What are the cheapest grocery stores in the US? 5 have Tri-Cities locations. Here’s where

Many grocery stores claim they have the cheapest food, but which can rightfully make that claim?

The online cost-saving guide BravoDeal analyzed the prices of essential items at some of the largest grocery stores in the nation, and good news, Tri-Citians: several of them have locations right here.

The need to find cheaper groceries is becoming an increasingly important issue as the cost of eating at home continually rises nationwide. In 2023 alone, the United States Department of Agriculture reported that food-at-home prices — the food you purchase at the grocery store — increased by 5%.

“With the cost of living having spiked for many households across the nation in the years following the pandemic, many are looking to save wherever they can,” BravoDeal CEO Marco Farnararo stated in a news release.

“Groceries have gone up by approximately 25% since 2020, according to Bloomberg,” he continued. “So consumers are keen to find the best deals and the best value retailers to do their weekly shop with.”

Cheapest grocery stores in Tri-Cities

Here are the cheapest grocery stores in the nation. Their locations in the Tri-Cities are marked on the map below. Each grocery store brand is assigned a different color.

BravoDeal compared the prices of the following most frequently bought items to determine the cheapest grocery stores: Eggs, bread, soda, milk, cereal, frozen pizza, chips, laundry detergent, peanut butter, jelly, ham and chicken breast.

The estimated cost of essentials is listed next to each store. It’s also worth noting that stores like Costco, while expensive to buy in bulk, often have the lowest-priced products per unit. Bolded stores have locations in Tri-Cities.

  1. Aldi - $43.48

  2. Lidl - $54.24

  3. Trader Joe’s - $60.58

  4. Albertsons - $63.18

  5. Walmart - $64.98

  6. Target - $65.38

  7. Kroger - $65.78

  8. Publix - $70.19

  9. Whole Foods Market - $73.98

  10. Sam’s Club - $106.47

  11. Costco - $267.94

Other stores in Tri-Cities may be cheaper for certain purchases. This is not a reflection of which stores in Tri-Cities are the cheapest for purchasing groceries, rather a roundup Tri-Cities locations of the chains considered to be the cheapest across the country.