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Walmart has built a reputation on "everyday low prices," and for the most part, it delivers. But if you automatically assume Walmart is always the cheapest option, you could be leaving money on the table.
Thanks to its no-frills model, smaller stores, and heavy focus on private labels, Aldi undercuts Walmart on a surprising number of household essentials. From pantry staples to paper goods, these 13 items let you save money at Aldi, and the savings add up quickly over the course of a year.
Editor's note: Prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by location.
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Paper towels
Aldi: $5.95 per six rolls
Walmart: $9 per six rolls
Paper towels come in handy for tackling everyday messes, big and small, but it's the price discrepancy that's the shocker here. It's a lot cheaper to stock up on six Boulder two-ply rolls at Aldi without sacrificing absorbency or quality.
Paying three dollars more for six two-ply Bounty rolls isn't worth it when you consider you're not getting anything extra in the deal.
Eggs
Aldi: $2.19 per dozen
Walmart: $2.96 per dozen
The price of this breakfast and baking staple has fallen significantly from its 2025 all-time high, but Walmart is still trailing Aldi.
Since both options include large eggs, the $0.77 difference adds up quickly, especially if you use a carton every week.
Toilet paper
Aldi: $8.79 per 12 rolls
Walmart: $9.98 per 12 rolls
Many Walmart shoppers are shocked to realize that paper products are actually cheaper at Aldi. After all, Walmart prides itself on low everyday prices for non-negotiables.
At $0.73 per roll, Aldi's soft and strong bath tissue is $0.10 cheaper than its Great Value competitor, which is enough to save you big in the long run.
Whole milk
Aldi: $2.85 per gallon
Walmart: $3.04 per gallon
Surprisingly, Aldi also excels in the milk department. Unless you live next door to Walmart, which makes it a no-brainer to shop there for all perishables, you're better off making the trip to Aldi.
You may say that $0.19 in savings is not a lot, but it makes a difference when you consider long-term spending.
Trash bags
Aldi: $6.59
Walmart: $6.78
For this comparison, we looked at the Boulder 40-count product from Aldi and the Great Value 40-count product from Walmart. Per bag, you're only saving pennies.
However, if you're stocking up for the year in anticipation of rising prices, it makes sense to save $0.19 for every 40 bags you buy. Since they're unperishable, it's not like they'll go to waste.
Pasta
Aldi: $1.09 per pound
Walmart: $1.84 per pound
Pasta is an affordable, easy-to-store pantry staple and source of healthy carbs.
Aldi's Reggano rotini pasta is made in Italy, just like Walmart's more well-known Barilla rotini, so you're not missing out on the authentic taste and texture by paying $0.75 less per pound.
Toothpaste
Aldi: $4.39 per tube
Walmart: $5.99 per tube
To make things easy, we've picked the same brand of 5.4-ounce toothpaste at both stores: Crest Whitening Scope, a brand synonymous with good oral hygiene. With $1.60 in savings per tube, it makes sense to stock up at Aldi, especially since toothpaste isn't a perishable.
Apples
Aldi: $0.73 per pound
Walmart: $0.79 per pound
Apples aren't in season, so we picked affordable Gala apples at both stores. The price difference is almost insignificant, but Aldi still comes ahead.
If you're wondering about the quality of Aldi's produce, social media users constantly praise the "quality and freshness" of fruit and vegetables, which they find "last much longer" than Walmart's offerings.
Olive oil
Aldi: $0.38 per fl ounce
Walmart: $0.48 per fl ounce
Olive oil is more expensive than regular cooking oil, but it's also more versatile, useful in everything from sautéing and baking to drizzling and dipping. Aldi's Priano extra virgin olive oil takes the lead with a $0.10 saving over Walmart's Pompeian extra virgin olive oil.
While the bottles are similar in size, you're actually getting an extra 0.9 ounce with Aldi's product.
Get a protection plan on all your appliances
Did you know if your air conditioner stops working, your homeowner’s insurance won’t cover it? Same with plumbing, electrical issues, appliances, and more.
Whether or not you’re a new homeowner, a home warranty from Choice Home Warranty could pick up the slack where insurance falls short and protect you against surprise expenses. If a covered system in your home breaks, you can call their hotline 24/7 to get it repaired.
For a limited time, you can get your first month free with a Single Payment home warranty plan.
Black beans
Aldi: $0.95
Walmart: $1.62
For transparency, we chose 15.5-ounce black bean cans to compare canned goods at Aldi and Walmart. One can of Aldi's Dakota's Pride beans is $0.65 cheaper than Walmart's Goya beans. If you want to stock up your pantry with a cheap, great source of protein, you can't do better than Aldi.
Chicken breasts
Aldi: $3.49 per pound
Walmart: $7.33 per pound
Fresh chicken breast is a must-buy at Aldi. One pound of Kirkwood antibiotic-free chicken breast is $3.84 cheaper at Aldi than Walmart's similar Marketside chicken breast.
To put things in perspective, these savings per pound add up to over $200 a year if you buy chicken every week.
Butter
Aldi: $8.78 per pound
Walmart: $9.68 per pound
Do you love Irish butter? Then, you know the creamy taste and luxury price are unmatched by domestic products.
While cheaper salted butter is available at both stores, Aldi's Countryside Creamery product won accolades in 2020 for its delicious taste despite costing $0.90 less per pound than Walmart's Kerrygold butter.
Coffee
Aldi: $0.65 per ounce
Walmart: $0.71 per ounce
Comparing 12-ounce packs of dark roast coffee from Aldi and Walmart reveals that Aldi's Barissimo is $0.06 cheaper per ounce than the equivalent Seattle's Best Coffee.
This isn't a huge win, but if you're an avid coffee drinker and enjoy a robust dark roast, it's a better deal to buy several single-origin bean bags at Aldi.
Bottom line
While Walmart still wins in the name-brand and one-stop convenience categories, Aldi often comes ahead on essentials. Its private-label products match national brands in quality while costing significantly less, making it a strong choice for shoppers who want to save money on groceries.
Before assuming a store is always cheaper, compare your most frequently purchased items at both retailers. Sometimes, alternating between Aldi and Walmart for specific categories (like buying pantry staples at Aldi and name-brand items at Walmart) can help you maximize savings.
More from FinanceBuzz:
- 12 ways to pocket up to $300.
- Are you a homeowner? Get a protection plan on all your appliances.
- 10 little weird hacks Costco shoppers should know.
- Learn how to escape the paycheck-to-paycheck grind.
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