Costco has lower prices, but Sam's Club has a cheaper membership fee — here's how the two warehouse clubs stack up

Mary MeisenzahlMay 28, 2022, 19:43 IST

Getty Images

I compared prices of 25 items at Costco and Sam's Club.
Costco has lower prices for produce and dairy, but Sam's Club comes out ahead with some pantry and plant-based items.

Costco and Sam's Club are both warehouse-style stores where customers can purchase memberships to access bulk products at discounted prices.

Charles Krupa/AP Images

With inflation reaching a 40-year high, grocery shoppers are trying to find the best deals, so I compared the two stores in Western New York to find which has the best deals.

A shopper carries her groceries to her car in plastic bags after shopping at a grocery store in San Diego, September 2014.Mike Blake/Reuters

With inflation reaching a 40-year high, grocery shoppers are trying to find the best deals, so I compared the two stores in Western New York to find which has the best deals.

Chicken breasts and thighs are both priced lower per pound at Sam's Club.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Not all meat is cheaper at Sam's Club. Ground beef was 19 cents more expensive per pound at the Walmart-owned chain.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

However, both chains sell rotisserie chickens for $5.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Costco had a far lower price on eggs — $1.78 per dozen, versus $2.59 at Sam's Club, for a savings of nearly a dollar per dozen.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Almond milk is more affordable at Sam's Club by 30 cents per quart, which could be a significant difference for dedicated plant milk drinkers.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

For dairy milk, the opposite is true. Shoppers will find 2% milk is about ten cents more expensive per quart at Sam's Club, for about a 40 cent difference per gallon.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

For dairy milk, the opposite is true. Shoppers will find 2% milk is about ten cents more expensive per quart at Sam's Club, for about a 40 cent difference per gallon.

Cheerios are just slightly less expensive at Costco by 15 cents per pound.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Mac and cheese was significantly less expensive at Costco ...

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

... but plain pasta is a better buy at Sam's Club.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Peanut butter is 22 cents per pound less expensive at Sam's Club.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Olive oil is nearly a dollar per quart cheaper at Sam's Club.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Other pantry staples are cheaper at Costco, like canned corn, which is 12 cents less expensive per pound at Costco.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

The same was true of chickpeas, canned soups, and spices.

Mary Meisenzah/Insider

Potatoes and onions were both cheaper per pound at Costco, too.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Grapes were 50 cents per pound pricier at Sam's Club.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

As for condiments, ketchup is about 10 cents cheaper per pound at Costco, and ranch dressing is nearly exactly the same at both stores.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Sam's Club offers memberships at two tiers: $45 a year for Club level, and $100 a year for Plus.

Sam's Club membership card.Zhang Peng/LightRocket via Getty Images

Costco also has two levels, each more expensive than Sam's Club's. Costco's Gold Star membership is $60 a year, and the Executive Level is $120 per year.

Shutterstock

They offer similar benefits, like discounted gas, access to pharmacy services, travel, and more.

Getty/Kevork Djansezian

Out of the 25 items compared by Insider, Costco had a lower price on slightly more of them.

Mary Meisenzah/Insider

It's not easy to declare a winner, because prices are so close on nearly every item, and Sam's Club has slightly lower membership costs.

Costco warehouse shopping aisle shown in CaliforniaThomson Reuters

To break it down by category, Costco generally has better prices for produce and dairy.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Sam's Club is a bit better prices on plant-based items, and meat and pantry items are split between the two.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Prices at both stores are generally lower than non-membership grocery stores, according to previous price checks by Insider.

Joe Raedle/Getty

Do you have a story to share about a retail or restaurant chain? Email this reporter at mmeisenzahl@businessinsider.com.

I tried ordering pizza with my mind on the new Domino's 'Stranger Things' app. Despite some glitches, it worked and was really fun.

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

Costco has lower prices, but Sam's Club has a cheaper membership fee &mdash; here's how the two warehouse clubs stack up

Costco and Sam's Club are both warehouse-style stores where customers can purchase memberships to access bulk products at discounted prices.

With inflation reaching a 40-year high, grocery shoppers are trying to find the best deals, so I compared the two stores in Western New York to find which has the best deals.

Chicken breasts and thighs are both priced lower per pound at Sam's Club.

Not all meat is cheaper at Sam's Club. Ground beef was 19 cents more expensive per pound at the Walmart-owned chain.

However, both chains sell rotisserie chickens for $5.

Costco had a far lower price on eggs — $1.78 per dozen, versus $2.59 at Sam's Club, for a savings of nearly a dollar per dozen.

Almond milk is more affordable at Sam's Club by 30 cents per quart, which could be a significant difference for dedicated plant milk drinkers.

For dairy milk, the opposite is true. Shoppers will find 2% milk is about ten cents more expensive per quart at Sam's Club, for about a 40 cent difference per gallon.

Cheerios are just slightly less expensive at Costco by 15 cents per pound.

Mac and cheese was significantly less expensive at Costco ...

... but plain pasta is a better buy at Sam's Club.

Peanut butter is 22 cents per pound less expensive at Sam's Club.

Olive oil is nearly a dollar per quart cheaper at Sam's Club.

Other pantry staples are cheaper at Costco, like canned corn, which is 12 cents less expensive per pound at Costco.

The same was true of chickpeas, canned soups, and spices.

Potatoes and onions were both cheaper per pound at Costco, too.

Grapes were 50 cents per pound pricier at Sam's Club.

As for condiments, ketchup is about 10 cents cheaper per pound at Costco, and ranch dressing is nearly exactly the same at both stores.

Sam's Club offers memberships at two tiers: $45 a year for Club level, and $100 a year for Plus.

Costco also has two levels, each more expensive than Sam's Club's. Costco's Gold Star membership is $60 a year, and the Executive Level is $120 per year.

They offer similar benefits, like discounted gas, access to pharmacy services, travel, and more.

Out of the 25 items compared by Insider, Costco had a lower price on slightly more of them.

It's not easy to declare a winner, because prices are so close on nearly every item, and Sam's Club has slightly lower membership costs.

To break it down by category, Costco generally has better prices for produce and dairy.

Sam's Club is a bit better prices on plant-based items, and meat and pantry items are split between the two.

Prices at both stores are generally lower than non-membership grocery stores, according to previous price checks by Insider.

Costco has lower prices, but Sam's Club has a cheaper membership fee — here's how the two warehouse clubs stack up