Best Discount Grocery Store in Vancouver
Grocery prices in Metro Vancouver are among the highest in Canada, which makes the spread between chains worth more here than almost anywhere. We price the same 20 staples at every chain delivering flyers to a downtown postal code each week. This week 7 ranked, and the gap between cheapest and most expensive is $26.60 a week.
Which grocery store is cheapest in Vancouver?
20 staples, advertised flyer prices, downtown Vancouver, week of October 15 to 22, 2026. Gaps filled with the cross-chain median so every basket covers the same items.
| Chain | Weekly basket | vs cheapest | Staples advertised |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. No Frills 🏆 | $123.37 | – | 16 of 20 |
| 2. Walmart | $129.01 | +$5.64 | 14 of 20 |
| 3. Safeway | $132.53 | +$9.16 | 18 of 20 |
| 4. Your Independent Grocer | $140.40 | +$17.03 | 16 of 20 |
| 5. Loblaws | $141.15 | +$17.78 | 16 of 20 |
| 6. Real Canadian Superstore | $141.72 | +$18.35 | 15 of 20 |
| 7. Save-On-Foods | $149.97 | +$26.60 | 18 of 20 |
| Typical Vancouver shopper | $133.60 | +$10.23 | median of all |
Chains that deliver flyers downtown but advertised too few of the staples this week, typically Costco, Wholesale Club and T&T, are left out of the ranking. Chains with fewer own prices lean more on the fill value, which pulls them toward the middle.
No Frills
Cheapest basket this weekLoblaw's discount bannerEast Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, Coquitlam (fewer locations than Ontario)
No Frills has the cheapest basket in the ranking at $123.37, $5.64 a week under Walmart. It advertised its own price on 16 of the 20 staples, and led on bread, broccoli, olive oil, pasta and rice outright. The catch in Vancouver is geography: there are far fewer No Frills stores than in Ontario, and if the nearest one is a bridge away the saving has to cover the trip.
If one is within reach, make it the weekly default.
Save-On-Foods
seventh of seven this weekBC's default grocerCitywide, strong across Metro Vancouver and the Lower Mainland
Save-On-Foods finished seventh of seven at $149.97, $26.60 a week above No Frills. It advertised its own price on 18 of the 20 staples, and led on bananas and pumpkin pie outright. Save-On-Foods runs an aggressive flyer, which is why it can rank well on advertised prices in a given week. Its everyday shelf prices still carry a premium, so it is a good place to shop the flyer and a poor place to fill a cart at shelf price.
Shop it for produce and whatever is in the flyer. More Rewards points help if you are already there, but they do not close a shelf-price gap.
Safeway
third of seven this weekSobeys' BC bannerWest Van, North Shore, Yaletown, Kitsilano, Point Grey
Safeway finished third of seven at $132.53, $9.16 a week above No Frills. It advertised its own price on 18 of the 20 staples, and led on carrots, chicken breast, eggs, ham and potatoes outright. Safeway's flyer is broad and carries real cuts, so its basket can look better than its shelf prices would suggest. The full-cart cost is higher once you buy the things it did not advertise. Scene+ points help loyal shoppers at the margin.
Cherry-pick the flyer. It is not a full-basket default, whatever the table says in a given week.
Walmart Supercentre
second of seven this weekBest for dairy and pantryCoquitlam, Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, Langley
Walmart finished second of seven at $129.01, $5.64 a week above No Frills. It advertised its own price on 14 of the 20 staples, and led on apples, butter, ground beef, pork chops and sweet potatoes outright. Great Value private label keeps the shelf-stable aisles cheap on quiet weeks, and butter, yogurt and cheese are usually at or near the lowest advertised price. Fresh meat and produce are where it gives the gap back.
Once a month for the shelf-stable list and dairy. Skip it for meat and produce.
Real Canadian Superstore
sixth of seven this weekThe one-stop shopBurnaby, Richmond, Surrey, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Langley
Real Canadian Superstore finished sixth of seven at $141.72, $18.35 a week above No Frills. It advertised its own price on 15 of the 20 staples, and led on orange juice and yogurt outright. Superstore usually advertises more of the basket than any other chain and is not expensive on the items it advertises. A broad flyer with moderate cuts simply loses a basket contest to a narrow flyer with deep ones. For a one-stop weekly shop it remains the sensible default, and PC Optimum offers narrow the gap for people who load them first.
The one-stop choice. Pair it with No Frills for the loss leaders and you are within a few dollars of the cheapest possible basket.
What's the best grocery shopping strategy in Vancouver?
The headline finding this week: No Frills is cheapest, and the full-service chains can place well on flyer prices while Superstore, the usual pick for a cheap shop, sits mid-pack because its flyer is broad rather than deep.
The setup that works for most households: No Frills or Superstore as the weekly default, depending on which is closer, the Save-On-Foods and Safeway flyers for produce and protein deals only, and a monthly Walmart stop for dairy and pantry. Moving from a typical mid-pack basket to the cheapest one is worth about $530 a year to a two-person household; moving from the most expensive chain is worth $1,380. The national overpay figures put BC in context against the rest of the country.
The ranking moves every week, and this page regenerates with it. CartIQ also reads live flyer prices from every chain in Metro Vancouver by postal code, so you can check the deals themselves.
See this week's deals in Vancouver
Live flyer prices from No Frills, Save-On-Foods, Safeway, Walmart, Superstore and more. Enter your Vancouver postal code.
Check Vancouver deals now →Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest grocery store in Vancouver?
No Frills, at $123.37 for a 20-staple basket from the flyers of October 15 to 22, 2026. Walmart was second at $129.01 and Safeway third at $132.53. Real Canadian Superstore finished sixth at $141.72.
Is Save-On-Foods cheaper than Superstore in Vancouver?
Not this week: Superstore came in at $141.72 against $149.97 for Save-On-Foods. Save-On-Foods also carries a premium on everyday shelf prices, so buy what is in its flyer and get the rest somewhere cheaper.
How much more expensive is Safeway than Superstore in Vancouver?
It was not, this week. Safeway finished at $132.53, ahead of Superstore at $141.72, on advertised prices. Safeway's shelf prices are higher on items it does not advertise, so the full-cart cost is above what the basket shows. Both rankings move every week.
Are there No Frills locations in Metro Vancouver?
Yes, in East Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey and Coquitlam, though far fewer than in Ontario. It ranked first this week at $123.37, so whether it is worth the trip depends on how far the nearest one is.
Where should I shop for groceries in Vancouver on a budget?
Use No Frills as the weekly default if one is near you, or Superstore for a one-stop shop if not. Shop the Save-On-Foods and Safeway flyers for produce and protein deals only. Add a monthly Walmart run for dairy and pantry.
How much can a Vancouver household save by switching grocery stores?
About $530 a year for a two-person household moving from a typical mid-pack basket to the cheapest chain, and $1,380 moving from the most expensive, based on this week's flyer baskets. Real savings are smaller because the cheapest chain changes week to week and nobody drives across the city for milk.
Related
Prices are median advertised flyer prices for a downtown Vancouver postal code, week of October 15 to 22, 2026, gap-filled as described above. This page regenerates from CartIQ's price database every six hours. They are not shelf prices, vary by location and change every week. Always verify in-store. CartIQ is not affiliated with any grocery chain mentioned.