One of America’s cheapest supermarkets is located in Idaho

For residents of Idaho, and Boise in particular, it’s undeniable that the cost of living has increased significantly in recent years.

When US News & World Report When Realtor.com updated its list of the most overvalued housing markets in the country, Boise still showed up on the list. While we may not be at the very top like we were not so long ago, we still rank 12th on the list based on highest payment-to-income ratios. According to Realtor.com, the median listing price for a home in the Boise area in June 2024 was $569,990. While that’s down -4.2% from the same period a year ago, we don’t know many people who would consider a $569,990 home “affordable.”

READ MORE: Prices of these 9 foods have increased the most in Idaho

On the rent side of things? According to Apartment List, rent in the Boise area is down a measly -1% from a year ago. We’re #73 on their list of the most expensive rent in America’s largest cities, and rent is slowly creeping back up. From May to June, it was up 0.8%.

According to Energy botThe price of electricity in Idaho has also gone up a bit. While we hate to see a higher number on our Idaho Power bills, there is a silver lining. Even with the slight increase in electricity rates, Idaho still has some of the lowest kilowatt-hour rates in the country. We rank third behind Utah and North Dakota for the lowest rates.

How Idahoans Can Lower Their Food Costs

When it comes to the basics you need to survive, food is another thing that has become more expensive. While food prices are rising more slowly than they were a few years ago, the USDA still predicts that food prices will increase by 2.2% this year. We know these nine foods have become more expensive in the West.

To save money, you can use coupons, try to earn cashback or look for deals. Another option is to change your regular supermarket altogether. US News & World Report recently updated their list with 10 Cheapest Grocery Stores in the United StatesNot only are two of the top five locations in Idaho, one even originated in the Gem State!

Winco is the third cheapest supermarket in the United States

The report found that 77 percent of people who chose WinCo as their favorite store in the survey felt that WinCo offered the best value for their money. That placed the Boise-based grocer at #3, behind Food 4 Less, one of the brands under Kroger’s umbrella, and California-based Grocery Outlet. Since WinCo began in 1967 as Waremart in Boise, it has grown to at least 139 stores in 10 states, 14 of which are in Idaho.

So how does WinCo help reduce that number at checkout? One of the consumer finance and budgeting experts the publication spoke to said:

WinCo is a discount supermarket. They buy produce and other groceries directly from farmers and manufacturers in bulk so they can get better unit prices to pass on to shoppers.

Grocery Store Leap Frogs WinCo

It is worth noting that the second cheapest grocery store in america does have a footprint in Idaho. Grocery Outlet went from #6 in 2023 to #2 in 2024, with 85% of people who preferred Grocery Outlet saying it was because of the value they provide. They have at least 14 locations in Idaho and continue to grow.

Costco, based in Washington state, dropped two spots to ninth place, with 63 percent of people who shop primarily at the warehouse store saying the store provides good value for their money.