Coles vs Woolworths: which is actually cheaper?
We priced 17 staple products at Coles and Woolworths this week. Here's which one costs less, by how much, and where the real gaps are.
Based on this week's shelf prices across 17 everyday staples, Coles is cheaper by $1.10. Pinch tracks real grocery prices at Coles, Woolworths, ALDI, and Harris Farm, with 52 weeks of price history on 74,000+ products. These aren't catalogue prices or estimates. They're what you'd actually pay if you walked in today.
The full breakdown
The honest answer is that neither Coles nor Woolworths is consistently cheaper. It depends on what you're buying. Coles tends to win on pantry staples and bread. Woolworths tends to edge ahead on fresh produce and dairy. But the gaps move every week, which is kind of the point.
| Product | Size | Coles | Woolworths | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Cream Milk | 2L | $2.95 | $2.95 | Tied |
| White Bread | 700g | $1.80 | $2.00 | Coles |
| Free Range Eggs | 12pk | $5.50 | $5.50 | Tied |
| Butter | 250g | $4.00 | $3.90 | Woolworths |
| Cheddar Cheese | 500g | $6.00 | $6.50 | Coles |
| Chicken Breast | 500g | $7.50 | $7.00 | Woolworths |
| Beef Mince | 500g | $7.00 | $7.50 | Coles |
| Spaghetti | 500g | $1.50 | $1.50 | Tied |
| Jasmine Rice | 1kg | $3.20 | $3.40 | Coles |
| Tinned Tomatoes | 400g | $0.90 | $0.90 | Tied |
| Frozen Peas | 500g | $1.90 | $2.10 | Coles |
| Carrots | 1kg | $2.00 | $1.90 | Woolworths |
| Brown Onions | 1kg | $2.50 | $2.50 | Tied |
| Bananas | per kg | $3.50 | $3.90 | Coles |
| Greek Yoghurt | 1kg | $6.50 | $6.00 | Woolworths |
| Peanut Butter | 375g | $3.50 | $3.80 | Coles |
| Dishwashing Liquid | 500mL | $2.50 | $2.50 | Tied |
| Total | $62.75 | $63.85 | Coles |
What about ALDI?
ALDI usually undercuts both by 15-25% on staples and protein. The trade-off is a smaller range (around 1,800 products vs 30,000+ at Coles or Woolworths) and no rewards program. If you can get most of what you need at ALDI, the savings are real. We tracked the numbers: see the full ALDI comparison.
The bigger picture
Comparing two stores on a single week only tells part of the story. Prices at Coles and Woolworths cycle on predictable high-low patterns. A product might be $3.50 one week and $7.00 the next, then back to $3.50. The "special" price is often just the return to normal.
Pinch's 52-week price history lets you see whether a deal is genuinely good or just part of the cycle. We found that 2,308 products are on detectable repeating cycles where even the cycle low is 15%+ above the historical price. And 230 products are currently "on special" at prices higher than what you were paying a year ago.
How to actually save
The biggest savings don't come from picking one retailer over another. They come from knowing what things normally cost. Pinch shows you the price history for every product, so you can tell whether a "special" is worth buying in bulk or whether it'll be cheaper next week.
Download Pinch (free, iOS and Android) and see 52 weeks of price history on 74,000+ products. No ads. No data selling.
Why this comparison exists
"Is Coles or Woolworths cheaper?" is one of the most common grocery questions Australians ask. The answer changes every week, which is why most articles give you a vague "it depends." We think you deserve actual shelf prices, updated regularly, with the data to back it up. That's what Pinch does.
We're not affiliated with any retailer. We don't run ads. We don't take money from Coles, Woolworths, or anyone else. The prices come from our own tracking system, covering 74,000+ products across four Australian retailers.
Methodology
- Products: 17 everyday staples (own-brand where available, equivalent sizes)
- Source: Pinch price tracking database (74,000+ products, 4 retailers)
- Prices: Shelf prices as of 9 May 2026 (not catalogue or promotional estimates)
- Comparison: Sticker prices only. Loyalty rewards, cashback, and multi-buy deals excluded
- Updates: This page is refreshed after each weekly price scrape