We Compared 8 Foods At Aldi And Costco – Aldi Wins On These Items

Costco consistently carries good food deals. Its business model, which includes bulk buying and selling as well as running warehouses (rather than manicured stores), is designed to create savings for members. But it's not the only name in the grocery deal game. Since opening its first American location in 1976, German grocery chain Aldi has cemented its own status as a destination for low prices. 

Aldi is also affordable by design. It sells mostly private-label rather than brand-name products, buys overstock (discontinued or already discounted products), and limits overall selection to help keep costs down. Instead of Ritz crackers or Annie's shells and white cheddar macaroni and cheese, Aldi carries private-label Savoritz crackers and Simply Nature organic shells and white cheddar pasta.

But how do these two discount grocery behemoths stack up? It depends on the product. There's no doubt that some Costco prices beat or match those of corresponding products at Aldi. If you don't mind membership fees or buying in bulk, Costco will always be a reliable choice. But in locations we looked at in Western Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Berkshires region of New York, Aldi prices for certain staples eclipsed those of Costco. You don't need a membership to access these Aldi deals – just a quarter to unlock the shopping cart (another cost-cutting measure).

Prices are as of the date of publication and may vary based on region.

Costco and Aldi probably aren't the first places you think of when you're looking for organic produce. But each grocer has a lot to offer. With the growing popularity of organic food, Costco has not only kept up but taken the lead. Sales of organic foods at Costco topped Whole Foods in 2015 and, in 2024, it was the top seller in the U.S., according to information gathered by HuffPost. That's impressive, especially considering that organic items are only a small portion of Costco's stock.

Aldi has also kept up with the market demand for organic foods. Its in-house label, Simply Nature, features many organic and non-genetically modified (GMO) products. Like Costco, it purchases produce from a combination of local and non-local producers, so stock can vary from store to store. 

Organic bananas are inexpensive at Costco, especially if you're looking to stock up. The warehouse price is $2.49 for 3 pounds, which equates to $0.84 per pound (about three medium-sized bananas). But at Aldi, you get an even better price on this staple; 1 pound retails for $0.77. It's a great deal, especially since you're free to buy as few or as many as you need. And if you choose Aldi, you're probably at less risk of letting the bananas spoil before you can eat them.  

Both Costco and Aldi are excellent grocers for fresh fish. Costco's stock may vary based on location or time of year, but there's no shortage of pre-packaged cod, tilapia, and, of course, salmon. If you're on the hunt for the latter, warehouse prices for its Kirkland Signature farm-raised Atlantic salmon filets are very reasonable at $10.99 per pound. A typical package contains a little over 3 pounds, so if you aren't feeding many mouths, you may need to cut some for immediate use and freeze the rest.

However, at Aldi, the comparable farm-raised Atlantic salmon filet is over $2 cheaper per pound. Fresh From Aldi Atlantic salmon is sold in 2-pound packages for about $8.69 per pound. But just because you're saving doesn't mean you're losing quality. These filets are never frozen, and their producers have earned the Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) label. This means a third-party organization, the Global Seafood Alliance, has certified that the fish are farmed using eco-friendly, humane, and sanitary methods. 

Though prices fluctuate, both Costco and Aldi usually have very competitive prices for high-quality meat and beef, including USDA Choice ribeye steak. Though USDA Choice beef isn't as marbled as premium, it's the second-highest grade, and it retains a good amount of fat. This makes this boneless cut of the rib section of the cow perfect for grilling or pan-frying. For the budget-minded, ribeye also tends to be more affordable than other cuts, like filet mignon or beef tenderloin.

Pound for pound, Aldi wins the ribeye round. Costco sells Kirkland Signature USDA Choice boneless beef ribeye steak for $17.99 per pound. These come in packs of four, 10- to 12-ounce steaks, so you end up paying around $54 for 3.5 pounds. Aldi's Black Angus boneless ribeye, also Choice-grade, sells for considerably less; one pound is $14.79. Not only is this more affordable, but it's less of a commitment, since you don't have to buy several pounds at a time. It's little wonder that customers voted this product an official 2024 Aldi Fan Favorite.

There's nothing like a scoop of vanilla ice cream on a cone, in a bowl with a chocolate or caramel syrup drizzle, or melting on a fresh-baked slice of pie. When it comes to the price competition between Aldi and Costco, the ice cream battle is one between private labels. Costco sells under its Kirkland Signature brand, while Aldi sells under its Sundae Shoppe brand. 

Kirkland Signature super-premium vanilla is free from rBST. Packs of two ½-gallon containers (64 ounces each) run for $14.79. You pay roughly $0.12 per ounce — a solid deal.

Like the Kirkland Signature version, Aldi's Sundae Shoppe vanilla bean ice cream is also made with hormone-free milk, and there's no high-fructose corn syrup or artificial flavoring. This popular item costs $3.25 for a 48-ounce tub, so you end up paying only $0.06 an ounce. 

However, unlike Costco's brand, Aldi's ice cream isn't super-premium ice cream. This means it has more overrun: air in the product to fill out its weight. Adding air keeps costs down but makes the ice cream lighter and less dense, which can affect how it melts and feels in your mouth. Still, it's a popular item, and if you're aim is to cut costs, Aldi is clearly the sweeter deal. 

No pantry is complete without a jar of marinara sauce, especially if you find yourself needing to make dinner in a pinch. While using jarred tomato sauce instead of making your own from scratch might offend culinary purists — or your nonna (grandmother) if your family is Italian — there's no denying that popping open a jar saves time. It's ready to go as a pasta sauce, dip, soup base, or an addition to eggplant Parmesan, among many other dishes.  

With this staple, we found Aldi had the better bargain if you break it down by weight. At $1.85 for a 24-ounce jar, the Reggano marinara sets you back less than $0.08 per ounce. The matching product at Costco, Victoria White Linen marinara sauce, was costlier — and you have to get a larger amount. A pack of two 40-ounce jars costs $10.99, making the per-ounce price $0.14. That's almost twice the price per ounce. Reggano emerges as the better deal — and one that no nonna could resist. 

Whether in sandwiches, on crackers, or melted into chili or soup, cheddar cheese is a flexible ingredient and an absolute necessity for many. When this cheese ages, it develops a sharper, more pungent flavor with an extra kick.

The difference between Aldi and Costco aged white cheddar was surprising. Costco carries the name-brand Cabot Creamery three-year aged cheddar, which is made with fresh pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, and enzymes. With an in-store price of $6.49 per pound, it's bold, bright, and has bite, and it doesn't contain additives. Packages contain about 2 pounds, so you're spending around $13 total.

However, we found you can find a very similar item at Aldi for less. The Emporium Selection Aged Reserved New York cheddar is aged over one year, and like the Cabot cheddar, it packs in a lot of bold flavor with few ingredients. A 10-ounce block sells for just $2.49, so it's $3.98 per pound. For cheddar that bites back a bit, we found Aldi had the more mouthwatering deal and was the thriftier choice.

If you're on the hunt for deals on chocolate and candy, Costco and Aldi offer hard-to-beat bargains. On Costco shelves, big-brand American classics like variety packs of Hershey bars (including KitKat, Reese's, and others) mingle with international offerings like those from legacy Swiss chocolatier, Lindt. Since Aldi is a German company that can cultivate relationships with European producers, it carries comparable, private-label chocolates and sweets from European producers, like Schoggoten from Germany and Belgian chocolatier, Choceur. These chocolate bars and candies can resemble products of larger European brands, like Milka, Cadbury, and Ritter Sport. 

Both grocers sell dark chocolate truffles. These individually wrapped chocolate balls consist of a dark chocolate shell that encloses a seductive, creamy dark chocolate center. If you like richer, more robust flavors from your chocolate treats, it's hard to have just one. In the warehouses, Costco sells two 1-pound bags of Utah Truffles dark chocolate truffles for $34.99. That's about $1.07 an ounce, a price that most stores would have trouble matching. However, Aldi's Moser Roth Délice fine chocolate truffles, made with 70% dark cocoa, are the far better bargain. 5-ounce boxes are $3.29, which is about $0.65 an ounce.

Sparkling water has exploded in popularity in the U.S. over the past decade. According to Grand View Research, the American market size (which is the overall demand and sales) of sparkling water was $29.71 billion in 2020, and this is projected to grow to a jaw-dropping $76.95 billion by 2028. That's a lot to swallow, so it's little wonder that both Costco and Aldi work to provide affordable options.

Costco carries one of the world's most recognized sparkling water brands: Maison Perrier from France. This company sources the water from mineral-rich wells in the Vergèze territory, located in Southern France. The in-store price of a 24-pack of 16.9-fluid-ounce bottles is $23.99, so you're basically spending a dollar for each bottle.

Though not French, Aldi's PurAqua Italian-style sparkling water is similarly bubbly and refreshing. Produced in the commune of Apecchio, about 90 miles west of Florence in the mountainous and hilly Marche region of Italy, this water is lightly carbonated and low in sodium. Compared to Maison Perrier at Costco, this beverage is $0.20 cheaper per bottle; at Aldi, a six-pack goes for $4.95. If you're looking for the most savings on the sparkling flavors of Southern Europe, it seems Aldi has the better bottle.