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Which grocery store costs the least in Quebec in 2026? According to the Les Coops de l’information study, Maxi dethrones Walmart as the province’s cheapest grocery store. The cost of a grocery basket continues to rise: Dalhousie University’s 2026 Food Price Report forecasts an increase of 4% to 6% for a family of four, or about $17,572 per year.
Beyond the displayed price, loyalty programs and the best credit cards can reduce the bill by 5 to 7% each week. Here is our comprehensive comparison of the five major chains, featuring the latest figures and the best credit card for each store.
Also, check out our best credit cards for groceries page to get up to 6% back, whether in cash back or loyalty points.
The Les Coops de l’information study compared the price of 30 common products across five major Quebec chains over 26 weeks (about 6 months). As of March 2026, here are the annualized cost and the average weekly cost by chain.
The gap between Maxi (1st) and Metro (5th) amounts to $723 per year, or approximately $27.81 per week. Over two years, that’s almost $1,450 in savings by choosing the right store.
According to Dalhousie University’s 2026 Food Price Report, a Canadian family of four will spend an average of $17,572 on groceries this year. Le Journal de Montreal reports targeted increases: beef jumped 13.9%, bananas 8.1%, and the overall food sector shows a 4.1% increase in March 2026.
In this context, every dollar saved matters. Combining the right grocery store with the right credit card becomes a practical strategy to limit the damage to the family budget.
The sticker price is only part of the equation. Loyalty programs and grocery-optimized credit cards make it possible to get back between 5% and 7% of the bill. Here is the analysis by chain, based on the weekly baskets from the Les Coops 2026 study.
Maxi is linked to the PC Optimum program. Earning points mainly comes from personalized offers and bonus promo items. With a weekly basket of $144.46, here is what the best credit cards return.
Maxi only accepts Visa and Mastercard cards. American Express cards are not accepted.
With the BMO CashBack® World Elite®* Mastercard®*, the $144.46 basket drops to $137.24 net. The $500 per statement limit at 5% remains the main limitation.
Walmart does not have a traditional points-based loyalty program. Reward dollars are reserved for Walmart cardholders. You must therefore rely on the cash back offered by your credit card. Weekly basket: $146.46.
With the BMO CashBack World Elite, the basket drops to $139.14 net. Also, at some Walmart locations, the American Express Cobalt® Card codes the purchase as groceries (5 points per dollar).
Buy Walmart gift cards at Couche-Tard with the American Express Cobalt Card. Couche-Tard is coded as groceries, which earns 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar. These points can then be used to offset the card balance or transferred to Aeroplan, Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors.
Super C is associated with the Moi program. Base earning is 1 Moi point per dollar (value: 0.8 cent). Bonus points on certain products and personalized offers increase the return. Weekly basket: $149.96.
In addition to Moi points, the co-branded moi RBC Visa Credit Card gives 1 additional Moi point per dollar at Super C (150 points = $1.20).
With the Cobalt Card or the BMO CashBack World Elite, the basket drops to $142.46 net.
IGA has been associated with the Scene+ program since March 2023. Bonus points on certain products and weekly coupons (e.g., 500 points for $100 in purchases) add attractive returns. In 2026, IGA is also launching the Prix Club program (Sobeys), with reduced prices reserved for members. Weekly basket: $167.50.
With the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card (6 Scene+ points per dollar), the card rebate reaches $10.05. Add the Scene+ bonus points on promotional products and the basket can drop to $157.45 net, or even less depending on the week’s offers.
Metro is linked to the Moi program. Every dollar spent earns 1 Moi point (value: 0.8 cent). Personalized offers, bonuses on certain products and member-only promotions add to the return. Weekly basket: $172.27.
With the Cobalt Card ($8.61) and the moi RBC Visa Credit Card as a secondary card ($1.38 in Moi points), the net total drops to about $162.28.
Here is the final ranking, factoring in the best credit card for each chain.
The gap between Maxi (1st net) and Metro (5th net) reaches about $25 per week, or about $1,302 per year. That is the equivalent of nine weeks of groceries at Maxi.
In 2026, Maxi is the cheapest grocery store in Quebec according to the Les Coops study, ahead of Walmart and Super C. The gap between the top three positions remains tight: a few dollars per week. A good weekly special can flip the ranking from one week to the next.
The real savings lever remains the credit card. With a BMO CashBack® World Elite®* Mastercard®* (5% cash back on groceries), a Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card (6 points at IGA/Sobeys or 5 points per dollar at other grocery stores) or an American Express Cobalt Card (5 points per dollar), each checkout earns between $7 and $10. Over a year, that is $370 to $460 in rewards, in addition to the savings from choosing the right store.
Always pay your credit card balance in full each month. Interest charges would cancel out all these gains. Check out our best credit cards page to find the one that suits your habits. And to stay informed, subscribe to our newsletter.
There are also discount and liquidation grocery stores that offer even lower prices on certain products. Do not hesitate to combine them with your main grocery store.
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