Aldi or Walmart: Which Store Provides Better Value for These Popular Grocery Items?

If you shop at both Aldi and Walmart, it’s good to know which has the better deals when you’re working on your grocery budget. If you’re not researching the per-ounce price of food before you shop, it can be a little difficult to know which has the lower grocery item prices. For one thing, grocery stores play the size game where a product looks cheaper, but it turns out that the package is just smaller.

Honestly, when we started comparing prices between our local Aldi and Walmart, we thought we knew what we’d find. However, the results were a little surprising and painted a completely different picture in our minds of which chain offers the lowest prices. Granted, there are some products that you can get at one that you can’t get at the other, but if you’re doing general grocery shopping, you’ll want to know where to go for what if you’re looking at getting the best bargain for certain items. Sometimes, it depends on whether you’re stuck on a name brand or not. Other times, even the store brands are cheaper at one place than at another.

One thing we’ve noticed as the prices of eggs have increased is that they always seemed more expensive at Aldi than at Walmart. Since eggs tend to be sold by the dozen rather than by weight, it was an easier difference to notice. So, we thought we’d look at all the different egg options and see if it was true across the board, and it turns out that Walmart has the best prices on eggs all around.

First, we looked at a dozen large Grade A eggs at both chains. Our local Aldi has eggs for $4.35, while Walmart’s cheapest ones (Great Value) are only $3.94. That’s a savings of $0.41.

The savings continue at Walmart even if you’re interested in more naturally raised eggs. Free range eggs at Aldi are $5.95, while Eggland’s Best are $5.52 at Walmart, which isn’t a big difference, but they’re still $0.43 cheaper at Walmart. The free-range ones have just an $0.08 difference, with the Aldi ones being $5.95 and the Walmart Happy Egg Co. ones being $5.87. The pasture-raised ones have the biggest price difference, with Aldi’s Goldhen brand costing a whopping $6.05 per dozen, while Walmart’s Marketside brand is just $5.47, which is a difference of $0.58 between the two options.

For the most part, when Aldi has a nationally recognized name-brand item for sale, you can almost guarantee that it’s going to be more expensive, which is true for La Croix. The size might throw you with this one since the La Croix package at Aldi is much larger, but it’s not twice as large, so the math can get a little tricky if you’re trying to eyeball it.

The packages of La Croix at Walmart tend to contain eight 12-ounce cans, while the ones at Aldi contain 12 12-ounce cans. The 12 cans at Aldi are $6.29, which comes out to $0.52 per can. Meanwhile, the eight cans at Walmart are $3.84, which comes out to $0.41 per can. Overall, you’re saving $0.11 per can if you decide to get your La Croix at Walmart instead of Aldi.

Now, when it comes to the cheapest brands of sparkling water at the two chains, Aldi’s version (Belle Vie) is the cheapest, coming out to only $0.37 per can ($3.84 total) in comparison to Walmart’s Bettergoods brand, which is $.41 per can ($3.27 total). However, neither brand tastes that great in our opinion, which is why we’re focusing on La Croix here instead of the cheapest options.

Aldi has a lot of cereals from Millville, but only a few nationally recognized name-brand ones. Once again, if you head for the familiar brands, you’re more likely to be paying more at Aldi.

First of all, let’s look at what’s cheaper at Walmart. Fruity Pebbles is $4.45 for a 15-ounce box at Aldi ($0.30 per ounce). Whereas, it’s only $4.95 for a 19.5-ounce box at Walmart, which comes to $0.25 per ounce. The same goes for Cocoa Pebbles, which is $4.45 for 15 ounces at Aldi ($0.30 per ounce), while the Walmart ones are $4.93 for 19.5 ounces ($0.25 per ounce). Similarly, you should be buying your Honey Nut Cheerios at Walmart. At Aldi, it’s $4.45 for 15.4 ounces ($0.29 per ounce), while it’s $4.93 for 18.8 ounces at Walmart ($0.26 per ounce). However, Cheerios Oat Crunch is about the same at both locations, coming out to about $.20 per ounce in either place ($3.73 for 18.2 ounces at Aldi or $4.93 for 24 ounces at Walmart).

Granted, if you opt for the Millville cereals at Aldi, they really are better deals. For example, you can’t beat Millville Fruit Rounds Cereal, which is only $1.85 for a 12.2-ounce box ($0.15 per ounce) compared to Kellogg’s Froot Loops, which is twice as expensive at $4.98 per 16.6-ounce box ($.30 per ounce).

While many of us don’t mind switching to an unknown brand for some items, for some reason, it can be weird switching toothpaste brands, which is probably why Crest is the only toothpaste brand our local Aldi even carries anymore. Going against the norm, for this name-brand item, the flavors Aldi carries are cheaper than at Walmart. However, both are probably items you have to buy online rather than in the store at Walmart.

For the Crest Plus Complete Whitening Deep Clean toothpaste, the better deal is at Aldi. At Aldi, you’ll spend $0.05 more per ounce for Crest Whitening Deep Clean Toothpaste than at Walmart. The price at Aldi is $4.39 for 5.4 ounces ($0.81 per ounce). Whereas, you’ll spend $5.99 for 5.4 ounces at Walmart ($1.11 per ounce).

Meanwhile, Crest Whitening + Scope Toothpaste costs more per ounce at Walmart than at Aldi. Sure, the Walmart version is only $1.00, but it’s only 0.85 ounces, so it actually comes out to $1.11 per ounce, which is actually quite expensive. While Aldi’s is $4.39, that’s for 5.4 ounces. So, it comes out to only $0.81 per ounce.

We don’t know why you’re buying Hershey’s chocolate when you’re going to Aldi when Aldi has the best grocery store dark chocolate bars from European chocolate makers. However, if you’re married to Hershey’s, you’re going to want to buy it at Walmart instead of Aldi.

If you’re looking for Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Candy Bars at Aldi, they’re probably hidden away on one of the lower shelves, and choosing them will cost you more. We found it for $5.49 for 9.3 ounces at Aldi, which comes out to $0.59 per ounce. The exact same amount at Walmart is only $4.97, which is only $0.53 per ounce.

However, some of our favorite chocolate bars at Aldi cost far less per ounce. For example, our top fave grocery store dark chocolate bar of all time is the Choceur Dark Chocolate Bar, which is only $2.19 for a 5.29-ounce bar ($0.41 per ounce). So, there are some great deals on chocolate at Aldi if you’re not going for a brand you know.

In our opinion, it’s hard to beat Rao’s when it comes to canned pasta sauce. You might be able to make something better from scratch with fresh herbs, but the jarred pasta most of us would prefer to buy (once we’ve tried it) tends to be Rao’s. Let’s face it, though, the brand can be kind of expensive. While the price tag might fool you, it turns out that the cheapest Rao’s Pasta Sauce per ounce is at Walmart, not Aldi.

Yes, Aldi’s jars of Rao’s Pasta Sauce are only $7.59 compared to the $8.52 jars of Rao’s at Walmart. However, if you look more closely, you’ll realize the jars at Aldi are actually smaller at 24 ounces versus 32 ounces. So, that means that you’d be spending $0.32 per ounce for Rao’s at Aldi rather than $0.27 per ounce at Walmart. If you’re anything like us, we want more sauce rather than less anyway. Although, the high price at Walmart still hits pretty hard, even if the store does tend to have more of the available Rao’s flavors.

With the international trade wars on and avocados generally coming from other countries like Mexico, you’re likely looking for the cheapest possible avocados to make your favorite avocado-based foods. Avocados and avocado-based foods already tend to be kind of expensive for various reasons, but now they seem to be climbing in price. However, if you thought the ones at Aldi would be the best deal, you’re mistaken. Walmart has better prices on avocados.

Both chains have large avocados for sale individually or in bags of about six mini avocados each. In each case, Walmart is cheapest. The large avocados are $0.89 each at Aldi, whereas they’re only $0.78 each at Walmart. We’re a fan of mini avocados to make smaller servings without having the avocados go brown in storage, and the minis are cheaper at Walmart, too. We found a bag of six minis for $3.25 at Aldi, in comparison to the $3.17 price tag at Walmart.

One of our regular buys in the produce section at both stores are the mini veggies, which are great for work and school lunches. However, if you’re looking for the better deal on mini veggies, you’ll find them at Walmart.

We looked at the price of mini sweet peppers, mini cucumbers, and baby carrots from both chains. And in every instance, Walmart had a better deal for a pound of mini veggies. The mini sweet peppers at Aldi are $3.25, which is $0.20 per ounce. Meanwhile at Walmart, they’re only $2.96, which is only $0.19 per ounce. That’s not a huge difference, but it can add up. Similarly, the baby carrots were only $0.01 different per ounce, with them costing $1.45 at Aldi ($0.09 per ounce) and $1.32 at Walmart ($0.08 per ounce).

You’ll notice the biggest difference in mini veggies between the two chains if you’re buying mini cucumbers. At Aldi, you’ll pay $3.65 for mini cucumbers, which is $0.23 per ounce. However, They’re nearly half that price at Walmart, where you’ll pay only $1.97, which is just $0.12 per ounce.

Aldi tends to have a lot of good deals on meat even before sales. However, the best prices tend to be on beef, pork, and lamb, usually beating out the prices at Walmart.

First, we looked at ground beef and steak, which both had much better prices per pound at Aldi. If you get 80% lean ground hamburger meat at Aldi, it’s only $4.59 per pound at Aldi, which is $1.16 cheaper than it is at Walmart ($5.75 per pound). The steaks are often even better deals. We found Angus top sirloin at Aldi for $9.49 per pound, which is $1.95 cheaper than at Walmart, where it’s $11.44 per pound.

Pork and lamb also seemed to have better prices at Aldi. For example, Aldi boneless pork chops were $3.99 per pound at Aldi in comparison to the $5.06 per pound we found them at Walmart (a difference of $1.07 per pound). When we looked at lamb loin chops, we found them to be cheaper, too, with the ones at Aldi costing $9.79 a pound and the ones at Walmart coming out to $10.97 per pound, which is a difference of $1.18 per pound.

While other meats are cheaper at Aldi, chicken seems to be more of a toss-up, depending on what you buy. So, you’ll need to do a little math if you’re looking for the best deal

First, we looked at the cost of chicken drumsticks and boneless breasts, which have better prices at Walmart. At Aldi, the drumsticks came to $1.89 per pound, whereas they were $1.05 per pound at Walmart. So, that’s a difference of $0.84 per pound between the two chains. When we looked at the cost of boneless, skinless breasts, the difference between the two was close to the same: $0.82. At Aldi, we found breasts for $3.49 per pound, in comparison to the ones at Walmart that are $2.67 per pound.

However, if you’re buying chicken thighs or a whole chicken, you’re better off shopping at Aldi. Thighs are $1.69 per pound at Aldi, and $1.77 per pound at Walmart, which is a difference of $0.08 per pound. The cheapest whole chicken at Aldi is antibiotic-free and only costs $1.67 per pound. Whereas, an equivalent antibiotic-free whole chicken from Walmart is $1.87 per pound.

All the costs of feeding and clothing a baby can be expensive, which is why we wanted to include the cost of baby food on our list. If you look at the cheapest baby food and rice rusk snack options at each chain, Walmart has the best prices.

We looked at both the pouch-style baby food puree and the rusks at both stores. At Aldi, the baby food pouches cost $0.99 for a 4-ounce pack whether they’re organic or not. Meanwhile, the cheapest pouch-style baby food (Parent’s Choice) is only $0.87 each at Walmart. Although, none claim to be organic.

Both stores also carry rice rusks as baby snacks, and the Parent’s Choice brand is also cheaper at Walmart where they only cost $1.92 ($1.09 per ounce). At Aldi, they’re $2.09, which comes out to $1.19 per ounce. The rice rusks at Walmart are also organic, which make them an even better choice for your little one.

When you’re buying sticks of butter for cooking, your best price depends on if you’re buying regular butter or Irish butter. One cost less at Walmart, while the other costs less at Aldi. So, where you do your shopping depends on which one you prefer to buy.

The cost of a pound of regular butter in stick format is much better at Walmart. At Aldi, Countryside Creamery unsalted sweet cream butter sticks are $4.15. Meanwhile, the cheapest equivalent at Walmart is the Great Value brand, which also weighs a pound, but only costs $3.96. So, you save $0.19 a pound buying it from Walmart.

However, if you’re a fan of Irish butter, you’re going to find a better deal at Aldi. Countryside Creamery pure Irish butter at Aldi is $4.09 for half a pound, while Kerrygold is $4.34 for half a pound at Walmart.

Milk is yet another item that you’re better off buying at Walmart rather than Aldi. No matter whether you drink whole milk or one with less fat, the prices aren’t nearly as good at Aldi.

We looked at three types of milk at the two stores: whole milk, 2% milk, and 1% milk. In every case, Aldi’s was more expensive when compared to Walmart’s Great Value Brand milks. Whole milk at Aldi is $3.69 per gallon, while it’s $3.33 at Walmart. Both stores carry 2% milk and 1% milk that is the exact same price as their whole milk. So, no matter which type you prefer, you’ll end up paying $0.36 more at Aldi for a gallon of milk.

If you prefer to buy milk by the half-gallon, it’s still cheaper at Walmart by $0.25. All of Aldi’s regular half-gallon milks cost $2.25, while Walmart’s only cost $2.00.

If you’re just a casual rice consumer who doesn’t need to buy rice in bulk, the small bags at Aldi and Walmart can work just fine for you. However, you’ll get a much better deal buying your rice from Walmart in most cases, but it really depends on which type of rice you prefer. 

It’s a better deal to get Great Value rice from Walmart if you’re looking for either long-grain white rice or jasmine rice. At Aldi, a 3-pound bag costs $2.95, which comes out to $0.98 per pound, while a one-pound bag at Walmart is only $0.92. The jasmine rice at Walmart is an even better deal, with a five-pound bag at Aldi costing $6.85 ($1.37 per pound), while one of the same size at Walmart is $5.97 ($1.19 per pound).

However, if you prefer basmati rice, you’ll find the best deal at Aldi. Both stores sell their basmati in 2-pound bags, with the one at Aldi costing $3.85 ($1.92 per pound) and the Great Value one at Walmart costing $3.92 ($1.96 per pound).

If you’re a shredded cheese fan and you’ve been buying it at Walmart, you might want to switch to Aldi, where it’s cheaper. After all, Aldi is known for its cheeses. So, if you’re already at Aldi to pick from its cornucopia of different cheeses, you might as well get some convenience shredded cheese for pizza, casseroles, and other cheese-loving dishes while you’re at it.

We looked at the price of both shredded mozzarella and the cost of shredded Colby Jack cheese at both stores. Both cheese varieties are $3.95 for 16 ounces at Aldi and $4.22 for 16 ounces at Walmart. With Aldi being $0.26 cheaper per pound for shredded cheese, you’d be much better off getting your shredded cheese from Aldi. Although, if you’re a really big shredded cheese connoisseur, you may need to locate much larger packages than are available from Aldi.