Business

Costco is now 21% cheaper than Walmart

Tonya Costoff Medeiros

05 Mar 2026 — 1 min read

A new 2026 study reveals that the 'Walmart price' is no longer the gold standard. ©Image Credit: Unsplash / Marques Thomas

Walmart is officially losing the battle in the competition for low prices. Data shows that if you want low grocery prices, Costco is the best place to shop. On average, grocery prices at Costco are 21% cheaper than at Walmart. It's significant savings, especially when picking up several items.

Other retailers also beating Walmart's prices

It's not just a single retailer beating Walmart's pricing. There are a few stores that now hold that title. BJ's Wholesale Club, Lidl, Aldi, WinCo, and H-E-B all offer cheaper grocery prices than Walmart.

For shoppers who think Walmart is the gold standard when it comes to pricing, it may be time to start looking elsewhere. At the very least, comparison pricing can be useful.

Which retailer has the highest prices?

Now that the cheapest retailer has been named, how about the most expensive store for grocery shopping?

Whole Foods took the title of the most expensive place to grocery shop. Its prices were an eye-popping 40% higher than Walmart's. Shaw and El Rancho also had significantly higher prices than Walmart.

Whole Foods pushed back hard on the results. It claimed factors like price cuts, quality standards, and member benefits weren't accounted for.

The pricing data was collected in 2025 by Consultant Strategic Resource Group. The research compared prices on commonly purchased items in mainstream grocery chains. These comparisons were conducted in six cities across the U.S.

On a budget? You've got cheaper options

There's a simple lesson here for budget shoppers, which, let's face it, is just about everyone these days. Walmart no longer wears the crown for the lowest prices, and you'd be smart to look around.

Source: Supermarket News

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