If you live near both an ALDI and a Walmart, you’ve probably wondered which one actually saves you more. We had a good way to find out. Most recipes on The Savvy Bite list what the ingredients cost at both stores, so we added them up: 142 recipes, priced item by item at the same Walmart and the same ALDI.
Here’s our ALDI vs. Walmart price comparison: which store came out cheaper, where each one wins, and how to use both to spend less on groceries.
Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October 2026. Ohio’s grocery prices are within about 1% of the national average, so you may pay more or less depending on where you live, and prices change often. Here’s how we price our recipes.
The Short Answer
ALDI was cheaper for 102 of the 142 recipes. Walmart was cheaper for 23, and the other 17 came within a nickel of each other.
Added together, the ingredients for all 142 recipes cost $975.30 at Walmart and $917.08 at ALDI, about 6% less at ALDI. On a $100 grocery trip, that works out to roughly $6, or around $300 a year if you shop every week.
That’s a real saving, but not a huge one, and Walmart won some important categories. The details below matter more than the headline.
How We Compared
- Same stores, same month: the Walmart Supercenter and the ALDI on Morse Road in Columbus, Ohio, priced on their websites in October 2026.
- Store brands first: Great Value at Walmart and ALDI’s own brands, in the closest package size we could find.
- Only what the recipe uses: if a recipe needs half a bag of rice, it’s charged for half the bag. Optional toppings and salt or pepper to taste aren’t counted.
- Missing items: 63 of the 235 ingredients didn’t come up on ALDI’s online store for that location. For those, we used the Walmart price at both stores, so your own results could differ a little.
ALDI also says some items may cost slightly more online than on the shelf, to cover the cost of shopping your order (ALDI’s pricing FAQ). If you shop ALDI in person, your total may come in a little lower than ours.
Results by Type of Recipe
ALDI came out ahead in every category, though not by the same amount.
| Recipes | Walmart | ALDI |
|---|---|---|
| Main dishes (75) | $632.41 | $597.49 |
| Sides, salads and soups (34) | $184.59 | $172.78 |
| Breakfasts (12) | $54.69 | $51.01 |
| Desserts and breads (10) | $51.27 | $47.83 |
| Drinks, snacks and sauces (11) | $52.34 | $47.97 |
| All 142 recipes | $975.30 | $917.08 |
Main dishes made up more than half the list, so they drive most of the total. Desserts, drinks and snacks showed the biggest gap, at about 7% to 8%, because they use more nuts, cheese and specialty items.
Where ALDI Wins
ALDI’s biggest advantages were meat, onions and peppers, cheese, nuts and the specialty items that make a recipe feel a little special.
| Item | Walmart | ALDI |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow onions (3 pounds) | $3.24 | $2.39 |
| Red bell pepper | $1.52 each | $0.90 each (3 for $2.69) |
| Boneless chicken breasts (3 pounds) | $9.84 | $8.99 |
| Ground beef, 85% lean (1 pound) | $7.22 | $6.29 |
| Chicken drumsticks (per pound) | $1.19 | $0.89 |
| Sweet potatoes (3 pounds) | $3.69 | $2.49 |
| Shredded cheddar (per ounce) | $0.25 | $0.21 |
| Chopped walnuts (same-size bag) | $5.28 | $2.79 |
| Basil pesto (jar) | $3.53 | $2.45 |
| Pure maple syrup (same size) | $8.27 | $5.29 |
| Refrigerated pie crusts (2-pack) | $2.87 | $1.95 |
So ALDI won big on recipes built around those items:
- Winter Pomegranate Pear Salad: $10.25 at Walmart, $7.60 at ALDI
- Strawberry Spinach Salad: $10.65 at Walmart, $8.04 at ALDI
- Italian Pasta Salad: $13.71 at Walmart, $11.11 at ALDI
- Greek Chickpea Salad: $12.08 at Walmart, $9.69 at ALDI
- Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers for Two: $5.08 at Walmart, $3.74 at ALDI
Where Walmart Wins
Walmart was cheaper for tomatoes, potatoes, big bags of pantry staples and canned goods sold in multipacks.
| Item | Walmart | ALDI |
|---|---|---|
| Roma tomatoes (per pound) | $0.80 | $1.93 |
| Yellow potatoes (per pound) | $1.21 | $1.86 |
| Long-grain rice (per pound) | $0.70 | $0.88 |
| Ground turkey (1 pound) | $1.98 (frozen roll) | $2.19 |
| Bone-in chicken thighs (per pound) | $1.99 | $2.43 |
| Rotisserie chicken | $5.97 | $6.99 |
| Cut green beans (15-ounce can) | $0.50 | $0.86 |
| Crushed tomatoes (28-ounce can) | $1.30 | $1.55 |
| Linguine (1 pound) | $1.24 | $1.99 |
| Limes | $0.25 each | $0.35 each |
A few of these Walmart prices come from multipacks on its website. The crushed tomatoes, for example, are a six-pack. If your store sells single cans, the price may be a little higher.
Recipes that lean on those items came out cheaper at Walmart:
- Old-Fashioned Potato Salad: $6.02 at Walmart, $7.85 at ALDI
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes: $2.39 at Walmart, $3.36 at ALDI
- Cucumber Tomato Salad: $3.81 at Walmart, $4.89 at ALDI
- Grilled BBQ Chicken Thighs: $7.08 at Walmart, $8.41 at ALDI
- Lemon Butter Shrimp Pasta: $10.94 at Walmart, $11.99 at ALDI
The Basics Cost About the Same
For the staples most families buy every week, the two stores were nearly identical.
| Item | Walmart | ALDI |
|---|---|---|
| Large eggs (1 dozen) | $1.67 | $1.66 |
| Milk (1 gallon) | $2.43 | $2.43 |
| Butter (1 pound) | $3.06 | $2.89 |
| All-purpose flour (5 pounds) | $1.97 | $1.95 |
| Russet potatoes (5 pounds) | $3.84 | $3.69 |
| Black beans (15-ounce can) | $0.92 | $0.85 |
| Diced tomatoes (14.5-ounce can) | $0.96 | $0.96 |
| Frozen mixed vegetables (12 ounces) | $0.98 | $0.98 |
| Peanut butter (16 ounces) | $1.52 | $1.49 |
If your list is mostly these basics, which store you choose matters less than sticking to the list.
A Week of Groceries at Each Store
Whole shopping lists tell the same mixed story. For our $50 a week meal plan for a family of four, the list came to $49.82 at Walmart and $47.08 at ALDI. For our $100 a week meal plan, which needs tomatoes, peppers, shredded mozzarella and a bag of rice, Walmart came out ahead at $99.21, versus $102.44 at ALDI.
So the cheaper store really depends on what’s on your list.
So Which Store Should You Choose?
- If you can only shop at one, ALDI will usually cost a little less, especially if you buy fresh meat, cheese, onions, peppers or nuts.
- Walmart has the bigger selection. More than a quarter of our ingredients didn’t show up at ALDI online, so a one-stop trip is easier at Walmart.
- Splitting your shopping can save the most. Buy fresh meat, cheese and most produce at ALDI, and pick up tomatoes, potatoes, rice and canned goods at Walmart.
- Count the extra trip. A second stop costs gas and time. If the stores aren’t close together, the few dollars you save may not be worth it.
Tips to Spend Less at Either Store
- Compare the unit price. Shelf tags show the price per ounce or per pound, which is the only fair way to compare a 3-pound bag with a 5-pound one.
- Buy the store brand. Every price in this post is a store brand, and for basics like flour, canned tomatoes and rice the difference is hard to notice.
- Skip the extras near the checkout. ALDI’s weekly specials aisle and Walmart’s end displays are where a quick trip turns into a bigger bill.
- Shop with a plan. A short list built around a few meals keeps you out of the impulse aisles. Our guide to setting a weekly grocery budget walks through it.
- Try pickup if you tend to overspend. Ordering online at either store makes it easier to stick to the list, though online prices can differ a little from the shelf.
ALDI vs. Walmart Questions
Is ALDI really cheaper than Walmart?
Usually, but not always. In our comparison ALDI was cheaper for 102 of 142 recipes and about 6% cheaper overall. Walmart was cheaper for tomatoes, potatoes, rice and several canned goods.
Does ALDI carry everything Walmart does?
No. ALDI has a much smaller selection, mostly its own brands. 63 of the 235 ingredients we looked for didn’t come up on ALDI’s online store for our location, so you may still need a second stop for some items.
Are ALDI’s online prices the same as in the store?
Not always. ALDI says there may be a slight increase on certain items sold online to cover the cost of shopping your order, so in-store prices can be a little lower.
Which store is cheaper for a family of 4?
It depends on the list. Our $50 week was cheaper at ALDI and our $100 week was cheaper at Walmart. To see what families typically spend, read how much a family of 4 should spend on groceries.
Why is Walmart cheaper for some items?
In our list, Walmart’s edge came mostly from bigger packages and multipacks, which lower the cost per pound or per can, plus a few produce items like tomatoes and potatoes.
More ways to save: How Much Should a Family of 4 Spend on Groceries?, How to Set a Weekly Grocery Budget and How to Reduce Food Waste at Home.
This post shares general budgeting information, not personal financial advice.
