Peanut butter, creamy price in Washington.

How we got these numbers

• Instacart — Aldi:Category multiplier against Walmart base, adjusted for Northeast Urban ($2.87)
• Walmart+:Regional baseline ($3.12)
• Amazon Fresh (Prime):Live observation from May 13 ($3.22)
• Instacart — Whole Foods:Live observation from May 13 ($3.50)

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

Pantry staples (rice, pasta, flour) carry the smallest absolute price differences but the largest percentage gap — Aldi's private label routinely runs 40-60% under branded equivalents.

Washington grocery context

The DC metro spans three jurisdictions (DC, Maryland, Virginia) with different grocery scenes. Giant Food dominates DC and Maryland; Wegmans has fanatical loyalty in Northern Virginia (Fairfax, Reston, Tysons). Whole Foods is dense across the metro. Aldi has strong coverage in Maryland and northern Virginia suburbs. Trader Joe's, Harris Teeter, and Safeway also serve via Instacart. Walmart+ has spottier DC-proper coverage but works well in MD/VA suburbs.

NoVa residents should check Wegmans-via-Instacart — it's the regional favorite for one-stop premium shopping. DC proper residents do best with Instacart-Aldi for staples plus Giant or Whole Foods for fill-in items. The metro's 3-jurisdiction structure means delivery zones vary by zip more than in other cities.

Peanut butter, creamy prices in other cities

• Philadelphia, PA
• New York City, NY
• Boston, MA