health Resources Coping with Depression and Anxiety. Mental Health 25 Great Ways to Find Happiness.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Free Tax Preparation Assistance. AARP Money Map Get Your Finances Back on Track. Flexible Work 10 Part-Time Jobs to Beat Inflation.

AARP Skills Builder Online Courses to Boost Your Career. Job Search Age Proof Your Resume. Webinars Get More out of Your Benefits. According to YouGov , a market research and data analytics firm, Aldi is considered one of the most popular grocery stores in the country.

Not only is the product quality top-tier, the German-based company's business model is designed to minimize the cost to the consumer. According to Aldi , 90 percent of the products on their shelves are private-label brands.

Other things, like the 25 cent returnable deposit to use the shopping carts, bagging your own groceries, and not listening to licensed music on the overhead speakers, decrease the store's overhead costs, which helps keep prices low. And selecting produce out of the crates they came in rather than from aesthetically stacked displays is a small price to pay for cheap groceries.

This four-letter German company also operates on a low-cost model, but it's not the same as Aldi. Lidl has been offering affordable groceries since the s and is actively expanding across the East Coast of the U. Although there are fewer locations than Aldi, they're constantly in close competition for stocking the cheapest groceries.

The selection of items is curated to keep the essentials in stock, instead of the added expense of keeping every variety and brand on the shelf. Their private label brands also have a Love It Guarantee , which means if a product doesn't meet your standards you can get your money back and exchange the item for something else.

This big-box store has all of the appeal of members-only clubs like Costco or Sam's Club , but without the expensive fees.

WinCo Foods boasts locations across the West Coast, and is almost entirely employee-owned—which means their staff receive better wages and benefits. And yet the prices are still low. WinCo purchases directly from farmers and manufacturers and has a large quantity of bulk foods, which means their prices undercut many other low-cost retailers.

Another way to cut costs is by not accepting credit cards for payment. But fear not: they do allow payment with debit cards and federal food assistance cards.

Market Basket is one of the smaller chains on this list, but their savings make it one of the most affordable places to shop in the U. A recent study provided by the customer data firm dunnhumby revealed that the New England-based chain was the "top grocery retailer for inflationary times.

For over years, Market Basket has maintained the fierce loyalty of their customers for the high quality food at low prices.

You can find anything from international cheeses, freshly squeezed juices, to even handmade sushi without racking up a massive grocery bill. Trader Joe's is one of our go-to spots for affordable essentials, some of the best frozen food around, and unique snacks.

Beyond the adorably kitschy decor and friendly staff, it's also one of the best grocery stores to visit when you're on a budget. Even amidst the current egg-price hike, the cartons at Trader Joe's remain inexpensive. While some items can get more expensive than at standard grocery stores the produce section can get costly if you're feeding a big family , their private label goods deliver on quality without sacrificing affordability.

If you need shopping inspiration, check out our favorite items here. When you're hunting for low-cost, high quality groceries, Food4Less is an obvious choice. It's literally in the name.

Here Are The Cheapest Grocery Stores In America · Aldi · SOPA Images//Getty Images · Lidl · WinCo Foods · Market Basket · Trader Joe's Today there are 4, stores across the U.S., including 3, Walmart Supercenters that sell everything from bedding to bread. Walmart is known Want fast grocery delivery without busting your budget? Here's where you can get the cheapest eggs, meat, milk and bread online

Video

Bargain grocery prices - Our ratings of Bay Area grocery chains and stores report how each stacks up for price and quality. To compare prices, our researchers used a item list Here Are The Cheapest Grocery Stores In America · Aldi · SOPA Images//Getty Images · Lidl · WinCo Foods · Market Basket · Trader Joe's Today there are 4, stores across the U.S., including 3, Walmart Supercenters that sell everything from bedding to bread. Walmart is known Want fast grocery delivery without busting your budget? Here's where you can get the cheapest eggs, meat, milk and bread online

If you are a number geek like I am, then it should all make sense! Finally, I tallied up the totals — both in numbers and percentages out of Here is what I found. You can clearly see that Aldi has the most lowest prices and Kroger has the least.

There are a few categories where all 4 stores have prices within a nickel, but only a few. Aldi had the lowest prices on two-thirds of the items on my master comparison list.

That is a lot! Years ago, Meijer used to be my go-to store to stock up at everything at a low price — but not anymore! I was truly surprised by how few of the lowest prices Meijer had. Meijer really does not have the best deals on very many things at all.

Aldi was the cheapest in almost a third of the categories. What I found interesting was that they had the lowest prices on over items but the second lowest on only Also, since Aldi does not carry everything, there were several items on the list that could not be compared at Aldi.

As for Walmart? Walmart is giving Aldi a run for their money. Many of the times when Aldi had the lowest price, Walmart was pennies behind. The advantage to Walmart is that they have everything that Aldi does not. To some people, this is worth paying a couple more cents on items to not have to go to a different store.

Kroger is definitely the most expensive if you shop without sales! This chart does not take sales into account so it is difficult to see that represented. Kroger also has gas rewards and more digital coupons, both of which Aldi and Walmart do not.

That definitely is worth considering when you are comparing prices. If you are going by the everyday low prices at the store, the clear winner to the cheapest grocery store in is Aldi.

Walmart is a runner up, with Meijer and Kroger trailing behind. Walmart is probably the cheapest grocery store available nationwide with overall low grocery prices. I say probably, because Walmart does not have sales, so that is a factor because sale shopping can save you a lot of money on groceries.

To find the cheapest grocery store near you, do your own quick price comparison at your local grocery stores. Here is how you can do this project in less than an hour. Start by making a list of 20 to 25 items you buy on a regular basis.

Trust me. Pick the top 2 dozen items you use every week and start there. Then, make a list of the grocery stores nearest to you.

Maybe you will be surprised by your findings! Next, take your list and price those 25 products at your local grocery store and the grocery chains nearest you.

Quick tip. Many grocery stores now have great websites or apps where you can view the prices from the comfort of your own home.

For Aldi, unfortunately, you have to venture into the store to see the actual prices. Aldi uses Instacart to fulfill online orders so prices online are slightly higher than in store.

If you want a true price comparison, go in person to Aldi to compare prices. Once you have compared prices at your closest stores, hopefully it will be clear who has the cheapest groceries near you. I did it in , and While prices have definitely increased in the past year, Aldi is still the winner as it was back in Here are the results.

I did the original research in when Walmart was the cheapest. This is a huge difference from what we see now! What can we take away from this? It is important to continually monitor prices because they do change.

I will always go where the prices are lowest to get the best value for my every dollar in my grocery budget. That is why I am shopping at Aldi more.

Remember, these price comparisons do not factor in sales. Shopping at different grocery stores to take advantage of sales is a great way to save money. At the same time, with gas prices increasing as much as they are, we need to be smart shoppers.

Gone are the days of running to one store just because. We need to combine errands and be wise about how we shop. For me, I shop the amazing sales at Kroger because their sale prices usually beat the every day low price at Aldi and Walmart. Then, I do a stock up trip once or twice a month at Aldi where prices are the lowest to fill in the gaps.

This is what it currently looks like for me, but I am constantly reevaluating to be a smart shopper. After this price comparison, I have a list of what I should buy at Aldi and what items I should buy elsewhere. I also used these prices to create a stock-up list of the best prices for each item — so you can watch for sales at any store to beat those every day prices.

That list is included in my printable grocery ebook. See below for more on that. If you are going to mainly shop at one store — make Aldi your go-to grocery store. But if you really want to save money? Start shopping at more than one store. Knowing the cheap prices on the staples you buy, allows you to stock up your pantry staples, knowing these are the lowest food costs available.

The best way to use this information is to combine every day cheap food items with great sale purchases. Stacking every day low prices with amazing sales is a great way to stretch your food budget.

My plan? I plan to grocery shop at Aldi more regularly, stocking up on their cheap groceries, and supplement with sales at Kroger. I will occasionally shop the meat sales especially ground beef! at Meijer. Walmart will still be my go to when I need a low price pick-up because their prices are close to Aldi on quite a few things.

I will shop where the prices are the lowest to save me money. Fortunately, I have all these stores very close to me, allowing me to take advantage of the different deals. I will also be using the store apps more regularly to check prices. That is incredibly helpful and convenient!

I compiled way too much information to share in one blog post. This blog post is already quite long, but there is still more I could share. If you want a copy of all my charts with prices and statistics, you are welcome to it! I compiled all my research into a 51 page printable PDF ebook — with lots of detailed lists!

I hope this price comparison helps you save money next time you are shopping! Will it change where you shop? What is the cheapest grocery store near you? Hello and welcome! Check out how we're thriving when our income has been cut in half , take a look at some of my custom, Biblical books with free printables or learn how to build a stockpile that works for your family.

You can sign up for blog updates with my email newsletter here. Thanks for stopping by! I wish that the tables were labeled. I see Walmart 68, Kroger The tables are labeled…as it says just above the chart.

All numbers and percentages are out of the items I calculated. Good morning Kristen, I enjoyed your article, lot of effort on your part! The one item I did not see was QUALITY. Have you tried their meats?

I gave them a chance. Not for my family. I use Aldi for canned goods, bread great selection , crackers, cereal, cheese, snacks, etc. Great insights, Greg! I agree with you. I skip the produce at Aldi as well.

It never lasts for me. And meats? I go to Meijer or Kroger where I get a much better quality meat than at Walmart or Aldi. I agree that price is not the only important factor. Sometimes, you have to weigh in other factors as well. Thanks for taking the time to read and share your insights as well!

I have learned to shop the weekly and 5X digital sales at Kroger. They also frequently have markdowns. I brew my own kombucha and kefir and I can anticipate the sales on fruit juice and milk where I buy multiple items to last me until the next sale.

Aldi rarely has lower meat prices. I basically shop the sales for my needs and avoid processed foods and sugary items. I also bake my own keto bread which, in turn, generates keto breadcrumbs. I freeze in bulk as well.

Good points! I buy ahead on the Kroger sales too. They really make for some fabulous deals! As for meat, the sales at Kroger often beat Aldi for me too.

Taking into account as well, the viability of travel distance and time required. Kroger knows this and thus often has the biggest and most diverse inventory…as does WallMart.

This study is great, but only if you have all four options fairly close to each other. Using coupons for items you are going to buy anyway is still a good option, and you are helped by stores like Kroger and Meijer that often mail you coupons for such items.

Original vs. Medicare Advantage. Enrollment Guide. Step-by-Step Tool for First-Timers. Prescription Drugs. Medicare FAQs. Quick Answers to Your Top Questions. Care at Home. Life Balance. LONG-TERM CARE. State Guides. Assistance and Services in Your Area. Prepare to Care Guides. How to Develop a Caregiving Plan.

End of Life. How to Cope With Grief, Loss. Recently Played. Members Only. Staying Sharp. More About Games. Right Again! Trivia — Sports. Atari® Video Games.

Throwback Thursday Crossword. Travel Tips. Vacation Ideas. Travel Benefits. Beach vacation ideas. Vacations for Sun and Fun. Follow the Set-Jetting Trend. AARP City Guide.

Discover Tucson, Arizona. AARP Smart Guide to Cruises. Tips for Planning, Packing and Landing. Movies for Grownups. Movies for Grownups Awards Winners. TV for Grownups. New Shows to Watch in Free Online Novel. Read 'The Raging Storm'. Spice Up Your Love Life. Navigate All Kinds of Connections.

Get Fit. How to Create a Home Gym. Personal Tech. Store Medical Records on Your Phone? Tech Tips. Maximize the Life of Your Phone Battery. Virtual Community Center. Join Free Tech Help Events. Your Home. Create a Hygge Haven. Soups to Comfort Your Soul. AARP Smart Guide. Car Buying. Driver Safety.

Is Now the Time to Buy an Electric Car? We Need To Talk. Assess Your Loved One's Driving Skills. AARP Smart Driver Course. Building Resilience in Difficult Times. Tips for Finding Your Calm. Weight Loss After 50 Challenge. Cautionary Tales of Today's Biggest Scams.

Quick Digest of Today's Top News. AARP Top Tips for Navigating Life. Get Moving With Our Workout Series. You are now leaving AARP.

org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply. Go to Series Main Page. With grocery bills up nearly 6. Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index, any savings can help, even if it means going somewhere new.

AARP Membership. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP The Magazine. Join Now. The variety on store shelves, the quality of the food , handling and labor costs, competition and the demographic of the shopper all play into the prices a particular retailer charges.

Stores that cater to lower-income shoppers tend to keep prices lower, while supermarkets that have a lot of variety may have higher prices as a result. There are discount stores where you can get big bargains on select items, traditional grocery stores that amp up the savings by offering generics and loyalty programs, and one-stop shops where you can get everything from bread to batteries in one place.

Proximity to the store and the type of food you purchase will play a role in how much you save. But all things being equal, in some categories, location is everything when it comes to getting a deal. The totals are based on non-sale prices and do not include coupons, loyalty discounts or taxes.

Here are our results. Walmart has been a part of American culture since , when the first store opened in Rogers, Arkansas. Today there are 4, stores across the U. Walmart is known for its low prices, and that is true of its groceries. Across most categories, Walmart came in first or second when it comes to price.

The ability to buy everything under one roof on the cheap appeals to many consumers, including Robert and Sherri Evans. The 74- and year-old retirees say they shop at Walmart for the convenience and to save. Privacy Policy. But by and large, they are drawn to Walmart because of the pricing and selection.

The key to saving is to know your prices and be willing to compare, the couple say. Shopping Tip : Know your prices and be willing to comparison shop. Hailing from Germany but now headquartered in the U.

It also focuses on keeping costs down so that it can pass on the savings to its customers. Coupons for Local Stores. Save on clothing, gifts, beauty and other everyday shopping needs.

Popular with Aldi shoppers is its weekly Aldi Finds. Every Wednesday the retailer puts out new discounted food items, small kitchen appliances, seasonal decor, outdoor furniture, gardening tools, apparel and other items.

It's a big draw for Victor Sukhai, who started shopping at Aldi on the recommendation of his brother. Sukhai comes for those Aldi finds and to purchase peanuts and other food items he knows he can get for cheap. The key to really saving at Aldi, as Sukhai sees it: Get there early.

But they were sold out. Shopping Tip: The early bird gets all the deals. The grocer has been around for more than years, hawking everything from produce to specialty cheeses.

After all, as a regional chain it offers a huge selection of both name-brand and generic items. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine.

She racks up reward points that she applies to her bill. She has spent over two decades writing and covering news for several national publications including The Wall Street Journal , Forbes , Investopedia and HerMoney. Discover AARP Members Only Access. Already a Member?

Take 5 Expenses Off the Chopping Block. Staples You Should Always Buy On Sale. See All.