I compared prices at 5 major grocery stores — here’s where vegan products are the cheapest

Cost is a key concern for vegan shoppers.

Prices on staples like plant-based milk, tofu, meat alternatives, vegan cheese, and legumes can vary widely by store.

This comparison looks at five major U.S. grocery chains and a representative basket of these vegan essentials.

By breaking down the average cost per item, we highlight where you’ll find the best overall deals and which stores shine for specific products.

The goal: help budget-conscious shoppers decide where their dollar goes furthest.

1. Trader Joe’s

Trader Joe’s offers budget-friendly prices on vegan basics, making it a favorite for cost-conscious vegans. Key items include:

• Almond or Oat Milk (64 oz) – ~$2.79 (oat beverage). This is competitive, though not the absolute lowest, for non-dairy milk.

• Organic Tofu (14 oz) – $1.49. One of the cheapest tofu prices among all chains, undercutting rivals by ~$0.20–$0.80.

• Plant-Based Patties (2-pack) – ~$4.49. for TJ’s house-brand pea protein burgers. This undercuts Beyond/Impossible patties sold elsewhere (often $5–$6).

• Vegan Mozzarella Shreds (7 oz) – ~$3.99. Good value, though Whole Foods’ equivalent is slightly cheaper. Quality is well-regarded for the price.

• Canned Legumes (15 oz) – ~$1.09 for organic chickpeas. Regular beans (if non-organic) can be under $1. TJ’s canned 2goods are inexpensive, though not always the very cheapest.

Takeaway: Trader Joe’s keeps vegan staples affordable. Its tofu is a standout bargain, and its private-label meat and cheese alternatives are cheaper than name brands. 

Overall, TJ’s basket (plant milk, tofu, meat, cheese, beans) averages around $2.75 per item, making it one of the lowest-cost options for this vegan haul.

2. Whole Foods

Whole Foods is often dubbed “Whole Paycheck,” but its 365 store brand offers some competitively priced vegan staples alongside the pricier specialty items:

• Almond or Oat Milk (64 oz) – ~$2.99 for 365 oat milk. Only about $0.20 more than Trader Joe’s, and Kroger’s was cheaper at $2.49 for similar (by comparison).

• Organic Tofu (14 oz) – ~$1.69 for the 365 brand. matching or beating many rivals. (A Whole Foods shopper noted paying $2.29 for tofu vs $1.99 at TJ’s pre-inflation.) Today, 365 tofu is priced very low, on par with Trader Joe’s.

• Beyond Meat Burgers (2-pack) – $5.99 at Whole Foods. This is the standard MSRP for Beyond; Walmart and Aldi have offered it cheaper ($5 or even $4 on special).

• Vegan Cheese (Shreds, 7 oz) – ~$3.69 for 365 brand mozzarella shreds, slightly cheaper than Trader Joe’s ($3.99). Whole Foods leveraged its store brand to edge out others here.

• Canned Legumes (15 oz) – ~$1.39 for organic beans, or closer to ~$0.99 for non-organic 365 beans. Whole Foods isn’t the cheapest on canned goods – e.g., Trader Joe’s organic beans were $1.09 – but the difference is small.

Takeaway: Whole Foods has narrowed the price gap on vegan staples by expanding its 365 line. For example, its dairy-free cheese and tofu are priced on par with or below competitors. However, name-brand items (like Beyond burgers) remain pricier here than at Walmart or Aldi.

Overall, Whole Foods’ vegan basket costs a bit more (~$3.15 per item on average) – you pay a slight premium, though less than its old reputation suggests.

3) Walmart

Walmart’s strength is rock-bottom pricing, especially on non-specialty items. It carries big brands and some store-brand equivalents, making it a top choice for budget vegan shopping:

• Almond Milk (64 oz) – Great Value almond milk is around $2.50–$2.65 (half-gallon). It’s competitively priced, roughly on par with Aldi’s ~$2.45. Name brands (Silk, etc.) often cost a bit more.

• Organic Tofu (14 oz) – ~$2.92 for Nasoya or similar national brand.This is higher than Trader Joe’s or Aldi’s tofu, but still under $3. (Walmart doesn’t have a tofu under its own label, so you’re buying the brand name).

• Beyond/Impossible Burgers (2-pack) – ~$5.44 for Beyond Meat at Walmart (online price) – a notch cheaper than Whole Foods’ $5.99. Walmart often marks plant-based meats down via rollbacks or larger value packs.

• Vegan Cheese – ~$4.44 for Daiya cheddar shreds (7.1 oz). Walmart stocks brands like Daiya and Violife; prices are decent but not ultra cheap. (No Great Value vegan cheese shreds yet).

• Canned Beans (15 oz) – ~$0.72–$0.88 for Great Value beans (pinto, black, etc.). These are among the cheapest in the market, often around $0.50–$0.60 per pound. (For instance, Walmart’s 14.5 oz green beans go for $0.78walmart.com, illustrating their low pricing.)

Takeaway: Walmart delivers the lowest price on many pantry staples – canned beans and plant milks are about as cheap as you’ll find. Its overall vegan basket cost is very low (approximately $2.90 per item on our list).

The only category it didn’t win was tofu, where specialty grocers beat it by ~$1+. For everything else – especially shelf-stable goods and name-brand meat alternatives – Walmart is hard to beat on price.

4) Aldi

Aldi is a budget champion with its no-frills shopping experience and house-brand products (under labels like Friendly Farms and Earth Grown):

• Almond Milk (64 oz) – $2.45 for Friendly Farms almond milk. Aldi consistently undercuts big-name almond milks (often $2.99+) while delivering comparable quality.

• Organic Tofu (14 oz) – $1.75 for Earth Grown extra-firm tofu. This is an incredible deal – even cheaper than Trader Joe’s per the latest figures. Shoppers rave that Aldi’s tofu is the best value around.

• Plant-Based Meat – Aldi’s Earth Grown line offers meatless burger patties and crumbles at bargain prices. Example: a box of vegan veggie burgers runs about $3–$4 (for 4 patties), far below Beyond Meat’s pricing. (Aldi occasionally even carries Beyond burgers as special buys at ~$4 for 2 patties.)

• Vegan Cheese – Availability is limited. Aldi has periodically offered vegan shredded cheese or slices, but not as a core year-round product in many regions. When available, prices are budget-friendly (~$3–$4 range). This is one category where Aldi’s selection is not consistent, so you may need to look elsewhere.

• Canned Legumes (15 oz) – $0.89 for Dakota’s Pride beans (e.g. cannellini). Aldi’s store-brand canned beans are usually <$0.95, often the lowest of all five chains. Even organic canned beans are about $1.09– still cheaper or on par with others’ conventional options.

Takeaway: Aldi offers the best overall deals for this vegan basket. The average cost per item is around $2.30 – the lowest of the group. Its tofu and canned goods prices are particularly unbeatable. The trade-off is limited selection on some specialty vegan items (cheeses, certain meat substitutes). But for core staples, Aldi is the price leader across the board.

5) Target

Target’s Good & Gather brand has expanded into plant-based products, positioning Target as a convenient mid-range option for vegan groceries:

• Almond Milk (64 oz) – $2.79 for Good & Gather Original (refrigerated half-gallon). This is on par with mainstream prices – not as low as Aldi, but often on promotion. Shelf-stable Good & Gather almond milk is about $2.49 for 32 oz.

• Organic Tofu (14 oz) – $2.99 for Good & Gather extra-firm tofu. Target introduced its own tofu, which is convenient, though +$1 more than Trader Joe’s or Aldi. It’s still cheaper than many grocery chains’ tofu ($3.50).

• Beyond/Impossible Burgers – ~$5.29–$5.79 for a 2-pack of Beyond at Target (prices fluctuate). Target often carries Impossible 2-packs for around $7.99 as well. These are similar to regular grocery pricing; you might catch sales, but generally Walmart/Aldi edge out Target on vegan meat price.

• Vegan Cheese (Shreds, 7 oz) – $3.79 for Good & Gather non-dairy cheddar or mozzarella. Target’s own vegan cheese shreds launched in 2022, undercutting name brands. This price is slightly below Walmart’s $4.44 for Daiya, making Target a good place to try budget vegan cheese.

• Canned Beans (15 oz) – $0.89 for Good & Gather black beans. Target’s store-brand canned beans are very inexpensive, matching Aldi on many items. Organic versions are about $1.19, which is still reasonable.

Takeaway: Target lands in the middle: its average item cost (~$3.00) for this vegan basket is moderate – not as low as Walmart/Aldi, but often better than Whole Foods. Target shines with its Good & Gather line, offering respectable prices on plant-based milk and cheese. It’s a convenient one-stop where you’ll find all these vegan staples, and occasional deals can make it quite competitive.

Final Takeaway

So, what's cheapest overall?

Aldi takes the crown for lowest overall cost – a typical vegan basket there is a few dollars less than elsewhere. Walmart is a close second, excelling in pantry items. Trader Joe’s offers strong value too, especially for tofu and its private-label meat substitutes. Target and Whole Foods trail slightly on price, but strategic store brands (Good & Gather, 365) have narrowed the gap.

In summary, price-savvy vegans might shop staples at Aldi or Walmart, then visit Trader Joe’s for specialty bargains. Whole Foods and Target offer solid quality and now some competitive store-brand prices, but generally at a marginal premium.

By picking the strengths of each chain – e.g. Aldi for basics, Trader Joe’s for unique affordable finds – you can maximize value while meeting all your plant-based needs.