Here's How Much The Same 6 Items Cost At 3 Different Grocery Stores

Do you have a go-to supermarket? Whether we frequent a specific store based on brand loyalty, locational convenience, or strictly because of our budget, we tend to hit up the same spots for our weekly food hauls. But there's one question always lurking in the back of our minds as we throw items in our carts each week: Is there really that big of a difference from one store to another?

Maybe you've spent time pondering this query mid-aisle during a trip to Whole Foods. How much could a bundle of bananas or a package of kale truly differ in cost from one market to the next? Since we are always interested in tweaking our grocery shopping habits so they are as budget-friendly as possible, we decided to take matters into our own hands (and wallets). We bought the same six-item grocery list at three separate grocery stores in New York City: Trader Joe's, Target, and Whole Foods. (Note: General grocery store and single item prices can vary by region.)

The goal? To buy a range of weekly food essentials and to try to purchase similar products at each store to effectively compare prices. The results were more surprising than we anticipated. Scroll on to see exactly how the item costs at different supermarkets varied.