News & Trending Shopping & Deals News

The 12 Best Costcos in Arizona, According to Locals

See if your favorite Costco in Arizona is hot or not.

costco wholesale store outside during day
Updated Sept. 24, 2024
Fact checked

We receive compensation from the products and services mentioned in this story, but the opinions are the author's own. Compensation may impact where offers appear. We have not included all available products or offers. Learn more about how we make money and our editorial policies.

Costco has plenty of fans out west, including in Arizona. Residents of the state enjoy the store’s bulk items and rotisserie chicken to take home for dinner or add to their latest recipes.

Finance Buzz surveyed more than 6,000 Costco shoppers across the U.S. to find out how they rated their local stores on cleanliness, friendliness, stock availability, quality of samples, quantity of samples, and parking on a scale of 1-10.

The survey included 12 of the 20 Arizona Costco locations. So, which Costco is the best place to save money on groceries in Arizona? Keep reading to find out.

Earn 2% cash rewards at grocery stores and Costco

The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card(Rates and fees) is a powerful rewards card that allows you to earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases — including on groceries, even at warehouse stores like Costco.

New cardholders can also earn a one-time cash rewards bonus — $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months!

If you’re looking for a powerful rewards card that offers an extended intro APR period, look no further, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card checks that box too!

This card also offers an intro APR of 0% for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (then 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% Variable). Which is great for someone who wants a break from high interest rates, while still earning rewards.

The best part? There's no annual fee.

Click here to apply for the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card now.

Tucson (East Tucson Marketplace Boulevard)

MichaelVi/Adobe costco wholesale sign

The Costco location on East Tucson Marketplace Boulevard earned the lowest ratings in several categories, which landed it at the worst spot among the 12 Costcos surveyed.

The store ranked lowest for friendliness, stock, quality of samples, and parking.

Tucson (West Costco Drive)

Tada Images/Adobe costco store in irvine

The Tuscon location on West Costco Drive didn’t fare much better, with the lowest scores for cleanliness and stock dragging down the store’s overall score. It also had the second-lowest score for parking.

“It's always so busy there and never enough parking,” one reviewer said.

Phoenix

jetcityimage/Adobe costco wholesale location

The Costco location on East Cactus Road earned the second-highest score for cleanliness and the third-highest score for friendliness.

However, samples in Paradise Valley were not paradise, with the location getting by far the lowest score for its sample quantity, a 6.3 rating.

Stop overpaying when you shop online at Costco

Shopping online has its perks. It's super convenient, but it can be time consuming to find the best deals. Instead of hunting for coupon codes (that don't always work!) and opening tons of browser tabs comparing prices, you can try Capital One Shopping.

Capital One Shopping makes saving money effortless. Just add the browser extension and when you check out, it'll scour the internet for coupon codes to help you save cash. And before you check out at 25+ major retailers, Capital One Shopping will notify you with a friendly pop-up if the item you're buying is available cheaper somewhere else.

Capital One Shopping is free to use and won't show you ads. Add it today and stop overpaying!1

Get Capital One Shopping now

Scottsdale

IanDewarPhotography/Adobe redmond washington state costco store

Scottdale’s Costco location did OK in the Finance Buzz ratings, but lower scores on some topics pulled its overall score down.

The location didn’t rank well for its quality and quantity of samples, and parking, landing in the bottom five for all three categories.

Surprise

mandritoiu/Adobe fresh produce cold room in a Costco store

Surprise had some good and bad things show up in the Finance Buzz survey.

The location’s 8.8 was one of the higher ratings for cleanliness, but lower scores for quality and quantity of samples pulled its overall score down.

Glendale

Sundry Photography/Adobe san francisco bay area costco store

Glendale did average overall in the Finance Buzz survey, even though it tied with one of the Tucson locations for the least clean Costco among the Arizona locations surveyed.

The store also sunk in the rankings with the second-lowest score for friendliness.

Gilbert

Cris C./Adobe costco madrid

The Costco location on North Arizona Avenue in Gilbert earned the second-best score for cleanliness with a 9.1 rating but got bogged down with lower scores for its quantity of samples and stock.

“Inventory on everyday items is out of stock,” said one customer.

Mesa

wolterke/Adobe costco wholesale store logo outside store

Mesa is the top-ranked location of those surveyed in Arizona when it comes to being well-stocked, with the store earning an 8.9 rating.

Several reviewers noted the store’s stocked shelves as a reason they enjoy shopping there. “The place is always well-stocked,” one reviewer said.

Gilbert

Alfonsodetomas/Adobe Costco store

Another location surveyed in Gilbert was the Costco on South Market Street, which did much better in the Finance Buzz survey.

The store earned a 9.1 rating for cleanliness, which tied for the second-highest rating among the Arizona stores surveyed. It also earned the second-highest rating for friendliness.

One customer noted, "It’s always adequately staffed with friendly and helpful associates.”

Get a protection plan on all your appliances

Did you know if your air conditioner stops working, your homeowner’s insurance won’t cover it? Same with plumbing, electrical issues, appliances, and more.

Whether or not you’re a new homeowner, a home warranty from Choice Home Warranty could pick up the slack where insurance falls short and protect you against surprise expenses. If a covered system in your home breaks, you can call their hotline 24/7 to get it repaired.

For a limited time, you can get your first month free with a Single Payment home warranty plan.

Get a free quote

Prescott

JHVEPhoto/Adobe Costco store in Markham

Head to Prescott if you want to shop at a clean and friendly Costco.

The location was the top-rated store in the Finance Buzz survey for cleanliness and friendliness. It may have done even better in the overall survey if not for its third-lowest score for parking.

Cave Creek

Eduardo Barraza/Adobe costco wholesale store building in mesa

The Cave Creek Costco tied for the worst rating for stock, with a rating of 8.2. But the store also garnered the best score for the sample quantity, which helped pull it higher.

You’ll also want to shop at Cave Creek if you like ample parking, as it picked up the top spot for its parking lot.

It was the only store surveyed in Arizona to get an 8-plus rating for its parking situation, with a score of 8.3.

Phoenix

IlzeLuceroPhoto/Adobe costco store front with palettes

Check out the North 27th Avenue location of Costco in Phoenix if you want to experience the best store of the 12 Costco locations surveyed by Finance Buzz.

The location earned one of the best scores for friendliness. It also earned the best score for the quality of samples with an 8.7 rating and the second-best rating for the quantity of samples with a 7.9.

One customer noted they “love the free samples so you can try before you buy.”

Bottom line

Kevin Brine/Adobe costco wholesale corporation

Costco can be a great option if you’re trying to save money by buying in bulk, but a Costco run can be pricier than your typical trip to a grocery store.

Check your wallet for the best cash back credit cards when you head to Costco so you can save more while shopping.

It’s also a good idea to take a shopping list and stick with it if you’re worried about staying within your budget the next time you visit Costco.

Lucrative, Flat-Rate Cash Rewards

5.0
info

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Current Offer

$200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks
Card Details