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Updated 22 March 2026

Cheapest protein sources in Australia

Every protein source ranked by cost per gram. From eggs at AUD 0.50 to premium cuts. Find where to buy each protein cheapest at Woolworths, Coles, and ALDI.

Protein ranking: cost per 30g serve

The table below ranks 15+ protein sources by the actual cost you'll pay per 30 grams of protein (roughly one daily serving of high-protein content). Prices are based on typical Australian supermarket costs as of May 2026. Frozen and tinned options are cheaper than fresh equivalents and store indefinitely.

Protein source	Cost per 30g protein	Typical serving size	Protein per serve	Best place to buy
Lentils (dried, cooked)	AUD 0.35	1 cup cooked	18g	Woolworths, Coles, ALDI
Eggs (free-range)	AUD 0.50	2 eggs	13g	Woolworths, Coles, ALDI
Protein powder	AUD 0.80-1.20	30g scoop	25g	Costco, Woolworths, pharmacies
Milk (2% or full-fat)	AUD 0.60	500ml	15g	Woolworths, Coles, ALDI
Chicken thighs (frozen)	AUD 0.80-1.00	150g	25g	Costco, Woolworths, Coles
Greek yoghurt (1kg tub)	AUD 0.80-1.20	200g	15g	Costco, Woolworths, Coles
Peanut butter (natural)	AUD 0.70-1.00	2 tablespoons	8g	Woolworths, Coles, ALDI
Tofu (firm)	AUD 0.80-1.20	150g	15g	Woolworths, Coles, Asian grocers
Tinned tuna (in water)	AUD 1.00-1.50	95g tin	20g	Woolworths, Coles, ALDI
Cottage cheese (500g)	AUD 1.00-1.50	200g	22g	Woolworths, Coles
Tinned beans (black, kidney, chickpea)	AUD 0.40-0.70	1 tin cooked (about 250g)	12-15g	Woolworths, Coles, ALDI
Beef mince (lean, frozen)	AUD 1.20-1.50	100g	21g	Costco, Woolworths, Coles
Chicken breast (frozen)	AUD 1.20-1.80	100g	31g	Costco, Woolworths, Coles
Salmon (frozen fillets)	AUD 1.80-2.50	100g	25g	Costco, Woolworths, Coles
Steak (sirloin)	AUD 2.00-3.50	100g	25g	Woolworths, Coles, butchers
Eye fillet steak	AUD 6.00-8.00	100g	25g	Premium butchers, specialist stores

The cheapest proteins dominate every cuisine

Lentils are not a fringe food. They're the foundation of Indian dals, Middle Eastern dishes, and Mediterranean soups. Eggs feed entire continents. Chicken thighs are cheaper because restaurants and takeaway shops use breasts, not because thighs are inferior: they're richer, more forgiving to cook, and stay moist in any preparation.

If you restrict yourself to the top five sources (lentils, eggs, milk, chicken thighs, and Greek yoghurt), you can build breakfast, lunch, and dinner for AUD 40-60 per week and hit any realistic protein target. Add tinned tuna, cottage cheese, and tofu for variety without reaching premium protein territory.

Where to buy cheapest at each supermarket

Woolworths

Woolworths stocks the widest range and frequently discounts chicken (buy in bulk on sale, freeze). Eggs are consistently cheap. Greek yoghurt 1kg tubs rotate on special roughly every 4-6 weeks. Tinned tuna is usually around AUD 1.30-1.50 per 95g tin, cheaper if on 3-for-AUD 4 promotions.

Use Pinch to watch for chicken breast sales: when it hits AUD 9-10 per kg, that's your signal to buy and freeze. Lentils and beans are in the health food aisle and cost AUD 0.50-1.00 per tin depending on brand.

Coles

Coles pricing mirrors Woolworths closely. Their home brand eggs and yoghurt are slightly cheaper than Woolworths. Protein powder is often on promotion. Chicken prices track with Woolworths, so you'll see similar sale cycles.

Frozen chicken thighs at Coles are usually AUD 6-8 per kg, sometimes less during January or winter sales. Tinned tuna is similarly priced to Woolworths but worth comparing via Pinch when you're buying in bulk.

ALDI

ALDI's house brand eggs are the cheapest nationwide. Their tinned tuna is roughly AUD 1.50 per tin. Frozen chicken (both breast and thighs) are priced below Woolworths and Coles on a per-kg basis. ALDI doesn't usually stock cottage cheese or premium Greek yoghurt, so those are Woolworths/Coles items.

Lentils and tinned beans at ALDI are in the international foods aisle and usually cheaper than the health food section elsewhere. If you're building a budget protein rotation, ALDI should be your anchor for eggs, frozen chicken, and tinned products.

Costco

Costco demands bulk purchases but rewards them with the lowest per-kg pricing on frozen chicken (both thighs and breasts), ground beef, and salmon. A 2.5kg bag of frozen chicken thighs often costs AUD 12-15 (AUD 4.80-6/kg), significantly below individual purchases elsewhere.

Greek yoghurt 1kg tubs are AUD 5.50-6.50 at Costco versus AUD 6-8 at supermarkets. Protein powder tubs are also cheaper per kg. Membership (AUD 60/year) pays for itself in one bulk shop if you're buying 3+ kg of chicken.

Real meals built from the cheapest proteins

Breakfast (AUD 1.50-2.00, 20-25g protein)

3 scrambled eggs with toast and butter. Cost breakdown: 3 eggs AUD 0.40-0.60, 2 slices bread AUD 0.30-0.50, butter AUD 0.20. Total AUD 0.90-1.30. Add a glass of milk (AUD 0.30) or Greek yoghurt (AUD 0.50-0.80) and you're at 25-28g protein, AUD 1.40-2.00.

Lunch (AUD 2.00-3.50, 25-30g protein)

Tuna sandwich: tin of tuna AUD 1.30-1.50, 2 slices bread AUD 0.30, mayonnaise AUD 0.20, lettuce and tomato AUD 0.30. Total AUD 2.10-2.30. Drink 250ml milk on the side (AUD 0.15) and you're at 28-30g protein, AUD 2.25-2.45.

Alternative: Lentil soup. 1 cup cooked lentils (AUD 0.30-0.50) with vegetable broth, onion, garlic, and carrot (AUD 0.80-1.00 total veg). One bowl is 200ml and delivers 9g protein for AUD 1.10-1.50. Pair with 2 slices bread and you're at 12-15g protein, AUD 1.60-2.00.

Dinner (AUD 3.00-5.00, 25-35g protein)

Stir-fried chicken thighs with rice. 200g frozen chicken thighs (AUD 1.20-1.60, 25g protein), 1 cup cooked rice (AUD 0.40, 4g protein), mixed vegetables (AUD 0.80-1.20), soy sauce and oil (AUD 0.20). Total AUD 2.60-3.40 for 29-30g protein.

Alternative: Lentil bolognese. 150g cooked lentils (AUD 0.45-0.70, 13-14g protein), 100g beef mince (AUD 0.80-1.00, 21g protein), onion and tomato (AUD 0.80), pasta (AUD 0.50). Total AUD 2.55-3.00 for 34-35g protein.

Snack (AUD 0.50-1.00, 10-15g protein)

Greek yoghurt (200ml, AUD 0.50-0.80) or cottage cheese (100g, AUD 0.50-0.75). Pair with berries (AUD 0.50) if on sale, or eat plain. Add a handful of peanuts or almonds (AUD 0.30-0.50) for 12-15g protein, AUD 1.00 total.

How to use Pinch for protein shopping

Protein prices move weekly. Chicken might be on half-price at one retailer while another has eggs on special. Most shoppers waste money by ignoring these fluctuations and buying premium protein every week regardless of sale activity.

Use Pinch to check the current price of your five staple proteins (eggs, lentils, milk, chicken thighs, yoghurt) across your local retailers before you shop. If eggs are on sale, buy three packs. If chicken is discounted, freeze a large quantity. Plan your meals around what's cheap this week, not around what you feel like eating.

Over a year, this approach saves AUD 500-1000 without reducing protein intake or food quality. The meals change week to week based on sales, which creates natural variety and keeps the diet interesting without resorting to expensive shortcuts.

Why cheap protein isn't inferior

The amino acid profile of an egg is identical to a premium steak. The bioavailability (how your body absorbs it) is equivalent. Chicken thighs have more fat than breasts, which makes them more flavourful and is not a nutritional disadvantage for active people.

Lentils contain all nine essential amino acids and are more nutrient-dense than white rice or pasta. Tinned tuna has the same omega-3 content as fresh fillets. Greek yoghurt from a 1kg tub is indistinguishable from single-serve containers that cost 5 times more.

The premium you pay for convenience (pre-made shakes, individual yoghurt pots, premium cuts) is pure convenience, not superior nutrition. If convenience is worth the cost to you, that's a valid personal choice. But the nutrition is identical at a quarter of the price if you buy bulk and freeze.