The cheapest place to grocery shop in Charlotte
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Lidl is among the cheapest places to grocery shop in Charlotte for your Labor Day cookout, while Fresh Market is perhaps the most expensive, based on a recent Axios Charlotte analysis.
Why it matters: Food costs are still rising, despite a slight inflation slowdown, and groceries are more expensive than ever.
What we did: With Labor Day coming up, we priced-checked the ingredients for a basic hamburger. This gave us a well-rounded comparison of bread, meat, condiments and produce.
- We shopped at nine stores between Monday, Aug. 26 and Wednesday, Aug. 28.
- At each store, we shopped for the same size/quantity of the desired product and selected the private label (generic) version.
Caveat: This study isn't perfect. Some items — like the ketchup bottles and cheese packets — varied in size or weren't sold as generic versions, depending on the grocer. And it doesn't take into account specials.
- But this still gives a general idea of what you'd spend.
From most to least expensive:
Fresh Market: $36.02
- 80% fat ground beef chuck: $6.99/lb
- Singles American cheese, 12 Count: $3.99
- Pepperidge Farm hamburger buns, 8 Count: $4.29
- Head of iceberg lettuce: $2.29
- Tomato: $2.99 each
- Organic ketchup, 20 oz: $5.49
- Yellow mustard, 9 oz: $2.99
- Woodstock pickles organic bread & butter, 32 fl oz: $6.99
Publix: $25.62
- 80% ground beef chuck: $6.69/lb
- Singles American cheese, 16 Count: $4
- Hamburger buns, 8 Count: $1.87
- Head of iceberg lettuce: $1.89
- Heirloom tomatoes: $3.99/lb
- Ketchup, 32 oz: $2.99
- Yellow mustard, 14 oz: $1.40
- Hamburger dill chip pickles, 16 fl oz: $2.79
Target: $23.32
- 85% ground beef chuck: $6.99
- Kraft American cheese slices, 24 Count: $4.99
- Hamburger buns, 8 Count: $1.59
- Head of iceberg lettuce: $2.29
- Beefsteak tomatoes, 2 count: $2.69
- Ketchup, 20 oz: $0.99
- Yellow mustard, 20 oz: $0.99
- Bread and butter chips, 24 fl oz: $2.79
Food Lion: $21.90
- 80% ground beef chuck: $5.79/lb
- Singles American cheese, 24 Count: $3.99
- Hamburger buns, 8 Count: $2.19
- Head of iceberg lettuce: $1.89
- Hothouse beefsteak tomatoes: $1.99/lb
- Ketchup, 38 oz: $1.89
- Yellow mustard, 20 oz: $1.68
- Hamburger dill chip pickles, 32 fl oz: $2.48
Trader Joe's: $20.82
- 80% ground beef chuck: $4.99/lb
- Singles American cheese, 12 Count: $3.49
- Hamburger buns, 8 Count: $1.99
- Head of iceberg lettuce: $1.99
- Beefsteak tomato: $1.29 each
- Organic ketchup, 24 oz: $2.29
- Organic yellow mustard, 9 oz: $1.79
- Kosher dill pickles, 24 fl oz: $2.99
Harris Teeter: $20.42
- 80% ground beef chuck: $3.99/lb
- Singles American cheese, 16 Count: $3.49
- Hamburger buns, 8 Count: $1.99
- Head of iceberg lettuce: $1.79
- Beefsteak tomato: $2.49/lb
- Ketchup, 32 oz: $2.39
- Yellow mustard, 20 oz: $1.79
- Hamburger dill chip pickles, 32 fl oz: $2.49
Walmart: $18.53
- 80% ground beef chuck: $5.37/lb
- Singles American cheese, 16 Count: $2.48
- Hamburger buns, 8 Count: $1.46
- Head of iceberg lettuce: $1.88
- Tomato $1.95/lb
- Ketchup, 32 oz: $1.94
- Yellow mustard, 20 oz: 0.98
- Hamburger dill chip pickles, 32 fl oz: $2.47
Aldi: $17.02
- 80% ground beef: $3.79/lb
- Singles American cheese, 16 Count: $1.85
- Hamburger buns, 8 Count: $2.49
- Head of iceberg lettuce: $1.85
- Tomato $1.95/lb
- Ketchup, 38 oz: $1.69
- Yellow mustard, 20 oz: 0.95
- Hamburger dill chip pickles, 32 fl oz: $2.45
Lidl: $16.74
- 80% ground beef: $5/lb
- Singles American cheese, 16 count: $1.89
- Hamburger buns, 8 count: $1.19
- Head of iceberg lettuce: $1.94
- Beefsteak tomatoes: $1.99/lb
- Ketchup, 20 oz: $1.49
- Yellow mustard, 20 oz: 0.98
- Bread and butter pickle chips, 24 fl oz: $2.26