Costco or Walmart: where it is more profitable to buy essential goods

Costco and Walmart are popular chain stores whose prices on everyday items compete with each other. We figure out where it is most profitable to buy products and goods that are constantly needed.

Photo: Vector, ForumDaily collage

Correspondent Money I went on a quest to find out which supermarket chain offers the best prices for everyday goods when they are not covered by promotions and discounts.

The large quantities you buy at Costco may give the illusion of being a good investment, but that's not always the case. And Walmart is famous for its discounted prices compared to its competitors, with some items costing more than Costco. The only way to determine which store is cheaper is to compare the unit price, which we will do (prices may vary by location).

1. Milk

Costco sells 2 gallons of vitamin D milk for $7,5—about $5,99 per gallon.

When I studied prices in the middle of the month, Walmart offered a gallon of milk (3,7 l) for a 3,16 dollar.

• Winner: Costco

2. Eggs

Planning a weekend brunch? Walmart sells 3 dozen large AA eggs for $3,47 - one dozen costs $1,15.

Costco sells 5 dozen large eggs for $8,79, which means each would cost $1,76, which is 61 cents more per dozen than Walmart.

• Winner: Walmart

3. Cheese

For this review, we compared three types of cheese: grated cheddar, grated mozzarella and pigtail cheese.

At Costco, private label cheddar is 16 cents per ounce (28 g), braids are 16,7 cents per piece, and mozzarella is 15 cents per ounce.

Walmart sells branded grated cheddar and mozzarella cheeses for 26,4 cents per ounce and pigtail cheese for 29,2 cents per ounce (one piece).

That's a big difference: Costco sells all grades for half the price compared to Walmart.

• Winner: Costco

On the subject: 13 lifehacks for shopping at Costco, about which experienced buyers are silent

4. Paper plates

Walmart offers 8,5-inch (21-centimeter) Dixie paper plates at 5 cents per plate, and Costco asks for a plate of the same brand and size asks for 6,5 cents.

If you buy a pack of 200 plates, the difference in the amount will be 3 dollars.

• Winner: Walmart

5. Toilet paper

It may seem surprising, but Charmin Ultra Soft toilet paper costs a whopping 74,9 cents per roll at Costco, while at Walmart it costs just 15,3 cents per roll. This is a big difference for a product that is so frequently purchased.

• Winner: Walmart

Фото: Depositphotos

6. Face wipes

Summer colds are not such a rare occurrence. Luckily, Costco offers Kleenex napkins for less than 1 cent per napkin (0,8 cents per piece to be exact). Walmart charges 1 cents for the same brand of tissue.

Summing up the cost based on the middle box (160 napkins), you can call this a Costco victory.

Costco: 160 napkins x 0,08 = 1,28 dollars per box. Walmart: 160 wipes x 0,014 = 2,24 dollars per box.

Buy Kleenex at Costco for cheaper on 96 cents per box. We used a medium-sized box, but the store sells and packs on 330 napkins, it will be even more profitable.

• Winner: Costco

7. Sanitary napkin

Despite the fact that Costco doesn’t sell so many types of sanitary pads, Always Ultra Thin costs 14 cents per pack, while Walmart offers the same product at 20 cents per pack.

• Winner: Costco

8. Detergent

We compared prices for Arm & Hammer Laundry Detergents in both stores. Costco sells the brand for 4,4 cents per serving per load, while Walmart offers detergent for 4,6 cents per serving.

This is a slight difference in price, so friendship won (by the way, Walmart actually sells a container for 255 ounces (6,3 kg), which is more than that of Costco).

• Winner: Draw

On the subject: Consequences of the US-China trade war: prices will rise at Costco

Фото: Depositphotos

9. Pop tarts

Walmart offers strawberry Pop-Tarts for 11,4 cents per package, while Costco sells them for 25,9 cents per package, nearly three times as expensive.

• Winner: Walmart

10. Mayonnaise

Costco offers a can of mayonnaise of its own brand on 64 ounces (1,8 kg) for 10,9 cent per ounce, while the Walmart price is 11,2 cent.

• Winner: Costco (per cent)

11. Mouthwash

Listerine mouthwash costs 11,8 cents per ounce at Costco and 14,8 cents per ounce at Walmart.

• Winner: Costco

And the winner in most positions was Costco!

The store offers lower 6 prices from the 11 products studied (not counting a draw).

Comparing unit prices is one way to ensure your shopping experience is a good deal. However, keep in mind that Costco does charge a commission on purchases. If you're not a Costco member, slightly different items in price may cost you less at Walmart.

Read also on ForumDaily:

13 lifehacks for shopping at Costco, about which experienced buyers are silent

5 secrets of profitable shopping at Costco

6 Secret Costco Membership Privileges Many Do Not Know About

Walmart's 16 secrets to help you save

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