Why You're Better Off Buying Milk From Aldi, Not Costco, According To Customers

Carlosgaw/Getty Images

When you think about supermarkets that offer the biggest savings, Costco probably springs to mind. There's no denying it's a great place to stock up on bulk goods (and there's the added allure of the famous $1.50 food court hot dog). However, while you can't beat Costco for savings on shelf-stable items, you might be surprised to learn that Aldi should be your first choice for milk. 

At a time when grocery costs are skyrocketing, value is more important than ever — and Aldi's milk is really cheap. In an informal survey of five grocery stores, Simply Recipes discovered that Aldi is not only the lowest-priced option for a gallon of milk, it's a whopping $0.69 cheaper than Costco. (Prices may vary by location.) Customers recount similar experiences. One Bluesky user writes that she'll go out of her way for Aldi's pricing: "I will drive an extra few blocks to save $0.70 on a carton of milk." Another price-sensitive Redditor states, "For produce, milk, cheese, etc., Aldi still almost always wins out." In fact, milk ranked third on our list of the 11 most overpriced items at Costco.

However, Aldi's low price doesn't mean lower quality milk. Aldi's Friendly Farms milk is U.S.-sourced. As a store brand, Friendly Farms milk is a private-label version of the higher priced brands. However, Costco's Kirkland Signature milk is also a store brand, so the savings can probably be attributed to Aldi's low operating costs, a strategy that involves smaller stores, limited hours, a pared-down product selection, and a focus on energy efficiency. This careful cost-cutting means shoppers reap the benefits without sacrificing quality.

PJ McDonnell/Shutterstock

Unless you have a large family that really, really loves milk, you may regret buying it at Costco, as the chances of spoilage may be higher with the Kirkland Signature product. Costco typically sells gallon jugs packaged in pairs (although single gallons are available in some areas), which means you'll have to go through a lot of milk quickly. Once opened, milk has a shelf life of only four to seven days, so buying in bulk can be especially risky.

If the risk of food poisoning or food waste isn't enough to dissuade you, there's another quirky reason to avoid Costco milk: the food-safety seal. Some Costco shoppers on Reddit have complained about the difficulty of removing the internal safety seal on the first try. The tab on the seal often separates when pulled as intended, making it difficult to open the milk without a struggle. It's such a widespread complaint that Redditors have created tutorials demonstrating how to open the Costco seal using a knife, while others have devised hacks to ensure the seal not only opens but also minimizes the risk of splashing. 

If you're looking to save money (and who isn't these days?), Aldi is your best option for inexpensive milk That said, if your family can be relied upon to consume at least two gallons quickly, and you don't mind finding inventive ways to hack the safety seal, Costco may be a good backup plan.