The Generic Index
What does it cost to buy the basics? Every month we price the same basket of 25 everyday store-brand items at Walmart (1 of each) and add it up. Watch the number to see what's really happening to the price of everyday life.
Basket total$89.77
Priced September 22, 2026
since Nov 2025 (est.)
▲ 0.9%
$88.95 in November 2025
vs last month
–Starts with our next monthly reading.
Food$29.52
Household$41.52
Personal care$18.73
Month by month
Real walmart.com readings Estimated from U.S. government price data (see below). The chart's scale doesn't start at $0, so small changes are easier to see.
Biggest movers since Nov 2025 (est.)
Up the most
Black beans +12.2%
Spaghetti +6%
Creamy peanut butter +5.9%
Whole milk +5.7%
Down the most
Eggs −20.5%
Salted butter −6.7%
Ibuprofen 200 mg −1.8%
All-purpose flour −0.8%
The basket
| # | Item | Size | Price now | Nov 2025 (est.) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food | |||||
| 1 | Eggs Great Value Cage-Free Large White Eggs, 12 Count | 12 large | $1.67 | $2.10 | −$0.43 (−20.5%) |
| 2 | Whole milk Great Value Whole Vitamin D Milk, Gallon | 1 gallon (128 fl oz) | $3.34 | $3.16 | +$0.18 (+5.7%) |
| 3 | White bread Great Value White Round Top Bread Loaf, 20 oz | 20 oz loaf | $1.52 | $1.49 | +$0.03 (+2%) |
| 4 | Salted butter Great Value Sweet Cream Salted Butter, 4 Sticks, 16 oz Box, Refrigerated | 16 oz, 4 sticks | $3.06 | $3.28 | −$0.22 (−6.7%) |
| 5 | Creamy peanut butter Great Value Creamy Peanut Butter 16oz | 16 oz | $1.98 | $1.87 | +$0.11 (+5.9%) |
| 6 | Black beans Great Value Black Beans, 15 oz | 15 oz can | $0.92 | $0.82 | +$0.10 (+12.2%) |
| 7 | Long grain white rice Great Value Long Grain Enriched Rice, 32 oz | 32 oz (2 lb) | $1.77 | $1.70 | +$0.07 (+4.1%) |
| 8 | Spaghetti Great Value Spaghetti, 16 oz | 16 oz | $1.24 | $1.17 | +$0.07 (+6%) |
| 9 | Toasted oat cereal Great Value Toasted O's Breakfast Cereal, 12 oz | 12 oz box | $1.83 | $1.84 | −$0.01 (−0.5%) |
| 10 | Ground coffee Great Value Classic Roast Ground Naturally Caffeinated Coffee, 9.6 oz Canister | 9.6 oz canister | $5.88 | $5.85 | +$0.03 (+0.5%) |
| 11 | Granulated sugar Great Value Pure Granulated Sugar, 4 lbs | 4 lb | $2.97 | $2.87 | +$0.10 (+3.5%) |
| 12 | All-purpose flour Great Value All-Purpose Enriched Bleached Wheat Flour, 5 lb Bag | 5 lb | $2.38 | $2.40 | −$0.02 (−0.8%) |
| 13 | Chunk light tuna Great Value Chunk Light Tuna in Water, 5 oz | 5 oz can | $0.96 | $0.94 | +$0.02 (+2.1%) |
| Household | |||||
| 14 | Paper towels Great Value Ultra Strong Paper Towels, 6 Double Rolls | 6 double rolls | $9.92 | $9.91 | +$0.01 (+0.1%) |
| 15 | Toilet paper Great Value Soft & Strong Toilet Paper, 12 Mega Rolls, 380 Sheets per Roll | 12 mega rolls | $9.98 | $9.97 | +$0.01 (+0.1%) |
| 16 | Dish soap Great Value Ultra Dish Liquid, Original, 28 fl oz | 28 fl oz | $2.46 | $2.42 | +$0.04 (+1.7%) |
| 17 | Liquid laundry detergent Great Value Ultimate Fresh Laundry Detergent, Original Clean, 88 fl oz, 61 Loads | 88 fl oz (61 loads) | $7.87 | $7.74 | +$0.13 (+1.7%) |
| 18 | 13-gal trash bags Great Value Tall Kitchen Trash Bags, 13 gal, Drawstring, Unscented, 40 Bags | 40 bags | $6.17 | $6.04 | +$0.13 (+2.2%) |
| 19 | Aluminum foil Great Value Aluminum Foil, 75 sq ft | 75 sq ft | $5.12 | $5.01 | +$0.11 (+2.2%) |
| Personal care | |||||
| 20 | Shampoo Equate Moisture Rich Shampoo with Vitamin E for Hair Care of Dry or Damaged Hair, 28 fl oz, Compare to Tresemme® Luxurious Moisture Shampoo | 28 fl oz | $2.74 | $2.68 | +$0.06 (+2.2%) |
| 21 | Deodorant Suave Antiperspirant Deodorant For Women, 48hr Protection, Powder Scent, 2.6 oz Name brand: Walmart's only store-brand stick deodorant was out of stock. | 2.6 oz stick | $2.98 | $2.92 | +$0.06 (+2.1%) |
| 22 | Toothpaste Equate Pro-Advanced Whole Mouth Protection Toothpaste, Deep Clean Mint, 5.1 oz | 5.1 oz tube | $3.64 | $3.57 | +$0.07 (+2%) |
| 23 | Bar soap Dial Gold Antibacterial Deodorant Bar Soap, Advanced Clean Deep Cleanse Bar, 4 oz, 4 Bars Name brand: Walmart doesn't sell a store-brand bar soap. | 4 oz x 4 bars | $4.97 | $4.81 | +$0.16 (+3.3%) |
| 24 | Ibuprofen 200 mg Equate Ibuprofen Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer Tablets, 200 mg, 100 Count | 100 tablets | $2.18 | $2.22 | −$0.04 (−1.8%) |
| 25 | Disposable razors Equate 2-Blade Disposable Razors, Blue, 12 Count | 12 count (2-blade) | $2.22 | $2.17 | +$0.05 (+2.3%) |
| Total | $89.77 | $88.95 | +$0.82 (+0.9%) | ||
How it works
- Same 25 items, every month: 13 food staples, 6 household items, and 6 personal care items, Walmart store brands such as Great Value and Equate. Where Walmart doesn't sell a store brand, we use the cheapest everyday brand and say so in the table.
- One of each, in the most common everyday size. No bulk packs, no sales that need a coupon or membership.
- Prices come from walmart.com product pages on the day shown, for pickup at the same Los Angeles-area store every time. Walmart prices vary a little by location, so your store may differ slightly.
- If an item disappears or changes size, we swap in the closest store-brand match and note it in the table.
About the estimated months
Our real walmart.com readings started in September 2026. To show the months before that, we estimated each item's price month by month: we took today's real Walmart price and moved it back in time using how that item's price changed nationally, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Where BLS publishes an average price for the exact item (like eggs or milk) we used that; otherwise we used the closest price index (like "household paper products"). These are estimates, not prices we saw at Walmart. The estimates start in November 2025, the first month of an unbroken run of government data.
Which government series we used for each item
- Eggs: Eggs, grade A, large, per doz. in U.S. city average, average price, not seasonally adjusted (APU0000708111)
- Whole milk: Milk, fresh, whole, fortified, per gal. (3.8 lit) in U.S. city average, average price, not seasonally adjusted (APU0000709112)
- White bread: Bread, white, pan, per lb. (453.6 gm) in U.S. city average, average price, not seasonally adjusted (APU0000702111)
- Salted butter: Butter, stick, per lb. (453.6 gm) in U.S. city average, average price, not seasonally adjusted (APU0000FS1101)
- Creamy peanut butter: Peanut butter in U.S. city average, all urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted (CUUR0000SS16014)
- Black beans: Canned vegetables in U.S. city average, all urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted (CUUR0000SS14021)
- Long grain white rice: Rice, white, long grain, uncooked, per lb. (453.6 gm) in U.S. city average, average price, not seasonally adjusted (APU0000701312)
- Spaghetti: Spaghetti and macaroni, per lb. (453.6 gm) in U.S. city average, average price, not seasonally adjusted (APU0000701322)
- Toasted oat cereal: Breakfast cereal in U.S. city average, all urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted (CUUR0000SEFA02)
- Ground coffee: Coffee, 100%, ground roast, all sizes, per lb. (453.6 gm) in U.S. city average, average price, not seasonally adjusted (APU0000717311)
- Granulated sugar: Sugar, white, all sizes, per lb. (453.6 gm) in U.S. city average, average price, not seasonally adjusted (APU0000715211)
- All-purpose flour: Flour, white, all purpose, per lb. (453.6 gm) in U.S. city average, average price, not seasonally adjusted (APU0000701111)
- Chunk light tuna: Shelf stable fish and seafood in U.S. city average, all urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted (CUUR0000SS07011)
- Paper towels: Household paper products in U.S. city average, all urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted (CUUR0000SEHN02)
- Toilet paper: Household paper products in U.S. city average, all urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted (CUUR0000SEHN02)
- Dish soap: Household cleaning products in U.S. city average, all urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted (CUUR0000SEHN01)
- Liquid laundry detergent: Household cleaning products in U.S. city average, all urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted (CUUR0000SEHN01)
- 13-gal trash bags: Miscellaneous household products in U.S. city average, all urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted (CUUR0000SEHN03)
- Aluminum foil: Miscellaneous household products in U.S. city average, all urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted (CUUR0000SEHN03)
- Shampoo: Hair, dental, shaving, and miscellaneous personal care products in U.S. city average, all urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted (CUUR0000SEGB01)
- Deodorant: Hair, dental, shaving, and miscellaneous personal care products in U.S. city average, all urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted (CUUR0000SEGB01)
- Toothpaste: Hair, dental, shaving, and miscellaneous personal care products in U.S. city average, all urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted (CUUR0000SEGB01)
- Bar soap: Cosmetics, perfume, bath, nail preparations and implements in U.S. city average, all urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted (CUUR0000SEGB02)
- Ibuprofen 200 mg: Nonprescription drugs in U.S. city average, all urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted (CUUR0000SEMF02)
- Disposable razors: Hair, dental, shaving, and miscellaneous personal care products in U.S. city average, all urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted (CUUR0000SEGB01)
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