Where is the Cheapest Place in Iowa to Shop for Groceries?

As a family of five, I can tell you that making a trip to the grocery store can leave you in sticker shock! And with inflation causing prices to rise over the past several years, smart shoppers are looking to save some money when they head to the store. So which stores are saving Iowans the most on groceries?

Most and Least Expensive Grocery Store Survey

Consumer Reports points out that food prices rose a staggering 25.5% between December 2020 and December 2024. Many families, including mine, will shop at several stores to get the best prices available. Consumer Reports put together a study of which stores could save you the most money. To do that, they used the baseline prices from the nation's largest grocery retailer: Wal-Mart.

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Where Did Other Grocery Store Chains Rank?

According to Consumer Reports, the comparisons were based on the total price of grocery baskets that included packaged goods, produce, and meat. Prices were collected in person during the summer of 2025. The prices do show sales and shopper discounts. What you won't see in this survey are regional grocery chains like Hy-Vee and Fareway. So which grocery stores have lower prices than Wal-Mart?

1. Costco - 21.4% Cheaper
2. BJ's Wholesale - 21% Cheaper
3. Lidl - 8.5% Cheaper
4. Aldi - 8.3% Cheaper

Costco might be cheaper, but remember you're buying in bulk!

Here are the stores where groceries are the MOST expensive!

1. Whole Foods - 39.7% More Expensive
2. Shaw's - 31.9% More Expensive
3. El Rancho - 30.1% More Expensive

Trader Joe's was 24.6% more expensive, and Target was 5.9% more expensive.

More reasons to clip those coupons and watch for weekend sales!