An NBC and Telemundo coast-to-coast analysis of grocery prices found shoppers in San Diego and across the country often pay the same price whether they buy in-store or order online for pickup — though regional price differences can add up.
NBC and Telemundo Responds teams joined forces to compare grocery prices at Walmart, Target and Whole Foods in 14 areas nationwide, from the West Coast to the Northeast, South and Midwest. The goal: determine whether the convenience of online grocery shopping costs more money and how San Diego prices stack up against the rest of the country.
At each retailer, reporters and producers purchased the same list of a dozen staple items on the same day: milk, eggs, butter, cheese, bread, coffee, cereal, orange juice, fresh meat, vegetables, pasta and tomato sauce.
Prices were compared three ways — shopping in-store, buying online for in-store pickup and ordering through each retailer’s website for same-day delivery. The team did not use store memberships and included local sales tax and all applicable fees.
Online pickup vs. in-store prices
In most cases, retailers charged the same amount for groceries purchased in-store and online for pickup. That means shoppers could save time by ordering from home without paying extra for the convenience.
“That definitely would sway me to go pick something up rather than get it delivered,” Bryce King said.
For home delivery, base grocery prices also matched in-store totals. However, shoppers faced additional delivery fees — usually around $10 — plus bag fees and optional tips for drivers.
Regional grocery price differences
The biggest surprises came from regional price comparisons.
At Walmart and Target stores nationwide, the lowest overall totals were found in Milwaukee. At Whole Foods, the lowest prices were outside Boston.
The highest prices at Walmart and Target were in the Bay Area. At Whole Foods, however, the highest totals were recorded in San Antonio, Texas.
In a statement, Walmart said:
“Walmart’s pricing strategy is built on Every Day Low Prices. We focus on delivering the lowest total basket price with stable, transparent pricing across stores and online.
“Most grocery items are priced nationally to ensure consistency and simplicity for customers across the country.
“In certain regions, we may lower prices further to be competitive on the essential items that matter most to our customers.
“We manage prices to remain competitive on the total grocery basket, not just individual items.
“Certain commodities (e.g., dairy, eggs, meat, and produce) can vary regionally due to localized cost and distribution differences.
“Individual stores may occasionally apply short-term, local price reductions, but those adjustments are temporary and operational in nature.”
Target said that prices can differ from store-to-store due to local promotions and competition.
Whole Foods said:
“We work hard to provide competitive pricing on all the products we sell. As is common with grocery retailers, different parts of the country may have different prices for certain grocery items due to factors such as region-specific promotions, regulatory compliance, as well as variances in transportation and operating costs.”
When totals across all three retailers were averaged, the lowest grocery prices were found in the middle of the country, while the highest were on the West Coast — including San Diego.
Tips to save money and time
Shoppers offered simple advice for keeping grocery bills in check.
“Well, make a list. Whatever’s on your list, get that,” Russell White said. “And I love to look for the deals. I go early so I can see the deals, ’cause I go for the senior citizens’ deals.”
Some shoppers say who you shop with can also make a difference.
“If I’m going in by myself, it’s 30, 40 minutes. If I’m going with the wife, that’s it, day’s over,” Will Martinez said with a laugh.
In San Diego, the team also checked prices at Vons and Ralphs and found individual item prices were the same regardless of how the groceries were purchased.
Another potential benefit of online pickup: shoppers may be less tempted to buy items not on their list — which could help save even more.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication.