Cheddar block price in New York City.

How we got these numbers

• Instacart — Aldi:Live observation from Jul 15 ($1.48)
• Walmart+:Regional baseline ($3.12)
• Instacart — Wegmans:Category multiplier against Walmart base, adjusted for Northeast Urban ($3.43)
• Instacart — Sprouts:Category multiplier against Walmart base, adjusted for Northeast Urban ($4.05)
• Amazon Fresh (Prime):Live observation from Jul 12 ($5.62)
• Whole Foods Market:Live observation from Jul 12 ($7.19)

Live observations come from public weekly ads (Aldi, Whole Foods) and BLS Average Retail Food Prices, refreshed daily. Estimates use a per-category multiplier calibrated to NPR, Consumer Reports, and Tasting Table grocery comparison studies.

Why this category prices the way it does

Dairy is the most regionally stable category — milk and eggs track USDA market reports closely, so the price gap between services is usually under 25%.

New York City grocery context

Manhattan apartments rarely have room for bulk shopping, which is why same-day delivery here is a category leader in adoption rate. The five boroughs price differently from each other — Aldi via Instacart serves Queens and Brooklyn but not most of Manhattan; Whole Foods orders now go through Amazon Fresh's same-day Prime delivery (broadest Manhattan footprint); Wegmans Astoria opened in 2020 and changed Northeast Queens pricing overnight. Building access is the silent variable: many NYC apartments require leaving deliveries with doormen or in lobbies, which drives more frequent, smaller orders than the national average.

For Manhattan zips, default to Amazon Fresh + Whole Foods for produce quality and Instacart-Aldi for pantry staples (delivered via Queens/Brooklyn) — splitting the basket saves about 18% versus a single all-Whole Foods order.

Cheddar block prices in other cities

• Boston, MA
• Philadelphia, PA
• Washington, DC