41 Items Cheaper at the Dollar Store Than at Walmart

Walmart has built its reputation on frugality, but dollar stores such as Dollar Tree and Dollar General have long maintained that their prices are as cheap as it gets. You'd think stores where most items cost $1 would win a matchup with Walmart more often, but the real struggle often comes down to product size and unit price. Walmart can put out cheaper, bulkier items and come out ahead — but not always. Here are dozens examples where your dollar doesn't go farther at the big-box store.

Note: Prices and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Dollar Tree sells items by the case online, but individual products are sold in stores.

Jason Notte contributed to this story.

Walmart's Equate brand price: $2.23 per 80-count box
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Dollar General's DG Health brand price: $1 per 40-count box
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If you're klutzy around the kitchen, can't venture into the garage or garden without slicing yourself, or have a cat that hates you, it helps to have a lot of bandages. You can buy two 40-count boxes of Dollar General bandages for less than one 80-count box of Walmart's Equate brand.

Walmart's Libbey brand price: $1.24 each
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Dollar Tree's Brand-Name Perception brand price: $1 each
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Once you've had a little too much vino, you might appreciate having a set of wine glasses that aren't expensive to replace. Dollar Tree's glasses hold 20 ounces, too — slightly more than the most comparable glasses at Walmart.

Walmart's Hanes brand price: $8.82 per 6-pack
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Dollar General's Hanes brand price: $7 per 6-pack
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Dollar General carries 6-packs of Hanes no-show socks for way less than Walmart, so stock up for less there. Both have wicking fabric to help keep feet sweat-free.

Walmart's Unique brand price: 9.4¢ per balloon
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Dollar Tree's generic brand price: 7.1¢ per balloon
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For your next party, Walmart will give you 72 helium-ready 12-inch latex multicolor balloons for just shy of $7. But buying Dollar Tree's smaller packs is the better bet here, especially if you don't need so many.

Related: 20 Party Essentials You Should Always Buy at the Dollar Store

Walmart's Scotch Brite brand price: $2.78 each
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Dollar General's DG Home brand price: $2 each
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Unless you are unnaturally serious about scrub brush design, Dollar General's cheaper imitator should be just as serviceable as Walmart's name-brand version.

Walmart's Auto Drive brand price: 74¢ per towel
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Dollar Tree's Driver's Choice brand price: 50¢ per towel
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Baby your wheels on the cheap by buying microfiber car cleaning cloths at the dollar store. Dollar Tree's towels are even slightly bigger than Walmart's.

Walmart's Mainstays brand price: $1.50 each
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Dollar Tree's Home Collections brand price: $1 each
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Whether you use them as pot holders or a safe resting place for hot pans, silicone trivets are a must in any kitchen. Both versions are heat resistant up to 500 degrees, and while Walmart's are a bit bigger, Dollar Tree's are cheaper.

Walmart's Great Value brand price: 7¢ per fl. oz.
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Dollar General's Xtra brand price: 4.4¢ per fl. oz.
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Get your clothes equally clean with both of these store brands, but Dollar General's detergent is cheaper and has the added bonus of OxiClean, too.

Walmart's Equate brand price: 16¢ per pad
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Dollar Tree's Assured brand price: 10¢ per pad
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Absorb those occasional leaks for less by picking up pads at the dollar store instead of Walmart. Both options are individually wrapped, and reviewers say they're comparable to much pricier brands like Poise.

Walmart's Speed Stick brand price: $6.18 per 2-pack
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Dollar General's Speed Stick brand price: $3.85 per 2-pack
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You never know when you'll find a name brand for less at the dollar store, but here's one example. Dollar General wants less than $4 for a twin pack of the same size and scent Speed Sticks, while Walmart charges more than $6.

Walmart's Unique brand price: $1.79 each
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Dollar Tree's generic brand price: $1 each
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Both of these plastic table covers fit a 108-by-54-inch table, but you'll overpay if you choose the Walmart version. The same goes for many other party supplies — make the dollar store your first stop.

Walmart's Mainstays brand price: $1.87 each
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Dollar Tree's Luminessence brand price: $1 each
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Light up your life a little less expensively by picking up candles at the dollar store. Unscented white pillar candles that are nearly the same size are way cheaper at Dollar Tree. You'll also find a bunch of scented options, taper candles, and jar candles to choose from.

Walmart's Great Value brand price: 6¢ per fl. oz.
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Dollar General's DG Home brand price: 3.1¢ per fl. oz.
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Dollar stores were pretty much built on glass cleaner. At Dollar General, buyers can find a 32-ounce bottle of basic glass cleaner for a buck. At Walmart, the Great Value brand is $1.98 for 32 ounces.

Walmart's Mainstays brand price: $1.94 each
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Dollar Tree's Essentials brand price: $1 each
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Looking for a basic way to haul your laundry? These no-frill laundry bags are nearly identical. Both are the same size, made of breathable mesh, have a convenient drawstring closure, and are themselves machine-washable.

Walmart's Elmer's brand price: 24¢ per fl. oz.
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Dollar General's Imagine brand price: 12.5¢ per fl. oz.
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Keep dollar stores in mind for back-to-school supplies, particularly if your kid's teacher doesn't mind an off brand. Dollar General's glue beats out Walmart's cheapest option, one of Elmer's disappearing varieties. 

Walmart's Mainstays brand price: Starting at $1.96 each (5x7)
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Dollar Tree's Special Moments brand price: $1 each (5x7)
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Picture frames can get unexpectedly pricey, but if you just need the basics and care more about the style than material, Dollar Tree is a great place to look. It carries plenty of options, including faux wood and metallics, matted frames, and more.

Walmart's Mainstays brand price: $1.97 each
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Dollar Tree's generic brand price: $1 each
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These sturdy plastic silverware trays are almost the exact same size, and they have the same number of slots for forks, spoons, knives, and other utensils. Some reviewers say the dollar-store version has held up for years, too.

Walmart's Equate brand price: 10¢ per fl. oz.
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Dollar Tree's Assured brand price: 5¢ per fl. oz.
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Stay moisturized for much less by picking up your lotion at the dollar store, where the similar cocoa-butter formula is half the price of Walmart's store brand.

Walmart's Mainstays brand price: $1.11 per mat
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Dollar Tree's generic brand price: 50¢ per mat
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Protect your counters while you slice and dice your way to a filling meal with these flexible chopping mats, a versatile alternative to bulkier cutting boards. While Walmart's mats are more colorful and slightly larger, both choices are easy to clean in the dishwasher.

Walmart's Magicbag brand price: $2.25 per bag
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Dollar Tree's Essentials brand price: $1 per bag
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Need a little more room in your drawers? Vacuum storage bags are perfect for socking away out-of-season clothing without taking too much space. These bags are close to the same size and equally well-reviewed, so why pay double at Walmart?

Walmart's Suave brand price: 10¢ per fl. oz.
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Dollar Tree's Silkience brand price: 4.2¢ per fl. oz.
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Lather up for less with an indulgent cocoa butter body wash when you buy it at Dollar Tree, where it's less than half the price of Walmart's similar name-brand Suave.

Walmart's Great Value brand price: 4.2¢ per candle
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Dollar Tree's generic brand price: 1.7¢ per candle
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Sure, Walmart will sell you birthday candles for about a dollar a pack. But 24 won't last you nearly as long as the 60-count pack you can snag at Dollar Tree for the same amount.

Walmart's Mainstays brand price: $2.48 each
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Dollar Tree's Royal Norfolk brand price: $1 each
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Dollar Tree has a surprising assortment of ceramic, stoneware, and glass plates that not only go for $1 apiece but make it easy to cater place settings to your needs. These same-size competitors are both stoneware, although Walmart's version has a more pronounced rim.

Walmart's Mainstays brand price: $2.50 each
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Dollar Tree's generic brand price: $1 each
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A small plastic wastebasket will function the same no matter what, especially in an office or other low-demand area. While Walmart's version is a little bit sleeker, Dollar Tree's options are the same size and much easier on the wallet.

Walmart's Good Cook brand price: $2.68 per set
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Dollar Tree's Cooking Concepts brand price: $1 per set
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Not only are Dollar Tree's plastic measuring cups a lot cheaper than Walmart's, they come with a nice bonus: measuring spoons. They're also dishwasher-safe on the top rack (though not quite as clearly marked).

Walmart's Unique brand price: $2.87 each
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Dollar Tree's generic brand price: $1 each
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It's one of the cheapest elements of any birthday party, but even a cheery "Happy Birthday" banner gets a huge discount at the dollar store. It's these little savings that really start to add up when planning a full party. Dollar Tree's banner isn't quite as long or shiny as Walmart's cheapest option, though.

Walmart's Hyper Tough brand price: $2.84 each
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Dollar Tree's Tool Bench brand price: $1 each
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Walmart's pricier 16-foot tape measure looks a little more rugged, but it's hard to beat $1 for an even longer length at Dollar Tree, where you still get a locking mechanism and even a wrist loop.

Walmart's Good Cook brand price: $2.97 per 2-pack
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Dollar Tree's generic brand price: $1 per 2-pack
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Ice cube trays have a fairly simple job, so why overpay for them at Walmart? Both retailers give you a two-pack, and Dollar Tree's are more colorful, too.

Walmart's Sterilite brand price: $2.97 each
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Dollar Tree's Essentials brand price: $1 each
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Dish drainers get grimy enough as it is, so why pay more? Both of these plastic drainers are easy to clean and have separate slots for flatware. Walmart's is slightly roomier, but you could also buy three of the Dollar Tree's drainers for close to the same price.

Walmart's Wet n Wild brand price: $2.98 each
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Dollar Tree's L.A. Colors Expressions brand price: $1 each
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Let's face it: Lip gloss never stays put anyway, so why overspend? Dole out just a buck at Dollar Tree for its well-reviewed brand versus nearly triple for most shades of the Wet n Wild brand at Walmart.

Walmart's Equate brand price: $2.97 each
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Dollar Tree's Assured brand price: $1 each
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Lots of women swear by dollar store pregnancy tests — taken at the recommended time, they're incredibly accurate. If you don't like dropping a whole bunch of cash, the cheaper test isn't a risk; it's a discount.

Walmart's Mainstays brand price: $2.98 each
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Dollar Tree's Dolomite brand price: $1 each
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Need a soap pump? The Dollar Tree's is about the same size as Walmart's, though the latter has a sleeker ceramic base. However, the pump itself is plastic just like the Dollar Tree's.

Walmart's Libbey brand price: $2.97 each
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Dollar Tree's generic brand price: $1 each
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If you're lucky enough to be surprised with a flower arrangement every once in a while, an inexpensive vase is good to keep on hand. But why spend more than necessary? Both options are glass, close to the same size, and equally capable of propping up a fragrant bouquet.

Walmart's Suave brand price: 10¢ per fl. oz.
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Dollar Tree's Silkience brand price: 3¢ per fl. oz.
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You certainly get more bang for your buck by picking up the Dollar Tree shampoo and conditioner combo, but buyer beware: Most reviewers say they weren't happy with the formula, which didn't lather well and didn't leave their hair feeling as clean as usual.

Walmart's Mainstays brand price: $3.50 each
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Dollar Tree's Home Collection brand price: $1 each
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A buck for a bath mat? It's possible at the dollar store. There are some tradeoffs, though: The Dollar Tree version is smaller and lacks the non-skid latex backing of Walmart's least expensive option. Both are machine-washable.

Walmart's Equate brand price: $3.47 per set
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Dollar Tree's generic brand price: $1 per set
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While Dollar Tree's TSA-friendly travel bottles are cheaper than Walmart's, the latter do come with some extras: one extra bottle, color-coded caps, labels, and a clear travel bag. If a mini-spray bottle is a necessity, however, Dollar Tree has a version with one of those.

Walmart's Onn brand price: $4.88 each
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Dollar Tree's E-circuit brand price: $1 each
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Interestingly, Dollar Tree's cheaper charging cable gets better reviews than Walmart's, and it comes in more colors. Don't expect name-brand quality at these prices, but if you need a spare in a pinch, this should work just fine.

Walmart's Ozark Trail brand price: $4.82 each
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Dollar Tree's generic brand price: $1 each
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Cheap sunglasses are built to be lost, scratched, and otherwise brutalized. They aren't long for this world, which is why the dollar-store approach makes sense.

Walmart's Onn brand price: $4.88 each
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Dollar Tree's E-Circuit brand price: $1 each
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If you've mangled enough earphones at the office or gym to see headphones as expendable, you're already familiar with the low end of the market, so you probably have nothing to lose but a buck by trying Dollar Tree's cheaper version.

Walmart's Outdoor Products brand price: $5 each
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Dollar Tree's generic brand price: $1 each
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While Walmart's cheapest plastic water bottle is made from shatter-resistant Tritan, the Dollar Tree version is otherwise very similar, down to the flip top and straw. It's also BPA-free.

Walmart's Silver Buffalo brand price: $6.84 each
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Dollar Tree's generic brand price: $1 each
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Dollar Tree's sole stainless-steel option will hold 16 ounces of your favorite beverage and comes with a flip-top, screw-on plastic lid. Walmart's most comparable mug holds 20 ounces and it's vacuum-insulated, which can keep your drinks hot or cold for longer.

Related: These Walmart Tumblers Rival Yeti's at a Fraction of the Price