If you have any personal Costco experience please leave a comment.
I know a few people who regularly shop at Costco, but I have never been seriously tempted to try it.
I just recently did some research. Costco apparently has hundreds of stores all over the world, and the store in Waterloo across from the dump (Regional Waste Management) has a massive parking lot that always seems to be crawling with people every time I go out that way.
So what’s the big deal. It costs money to join ($60), and, from what I can tell, selection is fairly limited. Lots of house brands and large quantity selections. But when I tried to do a comparison with similar products at Walmart it was pretty difficult to find the same things at both stores.
If you have any personal experience please leave a comment.
Price Comparison Costco vs Walmart
I did manage to find the following comparisons. Costco does seem to come out cheaper. This information is strictly from their websites. There are caveats for Costco. First, it’s for members only. Second there is a $3 upcharge for grocery items if your total grocery purchase is less than $75. Third, you usually have to buy in volume, so there’s that.
I’m not sure about delivery. Costco looks like delivery is included. Walmart looks like there is an extra delivery charge. I’m sure it varies from order to order. And delivery seems pretty impractical in many cases anyway. Most of us want to make sure we’re getting what we think.
Costco also says in-warehouse prices might be less.
So here are some fairly random comparison prices I found on their respective websites.
** indicates the cheaper price…
Colgate Total Toothpaste – 170ml 5 pack
Costco – $17.99* Walmart – $36.99
*+$3 if grocery order under $75
Canned Solid White Tuna
Costco – Kirkland 8 cans x 184g – $18.99 = $2.37/can (184g)**
Walmart – Great Value – $2.97/can (170g)
Orange Juice
Costco – Grown Right Organic 2 pack – $14.99 (1.89L each) -$3.96/L
Walmart – Our Finest Not from Concentrate 2.5L – $5.48 – $2.19/L**
Halls Mentho-Lyptus Lozenges
Costco – 20 pack – $26.49 ($1.32ea)** Walmart – $1.68
Cashmere Premium Soft & Thick Toilet Paper – 40 pack
Costco – $24.99** Walmart – $42.85
Waterpick Dual Dock Shower Head – with Easy Spray Control on Handle
Costco – $49.99** Walmart – $89.92
OralB iO Series 5 Rechargeable Toothbrush – 2 pack
Costco – $199.99** Walmart – $284.99
Windex 5L+950ml spray bottle
Costco – $22.99** Walmart – $45.99
Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+, 11″ – 64gb 4gbRAM
Costco – $267.99** Walmart – $273.94
Apple Watch – Series 9 GPS – Midnight
Costco – $548.99 Walmart – $479.98**
In my opinion nothing beats Costco. Coming from a large family, it makes sense to shop there considering the variety of products they have and the quantity we can get for the price. It’s your ultimate one stop shop. They also have twist cones and samples which are always a hit. All that being said, If you’re like me and get overwhelmed by crowds I’d recommend going early in the morning or just before they close because the place can be an absolute zoo, crawling with people and their giant carts of goodies. None the less I shop at both Walmart and Costco so I can cover all my bases when it comes to weekly grocery shopping.