Is Walmart a Better Deal Than Costco? A Detailed Comparison

Costco and Walmart may not have the same shopping experience, but they both help you save money on groceries. How much? That depends on what you plan on buying.

Remember, Costco is primarily a bulk-shopping experience, whereas Walmart is not. For the products that follow, we’ll compare per-unit costs when the amounts per package vary by store.

Check out some of these products at both Costco and Walmart to see which will save you money.

Editor's note: We gathered prices from locations in Utah or South Carolina (depending on availability), the states whose grocery prices were closest to the national average in 2022. Prices are subject to change and may vary by location.

First, let’s compare Costco’s 24 Kirkland Signature Organic Eggs and Walmart’s 12 Marketside Organic Cage Free Large Brown Eggs.

Costco: $8.18 ($4.09 per dozen)

Walmart: $4.17

Winner: Costco wins this by 5 cents. This is a good example of why it’s important to compare per-unit costs instead of overall prices.

Now, we’ll compare Costco’s 45-count container of 1-ounce Goldfish cracker packs with Walmart’s 12-count container.

Costco: $14.99 (33 cents per pack)

Walmart: $6.68 (56 cents per pack)

Winner: Costco wins big on this one, saving you 23 cents per pack to keep your kids happy with a yummy on-the-go snack.

Costco carries a 30-pack of 2-ply Kirkland Signature Bath Tissue. Walmart carries a 30-pack of Great Value Ultra Strong Toilet Paper.

Costco: $23.39 (78 cents per roll)

Walmart: $29.68 (99 cents per roll)

Winner: Costco wins. In fact, the Kirkland Signature toilet paper includes more sheets per roll, with 380 to Great Value’s 286.

Now we’re comparing Huggies Plus Diapers in size 2. Both retailers sell a package of 192 diapers.

Costco: $44.99 (current sale until 1/21/24 $10.50 OFF bringing the total to $34.49)

Walmart: $58.98

Winner: Costco is clearly the winner here, regardless of the current discount offered by the wholesaler, which can be important for parents on a budget.

Both Costco and Walmart carry the second-generation Apple Watch SE (2nd Generation).

Costco: $239

Walmart: $249 listed price (currently on sale for $199 when purchased online)

Winner: Costco barely wins this one if you look at listed prices, but you may want to jump on that Walmart sale now. It might be a good idea to compare color availability and additional perks, like warranties, that both stores may offer.

Costco sells the BlendJet 2 Portable Blender in a two-pack while Walmart sells them individually. Costco sells 16-ounce units compared to Walmart’s 20-ounce units.

Costco: $79.99 ($40 per unit)

Walmart: $49.98

Winner: On a per-unit cost, Costco wins this one. But there are other factors to consider, such as the number of blenders you need and the size of the units.

Costco and Walmart’s in-house brands (Kirkland Signature and Great Value, respectively) both sell gallons of whole milk.

Costco: $4.32

Walmart: $2.96

Winner: Walmart wins by quite a lot when it comes to this refrigerator staple.

Both Walmart and Costco offer C&H; Pure Cane Sugar in a 10-pound bag.

Costco: $9.49

Walmart: $8.36

Winner: Walmart is the winner here. In either case, you may want to choose smaller packs of staples like sugar and flour if you use them sparingly.

Costco and Walmart both carry Tide Pods with Ultra Oxi HE Laundry Detergent Pods in a pack of 104 pods.

Costco: $29.99 (29 cents per pod)

Walmart: $45.99 (45 cents per pod)

Winner: Costco will save you money on Tide Pods, but note that Walmart has a larger variety of laundry detergents.

You can get a four-pound bag of Kirkland Signature Three-Berry Blend at Costco compared to a one-pound bag of Great Value Berry Medley at Walmart.

Costco: $17.54 ($4.39 per pound)

Walmart: $4.24

Winner: Walmart beats Costco on these berries. You may want to use them in smoothies.

You’ll find a four-pound bag of Honeycrisp apples at Costco and a three-pound bag of Honeycrisp apples at Walmart.

Costco: $9.70 ($2.43 per pound)

Walmart: $6.73 ($2.24 per pound)

Winner: Walmart is the winner here, but there are some additional factors you may want to consider. One store may have better produce than the other, and Costco’s four-pound bag may only be necessary for a large family.

Costco carries its in-store brand Kirkland Signature Adult Formula Chicken, Rice, and Vegetable Dog Food in a 40-pound bag. Walmart, on the other hand, offers Pure Balance Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food in a 30-pound bag.

Costco: $49.99 ($1.24 per pound)

Walmart: $41.68 ($1.39 per pound)

Winner: Costco has the advantage in this matchup, but Walmart has a larger variety of dog food.

Finally, let’s compare Prego Traditional Low Sodium Pasta Sauce. Costco sells 45-ounce jars in a three-count pack, and Walmart sells individual 23.5-ounce jars.

Costco: $9.99 (7 cents per ounce)

Walmart: $2.38 (10 cents per ounce)

Winner: In a great example of bulk savings, Costco comes out on top.

Shopping at Costco requires a membership, compared to no membership required at Walmart. Costco charges $60 for Gold Star members or $120 for Executive members.

Winner: Walmart is clearly the winner here, but it’s important to consider how much shopping in bulk can save you.

If you're trying to save money when shopping for essentials, make sure to compare per-unit costs when deciding between Costco or Walmart.

While you’ll have to read the fine print, remember to compare per-unit costs. Sometimes a Costco membership will save you much more cash, and other times it’s worth it to buy things individually at Walmart.