We Compared Prices for a Dozen Items at Aldi Versus Walmart — And One Is Clearly Cheaper (2024)

  • Groceries
  • Aldi

Mackenzie Filson

Mackenzie Filson

Mackenzie Filson is a food & beverage writer and native Floridian. Her work has appeared in PUNCH, Delish, Kitchn, and EatingWell, amongst others. You can read more of her writing in her newsletter, Book Sommelier, where she pairs books with wine (her one party trick.)

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published Jan 27, 2024

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We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

We Compared Prices for a Dozen Items at Aldi Versus Walmart — And One Is Clearly Cheaper (1)

There have been some iconic duels throughout the ages: King Kong vs. Godzilla. Alexander Hamilton vs. Aaron Burr. And … Aldi vs. Walmart? Okay, Walmart and Aldi aren’t literally dueling, but Aldi is certainly inching (or, rather, leaping) ever closer to being the crowned #1 Cheap Grocer of All Time.

I’m not sure when it happened, but Aldi is likely what many of us automatically picture when we think of affordable grocery stores. Perhaps the store has even become key to keeping your grocery budget under control these days. But are the savings that much different than what’s offered at Walmart? I figured I’d scour the aisles firsthand to see how select items at both grocers add up.

Before we get to number crunching, though, I’ve said it once, and I’ve said it a half-dozen times: The concept of “cheapness” really shakes down to your particular priorities. The pricing of something as personal as groceries will mean a lot of things to as many different people, depending on the value you ascribe to a product as well as your financial situation. For example: Your favorite brand of $6 kettle chips that make you very happy are a staple in your household (whereas, you might think $2 Other Retailer’s chips are overpriced because they don’t taste as good as your favorite bag; or you don’t really care about chips that much, in which case $2 is a “steal”).

With that bit of housekeeping aside, let us tackle the ultimate question! To figure it out, I compared some household staples side-by-side and ounce-by-ounce. To keep things on as equal footing as possible, I visited the stores on the same January night in Burbank, California. I aimed to compare both store-brand and name-brand items across the sections (produce, frozen, pantry items, snacks). In some cases, Walmart provided (larger) options that were not available at Aldi.

These are 12 of the household staples that matched as closely as possible.

So, Is Aldi Cheaper than Walmart?

Freezer Finds

1. Frozen Waffles

Both retailers carry store-brand frozen waffles. While Aldi only offers one flavor, the difference in price is HUGE —nearly $5 cheaper than the ones at Walmart for the exact same quantity.

  • WINNER! Aldi Breakfast Best Homestyle Waffles: $1.99 for 10 waffles
  • Walmart Great Value Buttermilk Waffles: $6.68 for 10 waffles

2. Frozen Chicken Nuggets

Even after we account for the difference in sizes (Walmart’s bag of nuggets is three ounces bigger), Aldi’s nuggets are cheaper. Still, this is a great example of why it’s important to compare unit prices.

  • WINNER! Aldi Kirkwood Chicken Breast Nuggets, $5.29 for 29 ounces ($0.18 per ounce)
  • Walmart Great Value Chicken Nuggets, $5.97 for 32 ounces ($0.19 per ounce)

Produce

3. Avocados

Both retailers sell avocados by unit, not by weight, which makes this head-to-head comparison a no-brainer. Once again, it’s Aldi FTW. (Plus, a few tips on the best ways to pick avocados.)

  • WINNER! Aldi Hass Avocados, $0.59 per avocado
  • Walmart Hass Avocados, $0.68 per avocado

4. Raspberries

At the time I visited, Aldi only had conventionally grown raspberries available, while Walmart only had an organic option. In general, organic produce tends to be more expensive (as it is here) and exposed to fewer pesticides.

  • WINNER! Aldi Driscoll’s Raspberries, $1.69 for 6 ounces
  • Walmart Fresh Kampo Organic Raspberries, $4.96 for 6 ounces

Dairy

5. Whole Milk

If your household regularly goes through a gallon of milk, picking it up at Aldi will save you nearly $1 per container.

  • WINNER! Aldi Friendly Farms, $3.64 for 1 gallon
  • Walmart Great Value Whole Milk, $4.56 for 1 gallon

6. Irish Butter

At more than $1 less per block, it’s worth grabbing an extra one of these Irish butters and stashing it in the freezer so you have it on hand for your next batch of buttercream.

  • WINNER! Aldi Countryside Creamery Pure Irish Butter, $3.09 for 8 ounces
  • Walmart Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter, $4.18 for 8 ounces

Pantry and Snacks

7. Almond Butter

Another dollar savings deal! While Aldi and Walmart’s almond butters each come in 12-ounce jars, the one from Aldi is a full $1.09 cheaper.

  • WINNER! Aldi Simply Nature Creamy Almond Butter, $3.89 for 12 ounces
  • Walmart Sam’s Choice Creamy Almond Butter, $4.98 for 12 ounces

8. Granulated Sugar

Both retailers carry store-brand granulated sugar in four-pound bags, but the bags at Aldi are a little over 25 cents cheaper.

  • WINNER! Aldi Baker’s Corner Premium Granulated Sugar $2.95 for 4 pounds
  • Walmart Great Value Granulated Sugar, $3.24 for 4 pounds

9. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Once again, both retailers sell store-brand options and at identical sizes. And, once again, Aldi comes in a bit lower than Walmart. Picking up the bottle of Priano will save you 33 cents.

  • WINNER! Aldi Priano Extra Virgin Olive Oil, $5.79 for 16.9 ounces
  • Walmart Great Value Extra Virgin Olive Oil, $6.12 for 16.9 ounces

10. Black Beans

Unlike the raspberries, both stores offer organic versions of canned beans. Walmart’s are less than a dollar and a good 30 cents cheaper. Do grab a few extra cans on your next trip there.

  • Aldi Simply Nature Organic Black Beans, $1.19 for 15 ounces
  • WINNER! Walmart Great Value Organic Black Beans, $0.88 for 15 ounces

11. Everything Bagels

Not only are there more bagels per bag, but Aldi’s everything bagels are also a tad bigger (at 3.3 ounces per bagel vs. 3 ounces per bagel). It’s truly a case of getting more for less.

  • WINNER! Aldi L’Oven Fresh Pre-Sliced Everything Bagels $2.19 for 6 bagels (20 ounces)
  • Walmart Sam’s Choice Pre-Sliced Everything Bagel, $3.38 for 5 bagels (15 ounces)

12. Oreo Cookies

Turns out, you won’t save any money buying these iconic cookies at one retailer vs. the other. Both stores offer the Original and Double Stuf versions at the same price.

  • TIE! Aldi Oreo Original or Double Stuf Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, $5.98 for 25.5 ounces
  • TIE! Walmart Oreo Original or Double Stuf Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, $5.98 for 25.5 ounces

Before Your Next Grocery Run, a Few Tips

Each retailer has its own strengths, so comparing the two side by side alone misses out on a couple of nuances.

  • Consider your household size and loyalty to name brands. Walmart has great deals on larger quantities of items, including snacks, cereals, and even fresh produce, plus a larger inventory of name brands and items in general.
  • Try the store brand. Aldi has a wide variety of tried-and-true store-brand items, which are often significantly cheaper, plus a few more deluxe items at great prices, including cured meats, fun cheeses, and even household items like hand blenders.
  • Take note of the product’s size — wherever you shop. Walmart had noticeably “shrinkflated” (aka reducing the amount you get for the same price) some items, like bagels; in these instances, Aldi items were still less expensive without the shrinkage.

Regardless, the prices don’t lie. Aldi is considerably cheaper than Walmart in almost every instance (or they were about the same). Now you know! Especially when it saves you considerable cash, doing a bit of grocery math is the best kind of math, right?

Which store do you prefer? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Filed in:

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Grocery Shopping

We Compared Prices for a Dozen Items at Aldi Versus Walmart — And One Is Clearly Cheaper (2024)

FAQs

Is Aldi's cheaper than Walmart? ›

Regardless, the prices don't lie. Aldi is considerably cheaper than Walmart in almost every instance (or they were about the same).

Why is Aldi able to offer great quality products at incredibly low prices? ›

Private brands and minimal staff add up to big savings

The thing that likely makes the biggest difference in avoiding higher grocery prices is that the chain sells very few brand name items. In fact, 90% of Aldi's products are private-label and much cheaper than the big brands.

What's the difference between Aldi and other grocery stores? ›

Aldi offers lower prices on many items and superior product quality at the same time. Aldi's guarantee gives shoppers peace of mind to try new products without worrying about wasting money.

What is Aldi's competitive advantage over Walmart? ›

Aldi's advantage is that its stores provide the lowest prices in town with their products being on average 15-20% cheaper than Wal-Mart.

Does shopping at Aldi save you money? ›

Aldi is a grocery retailer known for its low prices. If you're trying to keep your grocery spending in check, shopping at Aldi may help. Buying weekly sale items, sticking to Aldi's private-label brands, and limiting seasonal impulse buys could help you maximize your savings when shopping at Aldi.

What is cheaper than Walmart for groceries? ›

Amazon handily beat Walmart for the lowest prices on food and consumables, a new study shows. In other categories, things tightened up. As inflation continues to keep the economy in its grasp, more people are turning to discount retailers to cut grocery prices.

Why is Aldi's meat so cheap? ›

Stocking private-label meat saves Aldi a huge amount of money, as the products are produced to exact specifications and can be purchased in enormous volumes. Suppliers that sell private label products to Aldi also do not need to factor in other costs often associated with branded products, such as marketing.

Where does Aldi's meat come from? ›

When it comes to meat and produce, it's likely that Aldi is sourcing from local farmers in your area. According to Aldi's website, it "teams up with top growers throughout the U.S., including local growers." When it comes to local produce, it's one of the ways the grocery chain saves money.

What is Aldi's aisle of shame? ›

Aldi's 'aisle of shame' is a middle row of goodies that have nothing to do with groceries. Shoppers are huge fans of it. Aldi Finds aisle, or what its superfans call the "Aisle of shame."

Where do Aldi vegetables come from? ›

We also partner with a wide variety of local farmers to offer an array of fresh, in-season produce including organic fruits and vegetables. From USDA Choice meats to gluten-free and organic foods, we are committed to bringing you the highest quality products at considerably lower prices than other grocery stores.

What does Aldi mean in German? ›

In 1962, they introduced the name Aldi—short for Albrecht-Diskont, which translates into English as "Albrecht Discount". Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd have been financially and legally separate since 1966. The individual groups were originally owned and managed jointly by the brothers.

Who is Aldi's biggest competitor? ›

The top Aldi Competitors are Lidl, Biedronka, Penny Market, Salling group A/S, NettoMarken-Discount, Schwarz Gruppe, Dollar Tree and others. Aldi, a famous retail industry is the common brand of two discount supermarket chain in Germany. It has about 10,000 stores in about 20 countries.

Is Aldi owned by Walmart? ›

Owned by a German company called Albrecht Discounts, ALDI is a discount grocery chain that started in Germany in 1948. Decidedly no frills, the company stocks virtually all house-brand products, all offered at very low prices thanks to exclusive deals with their suppliers, many of which are big-name producers.

Why are Aldi products better? ›

From healthier choices, gluten-free items, along with other dietary needs and preferences, more than 90% of the products in our stores are under our exclusive brand. Our Quality Assurance team has also developed strict guidelines in order to meet our high standards, so you can feel good about the food you buy at ALDI.

What are the pros of shopping at Aldi's? ›

You'll find a wide selection of goods, including organic, vegan, and gluten-free options. And the prices are often significantly cheaper than premium stores, which could add up to hundreds of dollars of savings. Aldi's money-back guarantee puts it head and shoulders above the competition.

Is Aldi really a good deal? ›

While stores like Walmart and even Target may have good deals sometimes, Aldi's grocery stores are notorious for super low prices on specific products.

Is Aldi value for money? ›

Which? also undertakes a report at the end of each year, on where the best place to shop is, for value for money. Discount retailer Aldi was the cheapest monthly for seven out of 12 months in 2022, closely followed by Lidl, which was the cheapest for the five other months.

What is the cheapest grocery store chain in the United States? ›

ALDI topped its competition as far as price value, with 90% of the respondents saying it offers value for money. Woodman's Markets: 88% of respondents said it offered value for money. WinCo Foods: 87% of respondents said it offered value for money.

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