What Store Has the Best Grocery Prices Right Now?
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What Store Has the Best Grocery Prices Right Now?

  • Writer: Handley Place Living
    Handley Place Living
  • Aug 1
  • 2 min read

Aldi vs Costco vs Amazon vs Walmart

If you're trying to lower your grocery bill, you're not alone. Food prices are rising fast in 2025, and I can't be the only one wondering - Where is the cheapest place to buy groceries?

So I did the research for you. In July 2025, I visited four popular grocery options near me in Charlotte, NC: Aldi, Costco, Walmart, and Amazon to compare 20 essential household and grocery staples side-by-side. These were everyday shelf prices, not sales or coupons. I focused on store brands when available.


🧾 The results surprised me

  • Out of 20 Items Walmart only had the lowest price in 1 ITEM- and only by $.05.

  • Neither Amazon or Costco were the lowest price on paper towels.


📋 The 20 Grocery Staples I Compared



🥇 So Which Store Has the Lowest Prices?



📉 Unit Price vs. Total Price

While Aldi had the lowest total cost, it's important to consider cost per unit. Some items were more expensive upfront, but less on price per ounce, per pound, or per roll, so overall a cost savings by buying in bulk.


🏷 What to Buy Where- Summary



💡 Things to Consider Beyond Price

  • Store Brand vs. Name Brand- I used store-brand items when possible for comparison, but Brand preferences may change the total.

  • Membership Fees- Costco requires a membership to shop. This could be a deal breaker automatically for some. Amazon/Walmart+ also offers memberships, but you can still shop without having a membership.

  • Storage Space- Bulk shopping is typically less expensive overall, but only if you can store 25 lbs of rice or 30 rolls of toilet paper.

  • Freeze It- Butter, cheese, and meat freeze well- just to name a few items.

  • Curbside- Helps Prevent Impulse Buys In-store and online, but know Aldi’s curbside has a bag and service fee as well as increased prices via Instacart.

  • Time vs. Savings- Sometimes cost savings isn't the only priority. Delivery services may cost more, but if it saves you stress and time, it might be worth every penny. But if you have to drive 30 minutes out of the way to go to another store to save $5, it may not be.

  • Item Availability- not all stores carry all items on your list and multi store shopping trips are needed.


💳 Membership & Delivery Fees



Pickup Options

  • Walmart: Free pickup on orders $35+

  • Aldi: Pickup available via Instacart (Not store pricing- adds fees plus a markup on pricing per item)


📦 Household Items Deep Dive- Amazon vs Costco




✅ Surprise Winner: Aldi had the lowest price on 3 of the 4 items in total price and per unit price, even compared to Costco AND Amazon Subscribe & Save 15% Discount. However, Costco is the winner for trash bags.



📥 Download the Cheat Sheet

Want to keep this on your fridge or in your phone?

📌 Cheat Sheet- Grocery Price Comparison 📊 Cheat Sheet- What to Buy Wher


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