Most, least expensive grocery stores revealed: new study

You may need to rethink where you’re grabbing your grub.

A new analysis by Consumer Reports has determined the most and least expensive U.S. supermarkets, on average, and upscale behemoth Whole Foods Market topped the list of the priciest — with costs nearly 40% higher than what a consumer would pay at big-box retailer Walmart, which was used as a baseline for the study.

The regional New England chain Shaw’s followed Whole Foods, with prices about 32% higher than Walmart’s.

Whole Foods was named the most expensive grocer in the Consumer Reports examination. Christopher Sadowski

Trader Joe’s, often thought to be budget-friendly, was also among the most expensive grocery chains in the U.S., rounding out the priciest’s top 10.

TJ’s prices were nearly 25% higher than Walmart’s — and the differences were even greater in some metro areas like Denver (30% higher) and Dallas-Forth Worth (33% higher).

The cheapest chain for groceries was Costco Wholesale, the findings showed, with prices 21.4% lower than Walmart, with BJ’s Wholesale Club following with 21% less.

Overall, the research found that the difference between the highest- and lowest-priced stores was more than 33% — and differences were even more glaring when including warehouses like Costco and specialty grocers like Whole Foods.

The findings emerge as concerned shoppers have found themselves spending increasingly more at grocery stores. An August 2025 poll found that the vast majority of US adults are at least somewhat stressed about the cost of groceries.

Woman checking an expensive grocery receipt in a supermarket, surprised by the high cost. — Consumers are growing increasingly concerned about rising grocery prices. stokkete – stock.adobe.com

According to an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, food prices increased 25.5% between December 2020 and December 2024.

Dairy, beef and pork are near or at record-high prices, and coffee alone is up 20% since a year ago.

The price of a carton of eggs hit a record high of $8.15 in March 2025 amid bird flu-induced shortages, with NYC bodegas even selling “loosie”-style eggs as a result.

For its new research, Consumer Reports compared prices on grocery baskets of commonly purchased items — including packaged goods, produce and meat — at mainstream chains from more than two dozen major retailers in six “regionally representative” cities across the country, areas including Boston, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Southern California and Virginia Beach.

However, the products differed in size depending on availability by store, meaning comparisons were strongest for the mainstream retailers that carried a wide selection of identical brand items.

Comparison baskets were smaller for stores with private-label brands and specialty goods, as they have fewer items in common with Walmart.

A Walmart store entrance in Riverdale, NJ, with cars parked in the foreground. — Walmart was used as the baseline for grocery prices. Christopher Sadowski

For example, the Chicago analysis had baskets with 56 items when comparing Food4Less, Jewel-Osco, Marianos, Meijer, Target and Walmart; however, comparing a Chicago Trader Joe’s to Walmart featured a basket containing 23 items.

All prices were collected in person within 48 hours during late summer 2025.

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Consumer Reports noted that most Americans buy food from at least two retailers each week, and strategically planning where you shop can ultimately save you a lot of money. The nonprofit buyers’ guide partnered with Strategic Resource Group, a New York-based retail- and grocery-industry market research company, for the new study.