Price Comparison

Kroger vs. Walmart Prices: We Compared 94 Items to Find Out Which Store is Cheaper

Rebecca Choi

August 30, 2021

4 comments

For shoppers who want to save the most money, knowing where to shop is just as important as knowing what to shop for. So, we made this price comparison to find out which store offers lower prices to customers, Kroger or Walmart.

Kroger and Walmart both stock shelves with a variety of brands, including national and private labels. So, we compiled a total grocery list that included both to see where we could save the most money.

Comparison Methodology: How We Compared Kroger and Walmart

For this Walmart vs. Kroger price comparison, we created a master grocery list with nine categories. Our first category includes staple groceries to give you an idea of where you can save the most on items you probably buy weekly. But we don’t stop there.

To compare items, we followed these guidelines:

Look for the cheapest items.

If you follow us on Koopy.com, you know that saving money is our priority. For this price comparison, we wanted a definitive answer on which store is cheaper–so we aimed to buy the cheapest options possible at both stores.

That tended to mean comparing Kroger brand items to Walmart’s Great Value brand products. Whenever we did this, you’ll see which exact brands we compared noted in parenthesis.

Compare the same or similar items.

Even though our goal was to compare the cheapest options, we also needed to compare items that were similar, if not exactly the same. So, we avoided comparing items of different qualities and included many popular brand-name products.

Compare the same amount or weight.

We also kept things consistent by always comparing the same weight or amount. Sometimes this meant doing the math to give you an adequate comparison, even if both stores didn’t offer the exact same amount of the same product.

Now that you know how we did it, it’s time to see what we did.

Kroger vs. Walmart Price Comparison Summary

Here’s a quick snapshot of what we found. But it’s more than meets the eye.

Looking at this chart, you might notice that Kroger won the overall cart price comparison as well as six out of nine categories. With a meager three wins, it looks like Walmart’s Great Value isn’t all that great after all.

But you’ll want to look deeper into our price comparison to see exactly why we think Kroger and Walmart are mostly equal competitors.

For the categories where Walmart did win, we saved between 8-20%. And where Kroger won, some items with unusually high prices at Walmart worked in Kroger’s favor.

If you don’t have the time to analyze all the data, take a look at our final thoughts at the end of this price comparison article, where we summarize everything we found.

Kroger vs. Walmart: Staple Groceries Price Comparison

If you look at only one category in this Kroger vs. Walmart price comparison, look at this. Here we examine the weekly staples groceries that you probably buy every week, like chicken, milk, bread, eggs, and some produce.

In the staple groceries section, we found that Kroger and Walmart are both fierce competitors. Even though Kroger won this section, it was by only nine cents.

The item we saved the most on was the chicken breasts, where Kroger offered an option that was half the price as Walmart’s cheapest chicken.

The lesson here is that either store could be the cheaper one for you, depending on what you buy the most. Take a look at which items you frequently buy to decide which store will save you more money.

Kroger vs. Walmart: Non-Perishables Price Comparison

Next on our list are pantry goods. The things in this category you probably don’t need to buy every week, but they’re often staples that are always in your cabinets. Let’s see how Walmart and Kroger compare.

Similar to the staple groceries section, Kroger beat Walmart by a small margin of savings. We saved the most money on peanut butter, where Kroger’s sold the same item for $1.47 less than Walmart.

Again, we’d say that the cheaper option can change depending on what you buy the most. Every household is different, but so far, it’s looking like Kroger and Walmart are evenly matched competitors.

Kroger vs. Walmart: Frozen Foods Price Comparison

After stocking our pantries, we headed to the frozen foods aisle. Although some frozen foods like bulk chicken, fruit, and veggies can help you save money, other frozen convenience items might be raising your grocery bill.

Take a look at these Walmart and Kroger prices to see what we mean.

Compared to the other categories, Walmart won this one by a larger margin. That’s mostly due to the fact that Kroger’s did not offer a Kroger in-house brand berry medley. Instead, we had to buy the name-brand version, which was twice as much as the Great Value one sold at Walmart.

Again, we’d argue that Walmart and Kroger are on par with their prices.

If you’re interested in saving more money, we suggest going for more nutritional and filling buys, like veggies, fruits, and meats, and avoiding the more expensive convenience foods like frozen waffles, sandwiches, and ice cream. Changing your spending habits this way will save you much more than switching grocery stores.

Kroger vs. Walmart: Snacks and Drinks Price Comparison

Snacks and drinks are other categories that can quickly double your weekly grocery bill. If your main goal is to save money, avoiding everything on this list is a good idea. But, we know that’s not always realistic.

If these are some of your favorite foods or you need something quick and easy to pack for lunch, these items might be regular buys.

So, let’s see who has cheaper options.

The final results for this section were similar to the other ones: Kroger won by 56 cents. But, when you take a deeper look, something’s not right.

Kroger only offered better prices on four items, while Walmart has lower prices on twelve items. It looks like Walmart’s strategy is to offer the lowest prices on most items (even if it is only a cent) while significantly up charging on high-demand items like soda, Oreos, and Goldfish.

It’s important to note that canned Coca-Cola was on sale for the price of $5.18. The original price for 12 cans of soda was an insane $18.75–which we can confirm they do charge.

And the surprising price patterns we noticed in the drink and snack aisles didn’t stop there.

Kroger vs. Walmart: Health and Beauty Price Comparison

Now, let’s take a look at the personal care department.

For this section, Kroger won the overall cart price by the highest price margin yet: $6, and they did it with only two cheaper items.

Even though Walmart offered lower prices on seven items, each item only saved us a few cents. On one item, the Listerine mouthwash, we saved almost $8 on just one bottle. This goes to show that Walmart will jack up prices in any category–even if they don’t do it that often.

Kroger vs. Walmart: OTC Pharmacy Price Comparison

After shopping for personal care items, we headed to the pharmacy to see who offered a better deal on popular medications.

For the OTC medications department, we compared national and in-house brands to see where we could save the most money. Overall, Kroger has cheaper items in the pharmacy, especially national brand medications.

Walmart’s prices in this section were comparable for the most part, but some products, like the Benadryl, Tums, and Zyrtec, were surprisingly pricey for a store that prides itself on low prices.

Kroger vs. Walmart: Home Essentials Price Comparison

Everyone needs the basics to get by, so we also compared prices on home essentials like paper products, soap, and trash bags.

This time, we discovered that Walmart is cheaper than Kroger by over 11%. Walmart’s low price beat Kroger’s eight times out of nine, revealing that the savings are probably worth an extra trip to the store.

After shopping for our home essentials, we saved about $11 on a $100 haul. Unlike the other sections, there were no items here with significantly higher prices at Walmart.

Kroger vs. Walmart: Pet Care Price Comparison

Pets can bring a lot of joy to your life, but they’ll also take a lot of money out of your wallet. So, knowing whether Walmart or Kroger offers better prices can be a huge help.

In the pet department, Walmart and Kroger tied on one item. Other than that, Walmart had the best prices. After shopping for only five items, we saved over $20 by choosing Walmart over Kroger.

On average, we saved about 20% by shopping for our furry friends at Walmart!

Kroger vs. Walmart: Baby Items Price Comparison

Shopping for newborns and toddlers can be a challenge for shoppers who want to save. If you’re wondering who offers better prices on baby items, Kroger or Walmart, we have the answer.

The prices we found in Kroger and Walmart’s baby aisles surprised us the most. There were two items where Walmart charged significantly higher prices: Luvs diapers and Gerber baby food. To see if this was a pattern, we decided to add another diaper and baby food brand to our list.

For the other brands, Pampers and Beech-Nut, Walmart actually offered lower prices. The takeaway here is that you might save money at Walmart with their lower prices, but some unpredictable items will be sold for prices that are twice as much as the competition (or more)!

Overall, we ended up saving over $22 by choosing Kroger instead of Walmart for our baby item needs–but this was largely due to the savings on those two unusually high-priced items at Walmart.

We’d argue that Kroger and Walmart offer prices that are both low and competitive, so if you’re flexible about what brands you buy, you can’t go wrong shopping at either for your baby’s needs.

Kroger vs. Walmart: Programs and Services Comparison

Now that you know how Kroger and Walmart’s prices compare, let’s look at the services they offer.

Kroger and Walmart offer mostly similar services. The main difference is that Kroger charges delivery fees when Walmart does not. Also, Kroger’s return policy is slightly better–but negative reviews of customer service suggest that redeeming a refund might be easier said than done.

FAQs About Kroger and Walmart

Which is cheaper, Kroger or Walmart?

In our ultimate price comparison, we discovered that Kroger is actually cheaper than Walmart on average. But there’s a catch. We found that Walmart offers insanely high prices on select high-demand, brand-name items. If you avoid these items or take advantage of Walmart’s price match policy, Walmart is probably cheaper. But if you’re going to buy these specific items (like Coca-Cola or Oreos), Kroger is cheaper.

What makes Kroger better than Walmart?

Kroger is more consistent and transparent about its prices. Plus, they offer higher quality products to consumers. In our price comparison between Kroger and Walmart, we discovered that Kroger is actually cheaper on average than Walmart. To see how we compared these two stores, check out our ultimate price guide.

Is Kroger or Walmart cheaper for food?

In our ultimate price comparison, we found out that Kroger and Walmart offer competitive prices on staple food items, including pantry goods. Walmart is generally cheaper on most items, but select items are steeply overpriced. To learn more about Walmart and Kroger’s pricing, read our full Kroger vs. Walmart price comparison.

Are Kroger or Walmart cakes better?

Kroger cakes are better than Walmart. Walmart offers the most affordable cakes, but their options are limited, decorations can be iffy, and quality is debatable. However, if you spend over $15 on a regular cake, Walmart offers a free smash cake for your child’s first birthday. You’ll end up spending a little bit more at Kroger, but the overall cake-buying experience will be much better. With great designs, flavors, and custom messages, Kroger’s cakes are a good option (as far as grocery-bought cakes go, at least).

Final Thoughts: How Kroger and Walmart Compare

If you want the lowest prices possible, our recommendation is to shop at Walmart, but there’s a catch. You’ll have to shop for the cheapest items possible, which usually means going for the Great Value private label.

Although these items offer the lowest prices, they’re known for skimping on quality.

So, it’s best to shop at Walmart if:

• You like to buy the cheapest items possible, regardless of quality.
• Your number one goal is to save money.

We also recommend shopping at Walmart for:

• Home essentials like soaps and paper products.
• Pet supplies like food and treats.

On the other hand, Kroger offers fairly competitive prices without the unpredictable high prices that seem too common at Walmart. Kroger is best for shoppers who:

• Want higher quality items for competitive prices.
• Want lower prices on brand-name medications.
• Desire consistency.
• Like to shop national brands.

Remember, Kroger and Walmart offer similar prices when it comes to staple foods, so either store is a safe bet for a shopper who wants to save.

A Final Note on Walmart’s Pricing

Walmart’s prices in this comparison were interesting, to say the least. Although you can see how Walmart tries to list the lowest prices on the market (even if it is just by one cent), it’s also clear that they jack up prices haphazardly.

To us, these price increases seem unpredictable. But, it’s likely that Walmart raises prices where they can–on items in high demand or on specific brands that consumers will pay more for. These outrageously high prices occurred often enough that they tipped the scales to make Kroger seem like the cheaper option overall.

With these odd price patterns, it’s important to know that you could get around it with Walmart’s price match policy. They will match a lower price from their competitors, including online prices. 

To qualify for a price match,

• The items must be exactly identical (size, model, quantity, brand, color, flavor, etc.)
• The items must be in stock at both locations (Walmart and the competitor)

Also, you can only qualify for one price match per day. But, compared to Kroger’s nonexistent price match policy, one is better than none.
You may also be able to get around Walmart’s high prices by choosing a different brand item than the one you would usually buy. And if you’re a Walmart loyalist, check out our guide on how to save even more money at Walmart.