Aldi or Costco: Which Store Saves More on 12 Starter-Budget Essentials?

When money is tight, every purchase matters. The same basket of groceries can end up costing very different amounts depending on the store, and prices can change a lot from one retailer to another.

That is why Aldi and Costco so often get compared in the hunt for the best place to shop. One is a bare-bones discount grocer. The other is a warehouse club that sells in bulk and requires a membership fee. Both are known for savings, but a low shelf price does not always translate into the cheapest trip overall.

To compare them, we lined up 12 common essentials across the fridge, pantry, and cleaning aisle so you can see which store gives more value without doing the math in the middle of the store.

Strawberries

Costco offers a 2-pound container of strawberries for $6.80, which works out to $3.40 a pound. Aldi sells a pound of strawberries for $3.09, making it the cheaper option.

Eggs

Buying in larger quantities does not always mean paying less. A 24-count pack of Kirkland Signature free range large eggs costs $6 at Costco, or $3 per dozen. Aldi comes out ahead with a 12-count pack of Goldhen large grade A eggs for $1.85.

Milk

For milk, Costco actually comes in lower. A gallon of Friendly Farms 2% reduced fat milk at Aldi costs $1.03 more than a gallon of Kirkland Signature 2% reduced fat milk at Costco.

Boneless Chicken Breasts

This category is very close, with only a 10-cent difference between the two stores. Kirkland Signature fresh chicken breasts cost $3.39 per pound at Costco, while Kirkwood chicken breasts are 10 cents less.

Still, package size matters. The Aldi package weighs about 2.68 pounds, while Costco’s package is roughly 6 pounds, so the better choice may depend on how much chicken you actually need.

Organic Mixed Vegetables

Aldi sells a 10-ounce bag of Simply Nature Organic Mixed Vegetables for $1.89. Costco’s Kirkland Signature organic mixed vegetables cost $10.20 for a 5-pound bag.

Ritz Crackers

An 18-stack box of Ritz crackers is priced at $7.93 at Costco on sale, though its regular price is $11.23, or $0.62 per stack. Aldi sells its fresh stacks box for $5.15 on sale, or $0.43 per stack, with a regular price of $5.75, or $0.48 per stack. The Aldi stacks are slightly smaller, so that is worth keeping in mind when comparing value.

In this case, less really is more for your budget.

Gatorade G Zero

At Aldi, an 18-pack of Gatorade thirst quencher variety drinks costs $11.89. Costco’s 28-pack is cheaper per ounce and gives you 10 additional bottles.

Honey Nut Cheerios

Aldi charges $4.45 for a 15.4-ounce box of General Mills Honey Nut Cheerios. At Costco, a two-pack of 27.5-ounce boxes costs $9.86, for a total of 55 ounces.

Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce

For pasta night, Costco has the better deal. Two 31.7-ounce jars of Rao’s homemade marinara sauce cost $12.99, or about 20 cents per ounce. Aldi sells a smaller 24-ounce jar of the same sauce for $8.29.

Tissues

This one is a tie on a per-tissue basis. Aldi sells a four-pack of Willow ultra soft facial tissues, totaling 240 tissues, for $4.75. Costco sells a 12-pack of Kleenex ultra soft facial tissues, totaling 1,020 tissues, for $24.28.

Granola Bars

Costco sells a 64-count pack of Kirkland Signature soft and chewy granola bars for $11.34. Aldi’s 18-count box of Millville chocolate chip chewy granola bars costs $3.65, though it is slightly higher per bar.

Dawn Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray

A 16-fluid-ounce bottle of Dawn Platinum Powerwash dish spray costs $5.45 at Aldi. Costco’s Dawn Platinum Plus Powerwash dish soap spray starter kit costs $14.74 and includes 64.5 total fluid ounces, making it the better value.

The Bottom Line

Costco had the lower price on seven of the 12 items, with one item tied. It was a close comparison, but Costco came out ahead overall and appears to be the stronger choice for a starter budget.