Price comparison

Prices as of 27 April 2026. Last updated May 2026.

Is ALDI actually cheaper? Depends which number you read.

We priced 10 staples at ALDI, Coles and Woolworths twice: once by sticker price, once by unit price. The story changes completely.

Pinch tracks real grocery prices at Coles, Woolworths, ALDI and Harris Farm, with 52 weeks of price history on 74,000+ products. We priced 10 common staples from the CHOICE basket at all three major supermarkets. First, by the number on the shelf tag. Then by what you're actually paying per kilo. The two stories don't match.

Part one: the sticker price.

This is what most people compare. You look at the tag, you pick the lower number. On that basis, ALDI looks like the clear winner.

Story over? Not quite. Look at the sizes column. ALDI's Vegemite is 370g. Woolworths' is 150g. ALDI's chicken breast is a 1.4kg value pack. Woolworths' is a 600g tray. The sticker prices aren't comparing the same amount of product.

Part two: the unit price.

Unit price strips away the packaging and asks one question: how much per kilo, per litre, per 100g? It's the number that actually tells you which product is cheaper.

The products that flip.

This is the trick of sticker price. A smaller jar with a smaller number looks cheaper. But you use the Vegemite at the same rate regardless of the jar size. You're buying Vegemite, not jars.

What this means for the $3,000 claim.

ALDI says the average family saves $3,000 a year by switching. The sticker price comparison makes that look ambitious. But the unit price comparison makes it more plausible: when you account for ALDI's larger pack sizes, the per-unit savings compound.

The honest answer: ALDI is genuinely cheaper on most staples by both measures. But the margin is bigger than the shelf tag suggests, and smaller than the marketing suggests. Reaching $3,000 per year requires a household spending well above average, consistently choosing ALDI on every item, and ALDI stocking everything you need.

The real limitation.

ALDI stocks around 1,800 products. Coles has around 30,000. Woolworths has around 41,000. If your recipe calls for a specific brand or an uncommon ingredient, ALDI probably doesn't have it. For many families, that means a second trip regardless, and those savings get eaten by the fuel and time of shopping at two stores.

Track it yourself.

Prices move. This comparison is a snapshot from 27 April 2026. If you want to compare prices on your own shopping list across ALDI, Coles, Woolies and Harris Farm, Pinch is free on iOS and Android. Build your list, see the real price at every store, and decide for yourself.