Maxi vs Super C vs IGA vs Metro: which is cheaper?

Short answer: for this basket of 20 real products, the observed total is $57.96 at Super C, $64.37 at Maxi, $70.29 at Metro and $76.20 at IGA. Super C is therefore the cheapest for this basket and these four locations. The observations are old, however, so this is not a promise about current prices or a permanent banner ranking.

The observed results

The dataset covers four Montreal locations: IGA Marché Tellier Beaubien, Maxi & Cie Jean-Talon Est, Metro Beaulieu and Super C St-Hubert Boucher. All 20 rows use real catalogue products, with the commercial name, package size, price and observation date shown for each location.

For this exact basket, Super C had the lowest total. The difference was $6.41 versus Maxi, $12.33 versus Metro and $18.24 versus IGA. The products include butter, milk, bread, rice, canned goods, tuna, several vegetables, cream cheese and pantry staples.

These figures answer a limited question: "what did these 20 products cost at these four locations on the observed dates?" They do not answer the broader question "which banner is always cheapest?" Observations range from May 7 to July 29, 2026, and prices may have changed.

How to compare the four grocery stores fairly

Start with the groceries you actually need, then compare the same basket at specific store locations. A banner is a chain; a store location is the exact branch where a product and its observed price were found. A result from one branch cannot establish that the whole banner is cheaper.

For a useful comparison:

• Choose the basket before looking at prices.
• Use equivalent package sizes and compare normalized quantities in grams, millilitres or units.
• Exclude a missing product instead of treating it as free.
• Compare a total only when enough products are available at every location.
• Check the observation period and whether any promotion was valid at that time.
• Consider travel, substitutions and the meals the basket can produce before adding another stop.

Maxi vs Super C

People searching for Maxi vs Super C often want one simple verdict. The defensible answer depends on the two exact branches and the basket being purchased. Compare the products that drive your own bill, especially meal bases, large formats and frequently purchased staples, using equivalent formats at both locations.

If several important products are missing from either location, the remaining subtotal is not a fair answer to "is Super C or Maxi cheaper?" It only describes the small common portion that could be matched.

IGA vs Metro

For IGA vs Metro, product selection can make a banner-level comparison especially misleading. Two similarly named products may differ by brand, size, composition or quality. Format normalization makes quantities comparable, but it does not make every product identical.

Use the same rules: one predefined basket, exact locations, a shared observation period and sufficient common coverage. Without those conditions, neither IGA nor Metro should be called the cheaper option.

IGA vs Super C

An IGA vs Super C comparison should also resist comparing a complete basket at one location with a partial basket at another. Missing eggs, produce or proteins can make an incomplete total look artificially low.

Look first at how much of the planned basket is truly comparable. Only then should the total influence the decision. Convenience, available substitutes and the cost of a second trip still matter.

Territory, observation period and method

The data summary on this page identifies the service area, exact store locations and observation window of the latest Karro export. Those fields belong to the dataset and should change when a new comparison is generated, not when this article is edited.

Karro builds a reference basket, finds a real compatible positive-price product at each location, then compares identical package sizes or sizes within 2% after conversion to grams, millilitres or units. The table keeps the price of the package actually sold. Brands, recipes, organic variants and product attributes may differ, so the full displayed name shows exactly what was compared.

Why there is no overall ranking

All 20 products have a compatible reference and package size across the four locations. Coverage is therefore 20/20, with no missing product counted at $0. However, 79 of the 80 observations exceed the 42-day freshness limit used for a current ranking.

The table therefore publishes the results as a verifiable historical observation. The statement "Super C is cheapest" applies only to this basket, these locations and these dates. It must not be presented as today's price.

What to do before your next grocery trip

Use a short personal basket rather than a generic banner reputation:

• List the products needed for the meals you already chose.
• Select the exact locations you are willing to visit.
• Compare equivalent sizes for the items that materially affect your bill.
• Keep one main location unless a second stop improves several meals, not just one product.

The best choice is the location that covers your real basket at a useful total without making the week harder to manage. Karro also explains how to compare your list across specific store locations in the app.