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As of October 20, 2026, Dollar General is cheaper. You'd pay about 17% less for the same groceries at Dollar General than at Smart & Final.
Dollar General wins overall — but not on every item. Download Labeled App and discover healthy foods for less.
Calculated by multiplying the average 83¢ price difference by a standard 20-item grocery trip.
Biggest saving at Smart & FinalMazola Cholesterol Free Corn Oil 40 Ounces$3.99 vs $6.25 at Dollar General — save $2.26
Biggest saving at Dollar GeneralThe Original Donut Shop Regular 10ct$5.95 vs $9.99 at Smart & Final — save $4.04
The 15 products carried by the most stores we track — no more than two from any aisle — priced at Smart & Final and Dollar General.
| Product | Smart & Final | Dollar General |
|---|---|---|
| Pillsbury Original Crescent Rolls Refrigerated Canned Pastry Dough | $3.69 | $3.65 |
| Kraft Singles American Cheese Slices 16 Count | $4.29 | $3.95 |
| Gatorade Thirst Quencher Orange Sports Drink Bottle | $1.99 | $1.85 |
| Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix 8.5 Oz | $0.79 | $0.75 |
| Celsius Energy Drink Sparkling Orange 12 Fl Oz | $2.49 | $2.50 |
| Country Crock Original Vegetable Oil Spread 15 Ounces | $3.99 | $3.50 |
| Pop-Tarts Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Toaster Pastries | $3.99 | $4.35 |
| Pop-Tarts Frosted Strawberry Toaster Pastries | $3.99 | $4.35 |
| Ritz Fresh Stacks The Original Crackers 11.8 Oz | $4.49 | $4.25 |
| Nissin Ramen Noodle Soup, Hot & Spicy, Chicken | $1.29 | $1.40 |
| Jimmy Dean Bacon Egg & Cheese Breakfast Bowl 7 Ounces | $2.59 | $3.25 |
| Nature Valley Oats 'n Honey Crunchy Granola Bars 12 Pack | $4.49 | $3.95 |
| Pillsbury Strawberry Toaster Strudel Pastries 6 Count/11.7 Ounces | $2.99 | $4.00 |
| Gorton's Beer Battered Fish Fillets 10 Count | $6.99 | $8.95 |
| Star Kist Tuna, In Water, Chunk Light 5 Oz | $1.29 | $1.20 |
| Total | $49.35 | $51.90 |
Smart & Final is $2.55 cheaper on this basket — the opposite of the overall result, which averages every matched product.
Average price of the matched products in each aisle, biggest difference first.
| Aisle | Smart & Final | Dollar General | CheaperGap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beverages300 items | $7.27 | $4.92 | Dollar General · 32% |
| Dairy51 items | $3.75 | $3.39 | Dollar General · 10% |
| Pantry173 items | $3.40 | $3.05 | Dollar General · 10% |
| Snacks297 items | $4.15 | $3.72 | Dollar General · 10% |
| Frozen62 items | $5.31 | $4.86 | Dollar General · 9% |
| Bakery38 items | $4.00 | $3.70 | Dollar General · 7% |
| Meat31 items | $3.70 | $3.49 | Dollar General · 6% |
| Ready meals209 items | $3.49 | $3.41 | Dollar General · 2% |
The same products grouped by what they cost — a store can win on everyday basics and lose on bigger-ticket items, or the other way round.
| Price level | Smart & Final | Dollar General | CheaperGap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $3428 items | $2.13 | $1.97 | Dollar General · 7% |
| $3 to $10720 items | $5.28 | $4.90 | Dollar General · 7% |
| Over $1037 items | $26.03 | $8.85 | Dollar General · 66% |
Matched products grouped by their Labeled ingredient score, from A (cleanest ingredients) to C.
| Ingredient score | Smart & Final | Dollar General | CheaperGap |
|---|---|---|---|
 Score A115 items | $3.64 | $3.46 | Dollar General · 5% |
 Score AB187 items | $4.33 | $3.66 | Dollar General · 15% |
 Score B426 items | $4.43 | $3.65 | Dollar General · 17% |
 Score C457 items | $5.60 | $4.50 | Dollar General · 20% |
Scores come from the Labeled app, which grades each product's ingredients against research from the FDA, EFSA, WHO and others.
Prices are periodic snapshots and may differ from your local store.
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