Trader Joe's Vs Aldi: Which Is More Expensive?

When you open your wallet to see what's available for your next grocery run and a fly lazily buzzes out, you know it's time to find some deals. With so many choices for where to shop, it can be hard to figure out where the lowest prices await. Both Aldi and Trader Joe's are synonymous with low prices, but which one keeps more dough in your pocket?

The retailers, while both sources for sweet deals, have differing strategies for attracting and retaining customers. At TJ's, "sale" is considered a four-letter word, and it doesn't offer discounts or coupon deals. Aldi also keeps prices consistently low, but still runs weekly promotions to save customers even more on select items. And where Trader Joe's has its own brand associated with many of its customers favorite items, Aldi lacks brand names by design. Both stores will have everything you need, but Trader Joe's also carries specialty niche items you can't find anywhere else, as well as carefully curated store sections — like its cuisine-diverse frozen options and reasonably priced beer and wine.

Because the retailers take different tacks to get patrons the best deal, you may get a better bang for your buck on certain products at one store versus the other. However, it's worth remembering that a higher quality product will often reflect that in its cost.

The price of fresh produce tends to fluctuate quite a bit in any supermarket, but a quick comparison suggests produce could be cheaper at either store depending on what you're purchasing. Trader Joe's offers a better price on bananas at 19 cents each contrasted with 27 cents at Aldi, and beefsteak tomatoes are far cheaper at TJ's with a cost of $1.29 each versus Aldi's $2.89 apiece.

A 6 ounce bag of baby spinach is 20 cents more at TJ's, but red bell peppers are a steal at the neighborhood grocer with a cost of $1.29 per pepper compared to Aldi's $2.69 each. When it comes to fresh cantaloupe, Aldi squashes Trader Joe's with a price of $1.99 per melon versus TJ's $3.49. Cucumbers are also a better deal at the German-based discount supermarket. Its 16 ounce pack of mini cucumbers costs $1.69 as opposed to TJ's Organic Persian Cucumbers, which come to $2.99 for the same amount.

While the best price on produce generally goes to Aldi, folks on Reddit claim the quality isn't always up to par. In the subreddit r/aldi, some have said the mini cucumbers they saw on the shelf were rotten, and bananas have reportedly gone bad within two days. Aldi might have the better prices, but as one commenter put it, "at what cost if you have to dump most of it."

If you need some protein without breaking the bank, Aldi's meat is well known for being cheap. Trader Joe's offers Organic Chicken Breasts for $6.99 per pound, but the Amick Farms Fresh Chicken Breasts at the German-based retailer are a steal at $2.29 per pound. If you're craving seafood, a fresh 16 ounce Atlantic salmon is the same price of $9.99 at both locations.

Looking to fire up the grill and cook some mouthwatering burgers? Aldi takes the cake in this category with grass-fed beef patties for $3.99 a pound while TJ's burgers are $6.49. Comparing steak prices reveals similar results when it comes to beef. Aldi reigns supreme economically with a cost of $11.99 as opposed to TJ's $12.99 per pound for strip steak. Ribeyes are likewise a better deal at the German-based grocer. Trader Joe's charges $13.99 per pound for these fatty steaks, whereas Aldi's product is three dollars lower at $10.99 a pound.

Pre-sliced cheese is often on the shopping list, and once again, visiting an Aldi will leave more money in your pocket than Trader Joe's. However, the products vary between the two stores. Aldi offers 10 ounce packs of gouda or extra sharp cheddar for $2.69. TJ's, on the other hand, sells a cheese party tray containing colby jack, Swiss, mild cheddar, and pepper jack in 16 ounce packages for $5.99. While the price difference is stark, you do get a wider variety of flavors and more cheese overall purchasing at Trader Joe's.

There isn't quite as wide a gap between the retailers on the cost of milk, but Aldi is well-known for beating out its competitors with low prices on milk and eggs. A half-gallon of milk at TJ's will set you back $2.59, while Aldi offers the same amount for $2.10. If you're going for organic products, both offer organic 2% milk for $3.79. They also offer a wider selection of non-dairy milks for the lactose intolerant, such as coconut, almond, and soy milk. Eggs are also cheaper at Aldi, with a price of $.67 for one dozen compared to Trader Joe's price of $1.19. For dairy products, the best deals are clearly at Aldi.

When comparing pantry staples, Aldi manages to come out on top once again. However, it's worth noting that Trader Joe's doesn't carry as many plain canned goods as its competition. They stock more niche items like canned eggplant with tomatoes and onions and yuzu spreads that might be cheaper than purchasing them from a specialty store. But if you're shopping to save a buck, Aldi can't be beat on pantry staples.

A 15 ounce can of black beans will cost you three cents more at TJ's. The same-sized can of garbanzo beans is 10 cents more at the neighborhood grocer. If you want some low-sodium chicken broth to make a soup with the beans, that will cost 10 cents more at TJ's.  Diced tomatoes are $1 more at Trader Joe's (though it's product also has green chilis), but the price gap starts to widen when looking at almond butter. At TJ's it costs $5.99 for 16 ounce, but you can walk out with a 12 ounce jar from Aldi for $3.69.

Extra virgin olive oil is where the price difference between the two stores is once again laid bare. Priano EVOO at Aldi is priced at $5.79 for a 16.9 ounce bottle, but Trader Joe's organic version is $8.99 for the same volume. TJ's EVOO may indicate a better quality product, but if you're looking to make a dollar stretch as far as possible, Aldi's products are the clear choice for stocking up the pantry.

It's always a good idea to have snacks on hand for in-between meals, and in this department, both stores have varying prices depending on what your favorite snack is. For basic items, where only price counts, Aldi shines, but TJ's often comes in hot with the creative upsell. Whole roasted and salted cashews are $12.79 for a 16 ounce bag at Aldi, but you can purchase the same size bag there for $7.99. Nuts go great with cheese, and where the discount grocer sells a 9 ounce pack of cheddar cheese sticks for $2.29 ($.25 per ounce), TJ's mozzarella-style string cheese is a little more expensive at $3.49 for a 12 ounce pack ($.29 per ounce).

Greek nonfat yogurt is a go-to option for many seeking something creamy, and for this product, the German-owned supermarket is the more affordable choice. Trader Joe's sells its 32 ounce version for $5.49, whereas Aldi's Greek yogurt goes for $3.69 for the same amount. If you're looking for a grab-and-go snack, Aldi has a better deal on its Fit and Active protein bars when compared to Trader Joe's thinkThin protein bars. TJ's product costs $10.74 for six bars, but Aldi smashes that price with its protein bars at $4.29 for the same amount. As far as snacks go, you might get a better deal at one store or the other based on what kind of snacks you enjoy.

When cooking a meal from scratch isn't on the to-do list, frozen meals come to the rescue. A 15.5 ounce frozen pepperoni pizza from Trader Joe's will set you back $5.99, but at Aldi, the same size pizza sells for $3.59. Need some ice cream to make the meal complete? Aldi comes out on top for the best deal on a half-gallon of French vanilla ice cream with a cost of $5.99 versus TJ's version priced at $6.49.

If you are loading up the icebox with staples for the most important meal of the day, Aldi has 12.3 ouncepackages of Breakfast Best Homestyle Waffles for $2.09. That comes out to $.16 per ounce compared to TJ's Whole Grain Waffles which go for $.28 per ounce at $2.69 for a 9.3 ounce package. While one can only judge the quality difference between the two products for themselves, Aldi again has the edge when it comes to lower prices.

Prices can fluctuate quite a bit between different regions. Because of this, most of the price comparisons above were sourced from Aldi and Trader Joe's locations in Wichita, Kansas, right in the middle of the country. The costs in different areas may vary, but overall, if you're trying to save some dough, Aldi is your best bet.