These 5 Costco Finds Beat Supermarket Prices Every Time

Shopping at Costco can be a smart move for your personal finances. This warehouse retail club offers sizable discounts on big-ticket items like furniture, electronics, and even cars. But along with Costco "treasure hunts" and serious savings on major purchases, Costco gives big discounts on everyday grocery items.

Saving money on groceries is especially important during times of high inflation. In the past few years, from 2019-2023, food prices increased by 25%. Buying food in bulk and choosing Costco's private label Kirkland brand can help you cut your grocery bills while still enjoying delicious meals and premium products.

Let's look at a few top finds to see how much Costco can save you on groceries compared to a typical supermarket.

(Note: All prices listed are for online purchases as of Feb. 19, 2024; pricing will vary based on location. I compared prices of Costco Same-Day in Des Moines, Iowa with Hy-Vee, a major regional grocery retailer in the Midwest.)

1. Paper towels

Select-a-size paper towels are one of the most versatile, helpful household products. Whether you need to wipe up messes, clean the kitchen counter, or cover up a dinner plate for spatter-proof microwaving, being able to choose just the right amount of paper towel makes everyday life a little easier and neater.

Costco offers a massive bulk-volume discount on sturdy, absorbent, two-ply, select-a-size Kirkland brand paper towels. You can get 12 rolls of 160 sheets each (1,920 sheets), for $22.80 -- about $1.90 per roll or about $0.012 per sheet. A regional grocery chain in my area offers 12 rolls of brand-name paper towels, but you only get 90 sheets per roll (1,080 sheets) for $22.18, or about $0.021 per sheet. The same amount of paper towels at the supermarket would cost $39.43.

Costco savings vs. supermarket: $16.63

2. Organic ground beef

Whether you're making winter chili or gearing up for warm weather burgers on the grill, ground beef is a helpful ingredient for many meat-eaters' meals. Costco offers four pounds of Kirkland Signature Organic Ground Beef for just $23.27 (about $5.82 per pound).

My local regional supermarket sells its store-brand grass-fed organic ground beef for $10.49 per pound. That means the same amount of ground beef that I can get for $23.27 at Costco would cost $41.96 at my local regional supermarket.

Costco savings vs. supermarket: $18.69

3. Eggs (grade A, large)

During the sky-high times of food price inflation during 2021-2022, many people were horrified by the price of eggs. Although egg prices have come down significantly since their peak, saving money on eggs is always a good idea. Costco sells a big box of Grade A Large eggs (18 eggs) for $4.08 (about $0.23 per egg). The same size package of Grade A Large eggs at my local supermarket would cost $6.79 ($0.38 per egg).

Costco savings vs. supermarket: $2.71

4. Rotisserie chicken (cheaper than cooking your own)

Costco is famous for being a cheap place to eat, whether it's the $1.50 hotdog combo at the snack bar, or the $4.99 rotisserie chicken. You can order a Costco rotisserie chicken online and have it delivered to your home for $5.84 (plus delivery fees).

Not only is this chicken cheaper than a lot of fast food restaurant meals, but it's also cheaper than buying your own entire raw chicken and cooking it yourself. My local regional supermarket sells a whole raw chicken (all natural, cagefree, 4.40 pounds) for $12.19.

Costco savings: $6.35 (plus cooking time)

5. Bagged salad kits

Sometimes the best way to eat your five-a-day of fruits and vegetables is to buy a fresh bagged salad kit. Not everyone has the time, energy, and attention span necessary to keep track of an entire package of mixed greens or chop fresh salad ingredients every day.

Costco does the salad prep work for you with its bulky bags of salad. The Costco Organic Caesar Salad kit costs $10.52 for 24 ounces of chopped, bagged, leafy green goodness. My local supermarket sells a Dole Ultimate Caesar Salad Kit (non-organic) for $4.79 for an 8.9-ounce bag. That means the same amount of salad in Costco's big bags would cost $12.92 at the supermarket.

Costco savings: $2.40

Bottom line

If you bought all the groceries on this list, you'd save about $35.93 in a single shopping trip at Costco, compared to a typical supermarket. If you bought just these items once a month, you'd save $431 per year. Shopping at Costco is often a great way to save money on everyday grocery purchases, big ticket items, and even prescription drugs. Saving money on groceries, along with the other benefits of Costco membership, can be a big boost to your personal finances.