The search for the cheapest supermarket in Melbourne doesn't end at the big two — or even at the usual budget heavyweights.
A quieter network of discount grocers, produce markets and cheap supermarkets that specialise in overstocked staples has been undercutting everyone, selling the same big brands for a fraction of the shelf price.
The trick most of them share is simple. They buy stock that’s close to its best-before date, overstocked, or stuck with superseded packaging, then pass the savings on. Same product, smaller number on the tag. It isn’t glamorous — fluorescent lighting, pallets, a layout that changes weekly — but for anyone watching their grocery bill climb, these are the rooms where the maths finally tips back in your favour.
Here’s where Melbourne actually shops cheap.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
Cheaper Buy Miles
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The inner-north favourite has been around since 1995, rescuing close-to-date and past-best-before stock from landfill. Items run up to 90 per cent cheaper than regular supermarkets, with no membership fee. Expect dry goods, frozen meals, dairy and a famously deep vegan range — cheeses, dips and snacks that usually cost a fortune elsewhere. Stock changes daily and there’s a 100 per cent money-back guarantee. You’ll find them in Brunswick, Footscray, Flemington and Fitzroy, with details over here.
NQR
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Running since 1987 and Victorian-owned, NQR reckons it’s the state’s cheapest supermarket — savings of up to 80 per cent off the recommended price on names like Arnott’s, Kellogg’s, Chobani and Coca-Cola. The footprint is enormous, with stores stretching from Frankston and Sunshine out to Bendigo and Ballarat. Pension card holders pocket an extra five per cent off Wednesday to Friday on any shop over $10. Big brands, small numbers, no membership required.
Food Factory Sales
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The Bayswater factory outlet stocks big-brand food and household goods at factory-direct prices, including the frozen and chilled lines most clearance stores can’t handle. There’s plenty of parking and easy public transport, and the doors are open seven days a week. They’ll even post non-perishables across metro Melbourne if you’d rather not leave the couch, or you can click and collect from 6 High Street. Worth a look before your regular shop.
Bargain Depot
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One of the biggest branded grocery clearance outlets in the state, Bargain Depot moves stock at up to 70 per cent off regular supermarket prices. Think pantry staples, snacks, frozen lines and the odd random find — the shelves turn over constantly, so each visit throws up something new. You’ll find stores at Epping, Cranbourne and Chirnside Park, with a long-running outlet on Sydney Road in Brunswick too. Open seven days.
Savemore
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Family-run for two decades, Savemore deals in short-coded, end-of-run and seconds-packaging stock — up to 70 per cent off the brands you already buy. It’s a treasure hunt: the coffee, chocolate and pantry staples filling the shelves this week might vanish by the next, so grab what catches your eye. You’ll find it on the Princes Highway in Melbourne’s south-east.
Henry’s Mercato
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A proper green grocer rather than a clearance outlet, stocking great-value fresh fruit and veg alongside a continental deli, artisan breads and organic groceries. The specials change daily, with stores at Mulgrave, Rowville and on the Mornington Peninsula — full list here.
Big Watermelon
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Set on 60 acres out at Wantirna South, is a fruit-and-veg wholesaler (formerly Bushy Park) selling direct to the public. Around 97 per cent of the produce is Australian-grown, with weekly specials worth planning a trip around. Find it at 1161 High Street Road, open seven days.
Footscray Market
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Packs fresh fruit, veg, herbs and spices in beside big-value seafood, meat, poultry and a deep bench of Asian specialty ingredients. Sitting opposite Footscray station on the Sunbury, Werribee and Williamstown lines, it’s about as easy to reach without a car as market shopping gets. Open Tuesday to Saturday.
Queen Victoria Market
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The CBD institution still does fresh produce better than almost anywhere, with rows of fruit-and-veg traders going head to head on price across the sheds. The variety is enormous, spanning everyday staples through to unusual and hard-to-find produce, and the deeper bargains tend to surface late in the trading day. Sitting on the northern edge of the city, it’s an easy tram ride from town. Open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday — check current hours, as renewal works have shuffled a few stalls around. More here.
Look at The Treasury’s findings in Victoria’s supermarket price comparison here.
