I compared grocery prices at Costco and Dollar General, and was surprised by how few items were cheaper at the discount store

NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images Sophie Park for The Washington Post via Getty Images

• I visited Costco and Dollar General to compare prices on staple grocery items.
• Costco had lower prices on most items, which customers must buy in bulk.

Costco is a big-box store that sells bulk groceries at discount prices.

Costco.      Mohammad Khursheed/REUTERS

Shoppers must purchase a Costco membership, which ranges from $60 to $120 a year, to access the store's deals.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

With inflation reaching a 40-year high, grocery shoppers are trying to find the best deals.

Grocery shopping in Rosemead, California on April 21, 2022.      Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images

I compared prices per unit of grocery staples at Costco in Rochester, New York with a nearby Dollar General location.

Bethany Biron/Business Insider

Dollar General expanded its grocery offerings in recent years, and the chain says it can maintain low prices by keeping stores small and relatively bare-boned, ultimately offering fewer products than larger competitors.

Business Insider/Hayley Peterson

Source: Insider

The price difference wasn't much for a half gallon of milk, which was just 5 cents more expensive at Dollar General.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

For a gallon of milk, though, Dollar General charges over a dollar more than Costco.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Almond milk is also less expensive at Costco, by about 20 cents for a half gallon.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Eggs have gotten much pricier this year, and at Dollar General they're about twice as expensive as at Costco.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Dollar General sells some frozen meats, but they're over a dollar per pound more expensive than at Costco.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

I was surprised to find a few items were actually more affordable at Dollar General.

Insider/Brittany Chang

A half gallon of orange juice is about 35 cents cheaper at Dollar General.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Chicken broth is slightly cheaper at Dollar General by fractions of a cent per ounce, which could add up if you buy large quantities.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Cans of crushed tomatoes work out about the same, to about 0.3 cents cheaper per ounce at Dollar General.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Pasta is around 2 cents less per ounce at Dollar General, too.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Still, Costco is cheaper for nearly every item with some major price differences, while Dollar General is usually not more than a few cents cheaper.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

If you have to buy groceries at Dollar General, there are ways to minimize extra expenses.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Avoid buying milk, eggs, or other dairy products at Dollar General when possible, because they're much more expensive.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Shelf-stable pantry items, like canned goods and pasta, are a better deal at Dollar General compared to the rest of the store's offerings.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Though Costco is less expensive than Dollar General for most items, it's not always the best place to buy all your groceries.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Based on a March price comparison from Insider, Walmart and Aldi sells select items at lower prices than Costco.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Source: Insider

Do you have a story to share about a retail or restaurant chain? Email this reporter at mmeisenzahl@businessinsider.com.