Price Comparison Kroger vs. Walmart

A few days ago, I learned that my local Kroger is closing. Luckily there is another one not too far. Still, I’m used to the layout at my local store, and I’ve gone there for so long that many of the employees know me. 

Since the announcement, I’ve seen many conversations about that store and Kroger in general on Facebook. One thing that I’m constantly hearing is that Kroger is overpriced and Walmart is much cheaper. There’s even a Walmart commercial running on TV right now that compares a basket full of similar items from each store with Walmart’s basket coming out to be cheaper. While the commercial doesn’t surprise me, I am a little surprised every time I hear an individual say Walmart is cheaper. For me, I’ve always thought Kroger is cheaper on most groceries I buy. With everyone saying the opposite, I decided to do a little price comparison shopping.

Kroger vs. Walmart: The Plan

For the comparison, I created a grocery pickup list for each store based around some of my most common purchases. As much as possible, I matched brands at each store or chose the store brand at both. I used the normal price rather than the sale price where applicable. Due to eating gluten and dairy free, things like bread and milk that most people regularly purchase won’t be on my list.

The Food and Price Comparison

• Coffee: Kroger Select Blend Medium Roast, 30.5 oz, $4.99. Walmart Great Value Classic Roast Medium Ground Coffee, 30.5 oz. $4.93. Winner: Walmart
• Frozen Mixed Vegetables: Kroger Store Brand, 32 oz, $1.99. Walmart Great Value Brand, 32 oz, $1.94. Winner: Walmart
• Bath Tissue: Kroger 1000 Sheets per Roll Bath Tissue, 12 rolls, $6.79, $0.57 per roll. Walmart Great Value 1000 Bath Tissue Rolls, 16 rolls, $9.12, $0.57 per roll. Winner: Tie
• Cascade Complete Gel Dishwasher Detergent, 75 oz: Kroger $7.59. Walmart $5.97. Winner: Walmart. Honestly, this one wasn’t a surprise to me because I do find Walmart better on a lot of non-food items.
• Sugar, Store brands, 4 lbs: Kroger $1.59. Walmart $1.58. Winner: Walmart
• Bananas: Kroger $0.49 per lb. Walmart $0.44 per lb. Winner: Walmart
• Calidad Corn Chips, 12 oz: Kroger $1.88. Walmart: $1.94. Winner: Kroger
• Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs: Kroger Heritage Farm, $2.99/lb. Walmart store brand, $2.52/lb. Winner: Walmart
• Ground Beef, 3 lb 80% lean/20% fat, store brands: Kroger $10.47. Walmart $14.42. Winner: Kroger.
• Honey Nut Cheerios, 10.8 oz: Kroger $3.29. Walmart $2.98. Winner: Walmart
• Pinto Beans, 4 lb bag, Store Brands: Kroger $2.99. Walmart $3.44. Winner: Kroger.
• Potatoes, Russet, 10 lb bag, Store Brands: Kroger $3.89. Walmart $3.94. Winner: Kroger.
• Canned green beans, 14.5 oz, Store Brands: Kroger $2.19/4 pk, $0.55/can. Walmart $0.50/can. Winner:Walmart
• Blue Diamond Almond Milk, 96 oz: Kroger $4.99. Walmart $3.82. Winner: Walmart.
• Eggs, large, 12 count, store brand: Kroger $1.09. Walmart $1.37. Winner: Kroger

Overall Totals

Kroger: $49.36

Walmart: $50.36

Kroger vs. Walmart Price Comparison: Overall winner

Kroger, by a whopping $1. At Kroger, the almond milk is currently on sale for $3.99 and the ground beef is on sale for $8.97. With those discounts, my Kroger total would have been $3.50 less than my Walmart total.

My Take

For the kinds of things I normally buy, Kroger is generally the cheaper store overall. I’m not a big coupon user, but I do check the Kroger app frequently and load any coupons that I think I may use to my Kroger card. After that, I shop like normal and any coupons I qualify for get applied automatically. Between that and sales, Kroger is almost guaranteed to be consistently cheaper for me.

I also generally like the produce and canned goods at Kroger better than Walmart. I usually can find what I need at both places, but if I need to buy lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, I avoid Walmart.

Having said that, there are things, like dishwasher detergent, that are definitely cheaper at Walmart. I wouldn’t say it’s worth it to make a special trip, but if I’m at Walmart anyway, it’s worth stocking up on.

Like I said earlier, my shopping list may look nothing like your shopping list. With more and more stores offering online shopping for pickup or delivery, it’s worth it to periodically do a price comparison between your local stores. It’s so easy to do online, and you may learn ways to adjust your shopping habits and save money.

If you click through any of the Amazon links and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission. There is no added cost to you.