What’s the cheapest grocery store?
Whether you’re stretching your monthly food stamp deposit or you’re just trying to create a little extra room in your budget this month, choosing where you shop for groceries can make a huge difference.
To help families plan ahead, we compared grocery prices at ten major stores that take EBT to find the cheapest grocery store, using a shopping list that included basics like pasta, bread, milk, frozen chicken, and canned tuna. Here’s what we learned.
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Our 10 cheapest grocery stores#our-10-cheapest-grocery-stores
The price you see at checkout can vary depending on where you live and where you shop, even when you’re buying the same basic items like rice, milk, and eggs. Some stores are known for their big discounts and others for consistent low prices.
Our list of cheapest grocery stores considered current grocery store prices in December 2025. To compare grocery affordability nationally, we focused on ten widely-available retailers that accept SNAP.
1. Walmart#1-walmart
Walmart ranks first overall as the cheapest grocery store that takes EBT. With stores in all 50 states, Walmart offers a wide selection of pantry staples, produce, meat, and dairy at consistently low prices. Learn about using your EBT card at Walmart.
2. Kroger#2-kroger
Kroger ranks second overall as one of the cheapest grocery stores that takes EBT. Kroger and its family of stores, including Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Smith’s, and more, operate in about 35 states across the Midwest, South, West, and parts of the Northeast.
3. Sam’s Club#3-sams-club
Sam’s Club ranks third overall as one of the cheapest grocery stores that takes EBT. Sam’s Club is a warehouse-style grocery retailer with locations in about 44 states across the U.S., with strong presence in the South, Midwest, and parts of the West.
Because Sam’s Club sells items in bulk, families who can buy and store larger quantities may see bigger savings. Our comparison used per-ounce prices to estimate costs, since exact item sizes and availability can vary at warehouse stores. Learn more about using EBT at Sam’s Club.
4. Target#4-target
Target ranks fourth overall as one of the cheapest grocery stores that takes EBT. Target has stores in all 50 states and offers groceries alongside household essentials and other everyday items.
Lots of families shop at Target for the convenience of buying their groceries and non-food items in one trip— and you can use EBT at Target stores and for online pickup or delivery in many areas. Learn more about using your EBT card at Target.
5. Dollar Tree#5-dollar-tree
Dollar Tree ranks fifth overall on our list of cheapest grocery stores that take EBT. Dollar Tree has locations in all 50 states and offers low-cost pantry staples, snacks, and packaged foods.
But remember that most Dollar Tree stores do not carry fresh produce, meat, or dairy, which means it’s best used as a supplement to your grocery shopping rather than a full grocery store. Learn more about using your EBT card at Dollar Tree.
6. ALDI#6-aldi
ALDI ranks sixth overall on our list of cheapest grocery stores that take EBT. ALDI has stores in 39 U.S. states, with the strongest presence in the Midwest, Northeast, South, and parts of the West.
ALDI is known for low prices on store-brand groceries, including produce, meat, dairy, and pantry staples. Learn more about shopping with EBT at ALDI.
7. Costco#7-costco
Costco ranks seventh on our list of cheapest grocery stores that take EBT. Costco has warehouse-style stores in nearly all U.S. states, with locations across the West, Midwest, South, and Northeast.
Like other warehouse clubs, Costco requires a paid membership, and savings opportunities are most impactful for families who can buy and store food in bulk. Our comparison used per-ounce prices to estimate costs, since item sizes and availability can vary widely at warehouse stores. Learn more about using your EBT card at Costco.
8. Amazon#8-amazon
You may not think of it as a grocery store, but Amazon ranks eighth overall on our list of cheapest grocery stores that take EBT. Amazon allows EBT-cardholders to buy groceries online in many states through Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods, and other eligible options.
But delivery fees, service fees, and memberships can increase the price of shopping at Amazon beyond the cost of the groceries alone. Learn more about using EBT on Amazon or Whole Foods.
9. Albertsons#9-albertsons
Albertsons ranked ninth overall on our list. Albertsons and its family of stores, including Safeway, Vons, and Jewel-Osco, operate in many states across the U.S., with a strong presence in the West and Midwest.
You can use your EBT card at Albertsons stores, and many locations also allow online orders for pickup or delivery.
10. Trader Joe’s#10-trader-joes
Cult favorite Trader Joe’s ranks tenth on our list of the cheapest grocery stores that take EBT. Trader Joe’s has locations in many states across the U.S. and is known for its in-house brands of snacks and frozen foods.
Many staple items at Trader Joe’s are organic or specialty products, which can make prices higher compared to stores that offer a wide range of brands. Selection is also more limited, which can make accurate price comparisons difficult. Learn more about using EBT at Trader Joe’s.
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Methodology: How we compared grocery store prices#methodology-how-we-compared-grocery-store-prices
Here’s how we narrowed down the ten cheapest grocery stores:
- Building a monthly sample grocery basket: First, we identified a grocery list of ten core, basic foods modeled on USDA food budget guidance, including principles from the Thrifty Food Plan, which is used to help set SNAP benefit amounts. We chose pantry staples that are widely available across grocery stores, can be compared by price per pound or ounce, and are common purchases, including rice, pasta, eggs, milk, peanut butter, frozen chicken, canned tuna, canned tomatoes, bread, and dried beans.
- Assessing the needs of a family: Next, we estimated the amount of each staple item needed to feed a household of four people (two adults and two children) for about one month.
- Comparing prices across grocery stores: Then we pulled cost data at ten major national grocery store chains that accept food stamps. To keep things consistent, we used store-brand or lowest-priced options, regular shelf prices (not sale prices), and prices pulled directly from the store’s website with a location set in the cost-neutral U.S. metro of Cincinnati, Ohio whenever possible.
- Setting a price index for missing items: Not all stores have fresh produce, meat, and other products in our shopping list. To fill in price information for missing items we used a price matching index. We used Walmart prices as a baseline, and compared prices at other stores to standard items at Walmart to get an index for how prices compare. For example, we found that prices at Dollar Tree are about 1.2 times higher than Walmart, so we priced missing items at Dollar Tree by multiplying the cost of the item at Walmart by 1.2.
How can I find the cheapest groceries near me?#how-can-i-find-the-cheapest-groceries-near-me
Some national or regional grocery stores are able to offer cheaper prices in regions where they have strong supply chains, so you should always check which grocery stores are cheapest in your area.
To find the cheapest groceries near you:
- Look at same-week prices at specific store locations near you before you shop
- Consider bulk-buying and selecting store-brands
- Keep a lookout for weekly deals and coupons
- Consider joining a rewards or loyalty program, which can come with special deals and discounts
- Review prices regularly since groceries can fluctuate depending on things like seasonal availability
- Consider splitting up your shopping and buying certain items at different places–some staple items can cheaper at one store than others, even if the overall cost to shop there is higher
