Oct 6, 2020

Costco or Walmart? 7 Facts You Didn't Know

Costco and Walmart are well known to us as two stores with very competitive prices for everyday products. One always wonders which of the two offers more discounts and more deals. In our research we give you some interesting facts.


We want to save anytime. Costco and Walmart offer ways to save money. To be able to tell where the discounts are more advantageous, you have to take a short walk in each between the two stores.

Walmart is known for its dynamic pricing as well as its price adjustment policy. But with these, there are quite a few products that are more expensive at Walmart.

The only way to compare prices at home is to compare prices per unit, because quantities may be different in the two stores. We also want to compare products that are very similar or completely identical.

Milk


Natrel 2% milk is medium expensive at Costco. The difference is $ 0.10. This difference is most visible with Natrel 2% Organic, which can range between $ 0.30-0.35.

Costco wins.

Eggs


A dozen eggs (large, white) sell for less than $ 2 at Walmart. The same type of eggs comes back to you for $ 2.40 per dozen at Costco.

Walmart wins.


Cheese


Cheeses like cheddar or mozzarella are cheaper per 100g at Costco. The difference is between $ 0.30-0.43.

Costco wins.

Here are the prices on some meats and a few other products at Costco and Walmart in 2020:

PRODUCT
COSTCO
WALMART
DIFFERENCE
Trout fillet 17.59 $/kg25.29 $/kg7.70 $/kg
Salmon fillet21.99 $/kg23.98 $/kg1.99 $/kg
Chicken: thigh without skin12.99 $/kg13.16 $/kg0.87 $/kg
Chicken - drumsticks4.99 $/kg8.31 $/kg3.32 $/kg
Chicken - wings9.49 $/kg10.96 $/kg2.97 $/kg
Pork - loin ribs6.99 $/kg13.16 $/kg6.17 $/kg
Pork - fillets9.29 $/kg14.26 $/kg4.97 $/kg
Pork - back ribs8.69 $/kg14.26 $/kg5.57 $/kg
Lean ground pork4.99 $/kg4.00 $/kg-0.99 $/kg
Lean ground beef6.99 $ /kg (AAA)4.50 $/lb-2.91 $/kg
Large eggs5.99 $ pour 305.97 $ pour 30-0.03 $ pour 30
Basmati rice17.99 $ /5 kg16.97 $/5 kg-1.02 $ / 5 kg
Jasmine rice14.99 $ /8 kg10.98 $ /8 kg-4.01 $ / 8 kg
Chicken broth9.99 $ / 6x 946 ml (bio)1.27 $/900 ml0.03 $/ 100 ml
Beef broth11.99 $ / 6x1 l (bio)1.27 $/900 ml0.06 $/ 100 ml
Hellman's Mayonnaise7.49 $ / 1.8 l6.88 $/1.42 litres0.07 $/100 ml
All-purpose flour7.99 $ /10 kg13.97 $ /10 kg5.98 $/10 kg
Refined sugar3.89 $/ 4 kg5.42 $/4 kg1.53 $/4 kg

Costco wins for meats, eggs, flour, sugar, but not for rice.

Therefore, we answer a few questions that you probably have when you compare Costco to Walmart:

Is Costco cheaper than Walmart?


It has been shown that the two stores are very competitive in terms of their prices. You have to compare the two by comparing their prices per measure unit because the quantities may be different.

What's the difference between Costco and Walmart?


The main difference is that Costco requires a membership card in order to shop in its stores. See how to choose the right Costco card. In some cases your Costco card may give you cashback rewards.

Costco offers products that are sold in larger quantities than elsewhere. In addition, Costco offers quite a few products under its Kirkland brand.

Walmart does not require a membership card. But Walmart has already tried to replicate Costco's model. Sam’s Club which is owned by Walmart is very successful in the United States. There were 6 Sam’s Club stores in Canada. But unfortunately, Walmart decided to close the stores in 2009.

Does Costco belong to Walmart?


No, Costco is an independent company that is not affiliated with Walmart. Walmart's Sam’s Club uses the Costco model, but it is still second to Costco.

Who's bigger: Costco or Walmart?


In 2020, Costco remains inferior to Walmart in terms of its income. Finances say Walmart is 3 times the size of Costco. Many believe this is a boon for Costco, which can grow and open new stores faster than Walmart.

Who owns Costco?


Costco was founded by James Sinegal and Jeffery Brotman in 1983 in Seattle. Currently, the company's main office is in Issaquah, Washington, US. The main office in Canada is located in Ottawa.

Is it worth buying the Costco membership card?


Yes, having access to Costco's discounts and low prices is very beneficial if you are not far from one of their stores. On the other hand, going more than 50 km is not a good option.

The question is always which Costco card to choose. It all depends on how much you buy at Costco and how often you visit that store.

What is Kirkland?


Kirkland is Costco's in-house brand.

Is Kirkland a good brand?


The Kirkland brand offers a wide range of products. As Costco does not produce these products and they are sourced from a number of authorized partners, the quality of Kirkland products may vary. We explain here which of the Kirkland products are the most interesting.

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