21 Items That Are Always Cheaper at Costco
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shaunl / Getty Images

In This Article:

Chase Brock / GOBankingRates
Chase Brock / GOBankingRates

Organic Maple Syrup

  • Costco price: 37 cents an ounce

  • Walmart price: 85 cents an ounce

It takes a mature tree an entire season to produce just a gallon of maple syrup, which is why it's one of the more expensive grocery items. There are cheaper alternatives, but they contain artificial flavors and high fructose corn syrup. And when it comes to the rich, sweet maple flavor, there's nothing like the real thing.

Many brands sell maple syrup at a premium, but a higher price doesn't always mean better quality. A 33.8-ounce jug of Costco's Kirkland Signature organic maple syrup runs you $12 compared to $27.47 for 32 ounces of NOW brand at Walmart.

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Tim Boyle / Getty Images
Tim Boyle / Getty Images

Rotisserie Chicken

  • Costco price: $4.99 per whole chicken

  • Boston Market price: $8.49 per half chicken, plus two sides

Cooked rotisserie chicken makes for a quick and easy hot dinner in a pinch, but there's a price to pay for the convenience -- unless you're shopping at Costco. Members can pick up a fully cooked, hot and ready-to-serve chicken for just $4.99. Compare that price to Boston Market, where you can get just half a chicken with two sides for twice the price.

Costco sold an astonishing 101 million of its famous rotisserie chickens with the never-changing price tags in 2020 alone. That's 300,000 chickens a day.

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Rob Hainer / Shutterstock.com
Rob Hainer / Shutterstock.com

Nutella

  • Costco price: 20 cents an ounce

  • Amazon price: 27 cents an ounce

This Italian chocolate-hazelnut spread was born out of a chocolate scarcity during World War II and is now available for consumption in at least 160 countries.

Thank goodness Costco started carrying this sweet treat at a great price. The retailer sells two giant 33.5-ounce jars of Nutella for just $13.49.

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ozgurcoskun / Getty Images/iStockphoto
ozgurcoskun / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Macaroni and Cheese

  • Costco price: 89 cents per box

  • Walmart price: $1.07 per box

Mac and cheese has been a go-to, no-fuss, on-the-fly dinner for decades in America -- and another bonus is that it's cheap. "Cheap," however, is a relative term. At Costco, an 18-pack of 7.25-ounce boxes of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese will run you $15.99. At Walmart, the same 18-pack is $19.30.

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Teepakarn Khamwaen / Shutterstock.com
Teepakarn Khamwaen / Shutterstock.com

Spices

  • Costco price: 26 cents an ounce for steak seasoning

  • Walmart price: 33 cents an ounce for steak seasoning

At Costco, McCormick Grill Mates Montreal steak seasoning costs $7.49 for a 29-ounce jar compared to $9.63 for the exact same weight of the exact same stuff in the exact same jar at Walmart.