Is Costco actually cheaper than Walmart? We all know that buying in bulk is supposed to save you money, but is that really true?
I did something that I’ve been wanting to do for a long time! I went to Costco, checked the price of a bunch of different grocery items (50, to be exact) and then compared them all to Walmart’s prices. So, if you’ve been wondering which is cheaper, Costco or Walmart, you’re in the right spot.
Now, obviously I couldn’t compare prices for every single item at Costco, so I just went with some of the things that I felt were the most basic. There are a TON more things I could’ve checked and compared the prices (and hopefully I’ll be able to add to my list eventually!)
I break down all the price comparisons in my video on YouTube. But, if you’d rather read, I also compiled all the price comparisons into this chart below.
Costco vs. Walmart – Comparing the Prices of 50 Common Grocery Items
| Category | Item | Costco | Walmart | Better Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Produce | Oranges | $6.99 / 5 lb | $5.94 / 5 lb | Walmart |
| Apples | $1.64/lb | $0.95/lb cheapest; $1.33/lb Pink Lady | Walmart | |
| Raspberries | $2.99 / 12 oz | $6.44 / 12 oz | Costco | |
| Blueberries | $4.08/lb | $6.80/lb | Costco | |
| Baby carrots | $1.62/lb | $1.16/lb | Walmart | |
| Romaine lettuce (6 ct.) | $3.89 / 6 ($0.64 each) | $1.21 each | Costco | |
| Potatoes | $4.69 / 10 lb | $4.47 / 10 lb | Walmart | |
| Meat & Eggs | Chicken breasts | $2.99/lb | $2.57/lb | Walmart |
| Ground beef (88/12) | $5.99/lb | $7.22/lb (85/15) | Costco | |
| Pork chops | $2.99/lb | $3.48/lb | Costco | |
| Eggs | $1.89/dozen (24 ct.); $1.67/dozen (60 ct.) | $1.62/dozen | Walmart | |
| Dairy / Refrigerated | Milk | $2.59 | $2.66 | Costco |
| Shredded cheese | $2.47–$2.59/lb | $3.48/lb | Costco | |
| Cheese (bar) | $2.44/lb | $3.48/lb | Costco | |
| Butter | $2.39/lb | $2.98/lb | Costco | |
| Lunch meat | $3.00/lb | $4.47/lb | Costco | |
| Beef hot dogs | $3.62/lb | $5.96/lb | Costco | |
| Frozen Foods | Frozen broccoli | $2.64/lb | $1.44/lb | Walmart |
| Frozen pizza | $3.74 each | $4.82 each | Costco | |
| Burger patties | $4.78/lb | $4.79/lb | Costco | |
| Chicken nuggets | $2.79/lb | $2.72/lb | Walmart | |
| Chicken chunks | $3.99/lb | $4.96/lb | Costco | |
| Meatballs | $3.99/lb | $3.82/lb | Walmart | |
| Pantry / Dry Goods | Tortilla chips | $0.10/oz | $0.157/oz | Costco |
| Chocolate chips | $0.16/oz | $0.28/oz | Costco | |
| Vanilla | $9.59 / 16 oz | $43.72 / 16 oz | Costco | |
| Walnuts | $0.26/oz | $0.62/oz | Costco | |
| Olive oil | $0.19/oz | $0.33/oz | Costco | |
| Canola oil | $0.07/oz | $0.083/oz | Costco | |
| Flour | $0.33/lb for 50 lb | $0.43/lb (25 lb) | Costco | |
| Brown sugar | $1.33/lb | $0.99/lb | Walmart | |
| White sugar | $0.65/lb | $0.74/lb | Costco | |
| Oats | $0.05/oz | $0.10/oz | Costco | |
| Taco seasoning | $0.32/oz | $0.47/oz | Costco | |
| Cinnamon | $0.46/oz | $0.55/oz | Costco | |
| Canned tuna | $0.22/oz | $0.19/oz | Walmart | |
| Canned chicken breast | $0.13/oz | $0.20/oz | Costco | |
| Canned green beans | $0.99 / 14.5 oz | $0.82 / 14.5 oz | Walmart | |
| Canned diced tomatoes | $1.18 / 14.5 oz | $0.96 / 14.5 oz | Walmart | |
| Parmesan cheese | $0.40/oz | $0.39/oz | Walmart | |
| Pepperoni | $0.34/oz | $0.48/oz | Costco | |
| Microwave popcorn | $0.44/bag (~$0.14/oz) | $0.17/oz | Costco | |
| Peanut butter | $0.11/oz (Jif) | $0.10/oz (Great Value); $0.17/oz (Jif) | Walmart* | |
| Honey Bunches of Oats cereal | $0.11/oz on sale | $0.15/oz Walmart brand | Costco | |
| Honey | $0.16/oz | $0.22–$0.30/oz | Costco | |
| Fruit & veggie pouches | $0.41 each | $0.57 each | Costco | |
| Hawaiian rolls | $0.20 each | $0.25 each (Great Value); $0.33 name brand | Costco | |
| Hot dog buns | $0.20 each | $0.185 each Walmart brand | Walmart | |
| Nature’s Own honey wheat bread | $0.13/oz (name brand) | $0.10/oz (Great Value); $0.17/oz name brand | Walmart* | |
| Vitamin C | $10 / 500 ct. ($0.02 each) | $7.94 / 200 ct. ($0.04 each) | Costco |
*For these items, the winner depends on if you prefer name brand or are ok with buying the store brand.
So, a few takeaways:
Costco was cheaper on roughly 2 out of every 3 items we compared.
I was surprised by this. I honestly expected Walmart to be cheaper on more items!
Costco’s biggest wins were REALLY big, while Walmart’s weren’t as dramatic.
Some of the best Costco deals out of the 50 grocery items I compared were:
- Vanilla
- Raspberries
- Walnuts
- Chocolate chips
- Olive oil
- Lunch meat
- Canned chicken
While Walmart did have better prices about a third of the time, the savings weren’t as impressive.
Will Costco save YOU money? You have to know what you buy regularly.
Will you save money with a Costco membership? That really depends on the foods your family buys regularly. As I’ve shown you, Costco does have quite a good many groceries priced cheaper than Walmart, but definitely not everything, so how much you’ll save (if any) totally depends on what you’ll be buying.
Keep in mind too that prices definitely vary by location and they change over time, so my Costco vs. Walmart comparison list may not be accurate for your area or prices may change by the time you read this.
I’d love to know your experience. Is Costco or Walmart cheaper for you? Are there certain things you always buy at one store because they’re cheaper? Let me know in the comments!
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