Grocery basket costs vary little across SoCal chains, ABC7 finds

Southern California shoppers hunting for grocery savings may find the effort barely worth the drive: an ABC7 Los Angeles price comparison of five staple items across four major retailers found the cheapest and most expensive totals separated by just $5.33.

With household budgets squeezed across Orange County and the broader region, the findings suggest that chasing store-to-store deals — especially given elevated gas prices — may deliver less financial relief than shoppers expect.

The "7 On Your Side" consumer unit at ABC7 Los Angeles visited Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Ralphs, Amazon Fresh and Costco and purchased the same five items at each: a 10-pound bag of potatoes, one pound of boneless skinless chicken breast, a dozen eggs, a loaf of bread and a gallon of 2 percent milk, according to the report published Sunday.

Costco posted the lowest total at $19.93, followed by Amazon Fresh at $21.52, Grocery Outlet at $23.25 and Ralphs at $25.26, ABC7 reported.

Costco's price advantage comes with conditions, the report noted. Shoppers must hold a paid annual membership and accept bulk package sizes — factors that can raise the real-world cost for smaller households or infrequent members.

Amazon Fresh, the second-cheapest option, operates exclusively online and requires buyers to meet a minimum order threshold to avoid delivery fees, meaning its listed price does not reflect the full cost for every shopper.

Individual item prices shifted from store to store — potatoes were cheapest at Grocery Outlet while eggs cost less at Ralphs — yet the basket totals remained within a narrow band. ABC7 cautioned that high regional gas prices can erode any savings from driving between stores.

For most shoppers, the comparison underscores that membership status, household size and proximity may matter as much as shelf price when deciding where to buy groceries in Southern California.