• Costco is now the most affordable grocery option, beating Walmart by over 21%.

• Warehouse clubs and discount grocers like Aldi offer significant savings over traditional supermarkets.

• Mainstream and specialty grocers like Kroger and Whole Foods are notably more expensive.

• Strategic shopping across different store types is crucial for combating high food inflation.

• Informed choices about where to shop can save households hundreds of dollars annually.

With grocery prices still squeezing household budgets amid ongoing inflation, where you shop matters more than ever. A comprehensive price comparison study commissioned by Consumer Reports now shows that Costco has surpassed Walmart to become the most affordable option for everyday groceries.

Consumer Reports commissioned a detailed analysis, conducted by the New York-based Strategic Resource Group in late summer 2025. The study compared basket prices across six major U.S. metropolitan areas, using Walmart as the benchmark. The findings, published in February, deliver a powerful lesson in savvy shopping: your choice of store alone can create a price differential of more than 33%.