What Is The Cheapest Grocery Store In America On Average?

There's no getting around it: Groceries are expensive. Whether you're a college student living the Top Ramen stereotype, or you're trying to feed you, your spouse, and your children on a $50 per week budget like those people on Instagram inexplicably manage to do, knowing where to source a cartful of essentials that won't cost your entire paycheck is likely top of mind. So, if you're looking for a place to score some savings, here's your answer: Aldi is, on average, the cheapest grocery store in America.

The German chain has locations in 39 states, although they're largely concentrated in the eastern half of the country. Part of how Aldi keeps its prices so low has to do with how it splits up labor. For instance, the store's staff tends to be small and customers are required to bag their own groceries. Before you go grocery shopping at Aldi, make sure to bring your own bags (the ones at the store aren't free) and a quarter — you'll need the coin to "rent" a shopping cart, which you can return to get your money back. Nearly 90% of Aldi's stock consists of in-house brands, another strategy to keep costs low. The chain is said to have great budget canned goods, cheeses, produce, and even affordable award-winning wines.

If you live in the western part of the United States, apart from a section of Southern California, you might not have ever heard of Aldi. But there are several other well-priced grocery stores that cater to other areas of the country, making a low(er) grocery bill achievable no matter where you live.

Trader Joe's is known for its well-priced and creative frozen meals and original items from in-house brands, and, in a more niche way, for its famously cheap 19 cent bananas. It's well-suited to people who are cooking for just themselves or a small household and looking to avoid food waste, since many items come in small quantities. 

For bulk shopping, WinCo Foods or Costco are the way to go. WinCo is great for stocking up on pasta, rice, flour, and so on, and doesn't require a membership to shop. However, the employee-owned chain doesn't allow customers to use credit cards, helping keep prices low by avoiding the fees these transactions would come with. Meanwhile, Costco offsets costs by requiring an annual membership fee, but its prices can't be beat when it comes to bulk pastries, household items like diapers or paper plates, and anything served at the wholesale club's famous food court.