Is Aldi Actually Cheaper Than Walmart? The Answer Isn't So Simple

When it comes to making smart, budget-friendly choices at home, we tend to tighten the belt with grocery shopping. Finding a grocery store that fits with your budgetary needs while also offering quality products sounds daunting, but thankfully, we have stores like Aldi and Walmart to carry the load. Both stores are known for low prices, but does one beat out the other when it comes to where you can truly get the most bang for your buck? Well ... it's complicated.

When comparing the two, there are different factors to consider. First is location, since grocery prices can vary from one state to another. The second is the price of individual items, and third is what's in the overall cart. When Tasting Table did a head-to-head comparison of items from Aldi and Walmart, Walmart came out as the store with the best prices overall on a variety of popular grocery items, but there are plenty of categories where Aldi is a more budget-friendly choice.

Not everyone shops the same way, which influences the verdict here. While someone who stocks up on pantry essentials will be thrilled to know that Walmart prices are cheaper, someone regularly buying meat and fresh produce will find more solace in Aldi's prices. To get a side by side comparison, we researched prices for a handful of products at an Aldi in Rockville, Maryland, and a Walmart in nearby Germantown, Maryland.

Let's start with Aldi. The Germany-based discount grocery store has been in business since 1961 and has seen incredible success since expanding to the United States. The reason? Grocery products that most people find the most expensive when they shop, like dairy, meat, and produce, are wonderfully affordable here. An 8 oz package of Countryside Creamery Irish butter from Aldi costs $3.69, while Walmart's 8 oz package of Kerrygold Irish Butter is $5.24.

If you're big on fresh produce at home, Aldi once again is the more economical choice. A 2 lb bag of carrots at Aldi? $1.49. The same bag of carrots from Walmart is $2.62. A 5 lb bag of Russet potatoes from Walmart will cost you $2.87, whereas a 10 lb bag — double the amount! — from Aldi is $4.09. 

And then there's beef. Beef tends to be one of the most expensive grocery items and the prices are constantly fluctuating based on supply. A 2 and a ¼ lb package of 80/20 ground beef from Walmart will cost you $14.93, while a 2 lb package of 80/20 ground beef from Aldi is only $10.58. The Walmart product is larger but still costs more per pound — $6.60 per pound versus $5.29 at Aldi.

Walmart has made shopping a purely discount experience since 1962, and the pantry essentials shopping there is virtually unmatched. Unlike fresh meat, dairy, and produce, pantry staples can be purchased in bulk because they have a longer shelf life. It's here where Walmart wins out — not only do they offer cheaper prices on shelf-stable pantry essentials, they also tend to offer them in larger sizes than Aldi does, which helps to stretch your savings even further.

At Aldi, a 3 lb bag of long grain white rice will cost you $2.19. At Walmart, a 5 lb bag of long grain white rice will cost you $3.37. The savings is in the size of the bag — Aldi is charging $0.73 cents per pound, while Walmart is only charging $0.67 cents per pound. A 15 and ½ oz can of red kidney beans from Aldi will cost you $0.89, while a the same size can from Walmart is only $0.78 cents. A 40 oz jar of creamy peanut butter from Aldi? That'll set you back $4.35, but at Walmart it will only cost $3.98. 

It's safe to say that both Aldi and Walmart are great choices for those who want to grocery shop on a budget without sacrificing quality. Whether one is the better budget-friendly option overall comes down to how you shop, and what your priorities are when you're filling your cart.