18 Costco tips – is it worth it?

Tricks including fuel savings and how you might qualify without realising

10 December 2024

It's one of the UK's most coveted private members' clubs for those with the right credentials. No, it's not Soho House, we're talking... Costco. But is it worth the hype? We've got 18 tips, from secret ways you may qualify without realising to how petrol savings alone can pay for the membership.

We also put Costco to the test, pitting it against the supermarkets and spot-checking prices for both your Christmas shop and everyday groceries.

This is the first iteration of this guide. If you've Costco tips to share or products you rate, please let us know.

How Costco works

Costco has 29 of its massive no-frills warehouses across the UK (though currently none in Northern Ireland). Use its store finder to locate yours. Many members are trade customers, buying in bulk for restaurants and other businesses.

Costco works a little differently to other stores...

It's all about buying in bulk. Most items come in supersized, non-standard sizes. The idea is it's cheaper, but not everything is – see our research below.
You need to pay for membership. It's usually £33.60/year, so before you join, do the maths and work out if you're likely to save more than this initial outlay.
Only certain groups of people are eligible. It's usually related to your line of work. We've a full list below.

Who is this good for?

This is great for larger households who buy in bulk, or those catering for big parties and barbecues. You'll also need space to store things and most likely a car to drive your purchases home in.

Not everyone will save though. Costco often doesn't beat supermarket own-brand prices or those at Aldi and Lidl.

We found that Costco is very competitive on brands, so could be a winner for die-hand fans of big-name products. For example, we saw a giant block of 1kg Parmareggio cheese for £15.99, which would have cost £42 at Ocado.

Plus if you live near a warehouse and cover a lot of miles, you could also save £100+ on petrol costs.

Need some inspiration?

While not everything's a bargain and you do need to be selective, many MoneySavers are Costco fans:

Definitely worth it. Bulk buying and freezing food into portions. The saving you can make on things like toilet rolls is brilliant. Just don't get sucked into impulse buying.

Helen via Facebook

We buy diesel, washing pods, foil, cling film, Red Bull, Pepsi Max, toilet roll, marigold gloves, bleach, Comfort, Anchor butter, chicken breasts, Christmas wrapping paper, bakery items, beetroot. I love Costco!

Pauline via Facebook

Pepsi, birthday cakes are fantastic quality and value. Butter, water, marmite, cheese as long as you know you are going to use it. Petrol is very cheap. Meat isn't the cheapest, but it's really good quality.

James via Facebook

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18 ways to max your Costco trip

Now without further ado, here are our tips to max your trip to the warehouse.

If your name's not down, you're not coming in – how to join
You can't just walk in and shop, you need to buy membership. In fact, membership fees are one of the main ways Costco makes money – it nets billions a year from these.

Membership is £33.60/year (trade membership is £26.40 if you can prove you run a business). This includes a card for a spouse/domestic partner.

You can sign up online or in-store, though if you sign up online, you'll still need to pop over to the membership counter with the relevant ID.

The list of qualifying sectors might be broader than you think. You can get in if you:

Own your own business. You need to provide evidence, such as a VAT registration certificate, business bank card or taxi driver licence. See a list of proof accepted.

Have an occupation on its list. These include local government, banking, medicine, education or the police. See a full list.

Are qualified in certain professions. For example, accountancy, dentistry, architecture or law. See a full list.

Your employer has signed up. Some firms set up access for workers. Costco doesn't provide a list, but it could be worth asking your HR department.

Anyone can sign up for an online-only membership, however we found online prices were less competitive than in store. There's more on online membership below.
Not eligible? The secret way some others can join

There's a little-known way you might be able to join if you don't fit into the categories above. AA, RAC and National Trust members are eligible to join at certain locations.

Sadly, this doesn't work at all stores, but we called all 29 UK Costcos and were told this worked at Birmingham, Sheffield and Cardiff. The catch is you can only shop at the location you joined at.

Costco's press office wouldn't give official confirmation, so it's worth calling ahead before making a special trip. Also see how to get AA and RAC cover for less.
We can't shout this loud enough... take a list

We always say taking a shopping list, but at Costco, this really is the number one rule – or you'll pop in for bog roll and come out with a canoe, a 6ft teddy bear and a crate of 30 Danish pastries. The stores don't tend to have signage, so you need the willpower of Lionel Messi not to get sidetracked.

So before you flash that membership card at the till, remember Martin's money mantras, as it's hard not to impulse buy:

The problem is that you can never buy just what you go in for. I went in for a cooked chicken at £4.78 and spent over £200! I love it and the individual apple crumbles are delicious.

Phil via Facebook

My husband calls it "Costco 200", as we always spend around £200 when we go, but we don't go too often.

Becky via Facebook
Always compare prices elsewhere

Don't get sucked into the hype. Just because something graces Costco's shelves, it doesn't automatically make it a good deal. Always do your own research first and check if you can get it cheaper elsewhere.

Before heading to the warehouse, it's worth downloading the Trolley.co.uk app to compare groceries on the go. Plus see our Cheap online shopping guide for everything else.

As Costco's sizes aren't standard, compare the cost per unit – some even take a calculator.
This won't beat own-brands or Aldi and Lidl – so take the downshift challenge

While our research found Costco's price was competitive on brands, it usually won't beat supermarket own-brands or Aldi and Lidl. And who says upmarket brands are best? The supermarkets flogging them, of course. So don't believe the hypnosis. The downshift challenge is to TRY dropping one brand level on everything you buy. Then see if you can tell the difference. See Supermarket shopping tips for more.

As an example, we found two Crosta & Mollica pepperoni pizzas were two for £7.49 at Costco (the next cheapest we found for the same brand was £10). However, two Tesco own-brand pepperoni pizzas came to just £3.30. Cheerios cereal was £4.99 for 1.2kg, whereas Morrisons honey loops worked out at £3 for the same amount.

Kleenex XL tissues were £7.54 for six boxes at Costco, but Aldi's Softly XL tissues were £6.54 for the same.

That said, if you're a die-hard brand fan and are buying them anyway, there can be some cracking deals.

Costco vs the supermarkets – which wins for brands?

Does supersizing your shopping really save? We wanted to put this to the test, pitting Costco against the supermarkets. To get an idea, we spot-checked sold prices for 30 items, from chutney to cheese and beer to batteries.

Our analysis shows Costco had some good deals, with branded items often cheaper than rival stores, though it's always worth doing your own comparison before you buy. On a random selection of 30 items across various departments, all but five were cheapest at Costco's warehouse. (Costco's products are often non-standard sizes, so in some cases we worked out the equivalent price for next cheapest, using cost per unit.)

As an example of the discount available, Kikkoman soy sauce (1.9l) cost £6.59 at Costco, but £13.78 for the equivalent amount at the next cheapest supermarket. Whispering Angel rose wine was £14.38 at Costco, but the next cheapest was £17.50 (if you had a Sainsbury's Nectar card). Geeta's mango and chilli chutney (1.5kg) was £2.97 at Costco – the next cheapest was £9.75.

Though of course, most of these are bulk sizes, so you will need space to store, plus you'll need to factor in the £33.60 membership fee.

Costco vs the supermarkets – which wins?

ITEM	COSTCO PRICE	NEXT CHEAPEST WE FOUND
Actimel multifruit yogurt drink (24)	£4.99	£7.50
Ajinomoto frozen chicken gyoza (1.4kg)	£9.99	£20.72
Bonne Maman choc mousse (8)	£4.99	£4.94
Cathedral City mature cheddar (700g)	£4.99	£3.85
Cheerios cereal (2 x 600g)	£4.99	£5.88
Coke Zero (30 x 330ml)	£8.38	£9.38
Crosta & Mollica pepperoni pizza (2)	£7.49	£10
Cushelle quilted toilet paper (32 rolls)	£20.98	£26.56
Flash lemon liquid (5l)	£8.38	£7.45
Geeta's mango & chilli chutney (1.5kg)	£2.97	£9.75
Gosh falafel (700g)	£4.99	£7.77
Gu lemon cheesecakes (6)	£6.99	£7.50
Harringtons complete turkey dog food (18kg)	£29.98	£39.60
Hellmann's mayonnaise (5l)	£16.49	£18
Kikkoman soy sauce (1.9l)	£6.59	£13.78
Kirkland AAA batteries (48)	£9.58	£12 (2)
Kleenex XL tissues (6 x boxes of 90)	£7.54	£9
La Chinata smoked paprika (350g)	£5.99	£10.26
Lavazza ground coffee (1kg)	£12.99	£17
Lurpak butter (500g)	£4.19	£4.25
Moretti beer (12 x 330ml bottles)	£13.18	£12 (3)
Nando's peri peri mayo (2 x 465g)	£4.99	£6
Oral-B Pro Expert toothpaste (6 x 125ml)	£14.38	£21
Parmareggio 30 mth cheese 1kg	£15.99	£42
Pip & Nut crunchy peanut butter (1kg)	£5.39	£5.75
Filippo Berio Olive Oil (5l)	£44.99	£60
Spoilt Pig bacon (720g)	£8.79	£12.74
Tampax Pearl Compak tampons (96)	£11.99	£13.44
Tilda basmati rice (12kg)	£23.99	£33.60
Whispering Angel rose wine (75cl)	£14.38	£17.50 (3)

Based on a random sample of 30 items in December 2024 (prices include VAT). (1) Test looked at the cheapest items elsewhere using Trolley.co.uk and Google Shopping. Costco's products are often non-standard sizes, so in some cases we worked out the equivalent price for the next cheapest, using cost per unit. (2) Kirkland is Costco's own brand, so we compared these to Asda's own-brand batteries. (3) To get this price, you needed a Sainsbury's Nectar card or Tesco Clubcard.

Is Costco worth it for your Christmas shopping?

Is Costco a winner for Christmas dinner? We headed to the warehouse to spot-check prices for festive faves, comparing 15 items against the next cheapest, from pig-in-blankets to smoked salmon. We also added a few presents such as toys and perfume.

Costco won for 10 out of 14 products. From chocs to fizz, it seems the warehouse often beats supermarket prices.

As an example of the discounts available, Lanson Black Label Brut Champagne (75cl) was £22.78 at Costco. The cheapest elsewhere was £30. Guylian chocolate seashells (1kg) were £14.38 – the next cheapest was £18.

Not everything at Costco was a bargain. Vera Wang Princess perfume (100ml) was £17.98, but we found it elsewhere for £14.50.

Some caveats – you do need to pay a £33.60 membership fee to grab these prices. Of course, bear in mind items can come in jumbo sizes, so consider how much you can actually chomp through. These are warehouse prices – we found items are usually pricier on Costco's site.

Finally, while Costco is often strong on big-name brands – you can usually save even more by downshifting to supermarket own-brands.

If you want to see the full set of results, here's what our spot-check found:

Costco vs the supermarkets for festive faves – which wins?

ITEM	COSTCO PRICE	NEXT CHEAPEST WE FOUND (1)
Albert Bartlett Rooster potatoes (5kg)	£4.99	£5.60
Long Clawson Barkestone Stilton (454g)	£4.99	£7.34
Chiostro di Saronno panettone (1kg)	£7.99	£13.60
Direct Table pigs in blankets (840g)	£9.49	£6.97 (2)
Gressingham turkey breast roast (2kg)	£19.98	£19
Guylian chocolate seashells (1kg)	£14.38	£18
Hallmark Christmas cards (40)	£11.96	£12.89
Imaginext Star Wars Vader Bot toy	£53.96	£59.99
Kirkland smoked salmon (680g)	£19.99	£25.50 (3)
Lanson Black Label Brut Champagne (75cl)	£22.78	£30
Lexibook Power Puppy toy	£29.98	£19.99
Tom Smith crackers with silver plated favours (8)	£27.58	£48.99
Villa Maria Reserve 2020 Pinot Noir (75cl)	£16.78	£24.05
Vera Wang Princess perfume (100ml)	£17.98	£14.50

Based on a random sample of 14 items in December 2024 (prices include VAT). (1) Test looked at the cheapest items elsewhere using Trolley.co.uk and Google Shopping. Costco's products are often non-standard sizes, so in some cases we worked out the equivalent price for the next cheapest, using cost per unit. (2) We could not find these sold elsewhere, so compared them to Aldi Let's Party pigs in blankets. (3) Kirkland is Costco's own brand, so we compared this to Sainsbury's Scottish Smoked Salmon.

Petrol savings can pay for the membership fee – though expect queues

One of the boons of membership is access to cheap fuel and this is one of the things MoneySavers rave about. The downside is the queues are often longer than Glasto.

Go to PetrolPrices.com, enter your postcode and tell it how far you're willing to travel (five, 10 or 25 miles). It'll list that day's cheapest petrol stations in your area, covering about 8,300 forecourts across the UK. (For more tricks to cut fuel costs and drive more efficiently, see Cheap petrol.)

A quick check showed Costo could save you some decent cash. For an Essex postcode, the price of unleaded within a five-mile radius ranged from the cheapest, Costco at 128.9p/litre, to a pricey 159.9p/litre. (Prices include VAT.)

For someone driving 15,000 miles a year, averaging 35 miles per gallon (12.4km per litre), just filling a tank at the average UK price would cost £2,662 annually as of December 2024. When we checked, buying at Costco would cost £2,511, saving £151 a year.

Of course, you'll pay a £33.60 membership fee to nab those prices. Plus factor in how far away your nearest Costco petrol station is (not every store has one). But if you clock up a lot of miles and live nearby, you could save big, as MoneySavers Andrew and Brett found:

Costco is worth it for the fuel alone. Probably saved me four times the cost of membership so far this year.

Andrew via Facebook

I try and fill up with fuel there as much as possible. Sometimes I save up to £10 a tank, definitely paid for the membership.

Brett via Facebook
Time it right to dodge petrol queues

Unsurprisingly, Costco's petrol stations are quieter before the warehouse itself opens. Check out your nearest on Google Maps and you should see a nifty bar chart showing the quietest times to visit. As an example, Costco's Liverpool petrol station is less popular before 9am and after 6pm, with weekends peak times at the pump.
Go easy on the perishables

Can you really eat 2kg of soured cream in two weeks? OK, don't answer that. But a bargain's not a bargain if it goes off before you can eat it, so don't buy lorry-loads of perishables.

Think store cupboard – so prioritise oats, tin foil, cat litter and frozen prawns over, say, pastries, berries and fresh meat.
Always factor in 20% VAT

Costco's headline prices famously don't include VAT, which it whacks on at the till (currently 20%, though most food is exempt). As you tot up your bill, do factor this in. The true price is usually in smaller writing at the bottom of the sign.
Grab a hot dog with unlimited soft drinks for £1.50

In what's probably a loss-leader to tempt you in, Costco's food court sells a hot dog with unlimited soft drink refills for £1.50. You can also grab pizza slices for £1.99 and jacket potatoes for £2.99. If you've little ones, this makes for great cheap lunch in the school hols.

Sodas come with unlimited refills (£1.19), so a pro tip is to grab a soft drink before you hit the aisles. That way you can fit in an extra refill after you've paid.

I go to Costco just for the day out and a hot dog.

Rachy via Facebook
Grab a weekly specials leaflet

When you arrive, head to the membership desk to pick up a leaflet with that week's offers, as it can highlight bargains. For example, we saw a Dyson V11 Extra stick vacuum for £299.98, including VAT. The next cheapest we found for that model was £349. As always, compare prices elsewhere – see Cheap online shopping for more.
Online-only membership is £15 a year

It won't get you access to the warehouse, but anyone can sign up to its online-only membership at £15. Yet we when checked, we found prices were usually a touch more expensive online than in store – unless there's a special deal on.

This could potentially be worth it if there was a huge one-off bargain. However, most of the best deals seem to be only available in warehouses and, of course, bargains abound on other sites that don't charge joining fees.
Get a refund if your product's cheaper within 30 days

Buy something at Costco, and if the price drops within 30 days, you can get a credit note for the difference. (It only matches Costco prices, not other stores'.)

Now normally we're not huge fans of price promises. In reality, they allow stores to charge what they like, knowing that they just have to reduce the price for the few shoppers who bother to check prices after making a purchase.

However, if you do spot your new 50-inch telly's £300 cheaper a few weeks later, this is worth knowing. You need to fill in a price adjustment request form.
Is it worth paying extra for Executive membership?

Costco's 'Executive membership' costs £74.40 a year (instead of the standard £33.60). With this, you get 2% of what you spend at Costco back as credit to use there (capped at £500/year). Generally, Executive membership only wins if you spend more than £2,050 a year. Some MoneySavers are fans though, like Sue:

Upgrading to executive membership is definitely worth it for me. Obviously it costs more, but you get 2% back on all purchases (excluding fuel), and so far my cashback has been for more than annual membership, making membership free.

Sue via Facebook
Have a samples lunch

Whether nuggets or noodles, sausages or sandwiches, it's always worth checking out the free sample stands. We've heard freebies are more plentiful at the weekend.

We go for 'Costco samples lunch'. If you hover around at the right time, you can fill you boots with hot chicken, ham, cheese and drinks.

Rachel via Facebook
What's hot and what's not at Costco – according to MoneySavers

Taste is subjective and we're money writers, not Mary Berry, so I am handing over to MoneySavers to tell you which Costco products they rate...

If you live near one it's worth it just for the birthday cakes – and I make cakes! £13 for a massive sheet cake that's personalised. We don't save masses but enjoy the experience.

Kimberley via Facebook

The meat is especially of good quality, we like to bulk buy it, portion it out and freeze it, and over time it works out cheaper for us than going to the supermarkets. Obviously depends on your personal circumstances. For us, it's honestly been a godsend.

Forumite Jlawson118

Toilet roll is a good price, raw chicken breast is great quality and cheap, frozen breaded chicken is good when on offer, sometimes cans of Pepsi are better than supermarkets. You need to check what is currently on offer at Tesco/Asda. Of course, fuel is almost always a great price at Costco.

Forumite jon81uk

Cheese, Lurpak and kitchen and toilet rolls are always on our Costco list. Their meat is always great quality too, we portion it and freeze it.

Kirstin via Facebook

Petrol's cheaper, tyres are cheaper, meat is fantastic quality, TVs great price and five-year warranty, clothes and shoes good value, coffee great price, cakes (especially celebration) so good and cheap.

Forumite martr

And some weren't so keen ...

Compared to Waitrose I'm sure Costco wins. I can buy almost everything cheaper at Aldi than Costco. In everything I compared carefully, Aldi cost the same or less. Had a membership. Didn't renew.

Russell via Facebook