Food Lion, Kroger, Publix or Walmart: Which Myrtle Beach grocery is cheapest right now?

Grand Strand shoppers have plenty of options for their grocery errands, but for budget-conscious buyers planning end-of-summer gatherings and back-to-school lunches, some stores feature better prices than others.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks the average cost of eight grocery essentials in the United States. In July, the latest month with available data, the bureau found that the cost of food at home rose more than 2% over the last year. Items like bananas and bread have remained pretty consistent, while eggs prices have dropped sharply and the cost of ground chuck has grown steadily.

Analyzing which store is most affordable for Myrtle Beach shoppers, we compared prices of 10 grocery essentials:

• Bananas, per pound
• Chicken breasts, per pound in package of three
• Coffee grounds, 11 or 12-oz bag
• Ground chuck beef, per pound
• Large white eggs, 12-carton
• Milk, gallon
• Oranges, per pound
• Tomatoes, per pound
• White bread, 20-oz loaf
• White onions, per pound

To compare prices for frugal shoppers, we used store-brand products and didn’t factor in limited-time promotions or member discounts.

We visited four stores off of Kings Highway within five miles of each other:

• Food Lion at 7631 N. Kings Highway
• Kroger at 9610 N. Kings Highway
• Publix at 7925 N. Kings Highway
• Walmart Supercenter at 10820 Kings Road

Overall, Walmart had the cheapest prices with $31.04 for all 10 items. Food Lion came in second with a total of $31.72, then Kroger with $32.03 overall. Publix was more expensive than its competitors, with a total of $44.63 for the 10 grocery essentials.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown at each grocery store

Walmart

• Bananas, per pound: $0.54
• Chicken breasts, per pound in package of three: $4.64
• Coffee grounds, 12-oz bag: $6.94
• Ground chuck beef, per pound: $6.93
• Large white eggs, 12-carton: $2.72
• Milk, gallon: $2.94
• Oranges, per pound: $1.49
• Tomatoes, per pound: $1.97
• White bread, 20-oz loaf: $1.42
• White onions, per pound: $1.45

Food Lion

• Bananas, per pound: $0.54
• Chicken breasts, per pound in package of three: $3.99
• Coffee grounds, 12-oz bag: $7.49
• Ground chuck beef, per pound: $6.89
• Large white eggs, 12-carton: $2.69
• Milk, gallon: $3.29
• Oranges, per pound: $1.66
• Tomatoes, per pound: $1.99
• White bread, 20-oz loaf: $1.59
• White onions, per pound: $1.59

Kroger

• Bananas, per pound: $0.59
• Chicken breasts, per pound in package of three: $5.99
• Coffee grounds, 11-oz bag: $5.99
• Ground chuck beef, per pound: $7.49
• Large white eggs, 12-carton: $2.89
• Milk, gallon: $3.19
• Oranges, per pound: $1.62
• Tomatoes, per pound: $1.49
• White bread, 20-oz loaf: $1.19
• White onions, per pound: $1.59

Publix

• Bananas, per pound: $0.59
• Chicken breasts, per pound in package of three: $5.39
• Coffee grounds, 12-oz bag: $14.99
• Ground chuck beef, per pound: $8.46
• Large white eggs, 12-carton: $3.19
• Milk, gallon: $3.75
• Oranges, per pound: $1.99
• Tomatoes, per pound: $1.99
• White bread, 20-oz loaf: $1.79
• White onions, per pound: $2.49

This story was originally published August 27, 2025 at 6:00 AM.