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Wondering what NOT to buy at Costco? We're sharing 7 items you should never buy at Costco to help you shop smart and save big on your grocery budget!
Wondering what NOT to buy at Costco?
First, let me start out by telling you that I really DO like shopping at Costco.Â
Don't believe me? Here's proof of what I LOVE to buy at Costco.Â
However, as I walk through Costco watching shopping carts loaded down with way too many way expensive items, it's all I can do to hold myself back before diving into a dissertation on how shoppers might just blindly be spending too much.
So, to keep myself from attacking an unsuspecting Costco shopper, I'll just go ahead and air out my frustrations right here.
(I might even just print this list off to politely hand to those poor Costco shoppers before they overspend. ‘Cause you know, I'm nothing but helpful.) 😉
If you love shopping Costco I totally understand, but really want you to know you're getting a good price before mindlessly purchasing everything on the shelves.Â
For whatever reason, there's something in every Costco store that just makes you want to buy BIG and buy A LOT while you walk up and down the aisles enjoying their free samples.
I'm determined to teach you what to buy at Costco, and what things you should just pass on by (because you really do have stellar self control.)Â
You can do this.
Okie dokie, here we go.
7 Things NOT to Buy at Costco:
 1. Cereal.
This is by far my biggest frustration when shopping Costco or Sam's Club. The prices on cereal at these stores is just high, and these items go on sale at least once a month (if not more frequently) at your local grocery store.
You'll pay 1/3 less just for clipping a coupon/digital offer, submitting for a cash back rebate (like Ibotta or Fetch Rewards), and waiting for a sale!
2. Kleenex
Kleenex in general has gone up in price but Costco is $21.49 for 12 packs which comes to $1.79 per box. Amazon sometimes has Kleenex for as low as $1 – $1.25 per boxÂ
Most stores Kleenex go on sale for $1.25 per box or the Dollar Tree has tissues for $1.25 a box as well.
3. Condiments
A lot of times you can snag condiments BOGO at Publix or Mega Sale prices at Kroger for a fraction of the price at Costco. For instance Heinz pictured above is 10¢ an ounce and right now at Publix is it 5¢ per ounce. Mostly all condiments go on sale at any store and sometimes you can combine coupon or rebate plus sale price which makes it a lot less than Costco.
4. Costco Ice Cream.
When I first visited Costco a few years back, they gave me a few freebies including 2 half gallons of Kirkland Super Premium Signature ice cream which regularly cost $12.99. Folks, to me that price just seems nuts (it was for their regular vanilla) and comes out to $.10 per ounce.
To compare, Kroger often sells their Deluxe Ice Cream 48 ounce containers as part of their Buy 5, save $1 promotion where they end up being just $1.99 when you buy five. That ends up being under $0.04 per ounce for deluxe ice cream! Plus, frozen treats frequently go on sale at your regular grocery store for less than the Costco price (especially during the summer!).
5. Kirkland Chicken Breast.
Everybody loves the Costco chicken in the rotisserie section, but be careful about the Costco frozen chicken breast! Right next to each other on the freezer aisle sit the Kirkland's brand boneless skinless chicken breast and the Perdue or Tyson brand (depending on where you live).Â
- Kirkland's Brand Boneless Chicken Breasts – $3.49/lb
My stock up price on boneless skinless chicken breast is around $1.99/lb, but I don't think the Perdue price is unreasonable with prices these days. However to pay almost $1.50/lb extra a pound for the Kirkland brand seems crazy to me! (As I write this Kroger has Heritage Farm Chicken Breasts for $1.77/lb).  **This price may vary depending on where you live and what the current market conditions are too – buyer beware!**
If you love Perdue chicken but don't have a Costco nearby, check out this online Perdue chicken breast deal – we love their chicken!
UPDATE: This is still an option if you'd like chicken sent directly to your home – however their prices do tend to vary a bit depending on what specials they're running!Â
6. Capri SunsÂ
Capri suns run $2.50-$3 per 10 pk at most stores on sale. Costco runs $3.44 per 10 pk.Â
7. Coke/Pepsi Products
Coke and Pepsi prices are so crazy high and are never on sale at Costco. On average Coke is 48¢ per can or Pepsi is 46¢ per can.
On average stores have sales as low as 30¢ – 35¢ per can at most stores and even less around holidays such as Labor Day, Memorial Day and any major holiday. We also list Coke and Pepsi on sale each week with a roundup of where to get the BEST deals!
Now here's the one thing that actually surprised me that you should pick up at Costco when you're there (if your kiddos eat them). I figured it was worth including so you all know I really do like Costco!
The small bags (6.6 ounce) of Pepperidge Farm Goldfish regularly go on sale for $1-$1.25 at many grocery stores, but there are hardly ever coupons on these. This comes out to as low as $.15 per ounce which is the exact same price Costco has them for everyday. And these often go on sale at Costco, so be sure to stock up when they do – you'll pay even less (just $.11/ounce)!
There you have it! Do you agree or disagree with this list? Let us know!
Debating a Costco Membership Deal?
If you've been considering signing up for a Costco membership but wondering about the cost, benefits, and whether it's worth it or not, don't worry! We share everything you need to know right HERE, as well as the best Costco membership deals and prices that you can get right now.
My general rule of thumb when shopping Costco is to purchase primarily whole food items when I'm there (nothing processed), and you really can save on some things.  If you have time to really shop the sales ads and clip a few coupons, I still think your very best prices will always be the grocery store, but there are some deals to be at Costco too! Go HERE to see 15 items more you should buy at Costco.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on Costco prices ~ leave a comment to share!Â
Be sure to print your free Aldi, Costco and Sam's Club price comparison chart before you shop!
Looking for more posts like this? Here you go!
- Costco Membership Deals
- Free Sam's Club Membership
- Sam's Vs. Costco: Who really has the best prices?
- What Should You Buy At Sam's Club
The Costco chicken breasts and other chicken cuts are, in my opinion, worth a little extra money because they’re pre-portioned for me and ready to go in the freezer. I just cut the packs apart and put them in my freezer bins. If I know I’m going to meal prep & freeze several chicken meals, I’ll gladly buy the large trays of chicken cheaper, but the pre-vacuum sealed packs are a convenience worth the extra $0.50/lb for me. They also defrost really quickly in cold water in the sink.
For the past year or longer the average price of chicken has been $3/lb around me for breasts & thighs, as there aren’t a lot of store options where I live. So Costco’s prices for chicken really aren’t too bad.
That is super helpful. Thanks for chiming in with your thoughts Melissa, we so appreciate you!
This has some incorrect, or erroneous, statements. It is possible the Kleenex statement is incorrect, because it is comparing boxes rather than tissue uses. I got some inexpensive tissues at one point, and it takes three to be as useful as one of the Kleenex tissues sold at Costco. (I paid just about the same per tissue.) I had an argument with my father over this years ago. He got Charmin toilet tissue for 2/3 as much per roll at Lucky’s as I got at Costco (probably dating myself with the Lucky’s reference). But his rolls had less than half as many sheets (and the sheets were a little smaller), so my deal at Costco was actually better.
I buy the Costco ice cream not because it is cheap but because it is good. I have compared it to store brands, “premium” brands, and even Haagen-Dazs, and the Kirkland Extra Premium ice cream is better than any other. (A range of family members agrees, even saying that Kirkland brand is better than homemade.) Kroger’s “Deluxe” premium vanilla ice cream in the 3-pint container is not what I would normally even rate as ice cream, more like ice milk, and it doesn’t have a tastable amount of vanilla flavor.
Absolutely a bad idea to buy soft drinks at a normal Costco. Business Centers have soft drinks that are not available at normal Costco warehouses; here in Southern California, any way, they have some Mexican soft drinks for half the price at Ralph’s, and sometimes have Mexican Coke, which is made with a slightly different formulation (a touch of cinnamon taste) and cane sugar instead of corn syrup. Those might be worth it.
I have also found that many items that can be bought at Costco are available for competitive prices at Amazon – sometimes including Kirkland brands. Not food (like the chicken breasts), but condiments and digestive fiber. But yes, there are things that are available for better deals at Amazon or regular grocery stores, and a 36-oz box of cereal is a lot easier to deal with than a pack of two 48-oz boxes.
That is super great information to know! Thanks a bunch for sharing your feedback with us.
The Costco chicken in the red packages as shown in the picture is also air-chilled, which makes a difference in quality. I was buying it when Whole Foods had it on sale because it is so much better tasting. When I looked into the difference in processing between air-chilled and traditionally processed chicken, I decided it was worth paying a little more.
Not everyone has the great prices you do. Living in Northern California, Costco is cheaper on several items. We don’t eat cold cereal so that’s not an issue. My husband is very good about shopping and getting the best buys. He just cured, smoked, slice, sealed and froze 100 pounds of bacon! He got a good price from Sysco. He has an account there because he buys and donates food to people.
Sorry I forgot the diapers. You might find cheaper diapers but not the same quality. Kirkland diapers don’t give babies rashes and last longer. I have friends who will travel 45 minutes or more, or even pay for shipping to get Kirkland diapers.
I would definitely saying you are paying higher prices for premium quality. The Ice cream is comparable to Schwans ice cream. And while you didn’t mention the beef. Their beef exceeded the USDA standard on meat and set a new higher standard. Which takes me back to the ice cream many cheap ice creams barely meets the standard for bacteria. Which why some people are happy to pay premium prices.
I was going to comment on that. I have been a Tyson frozen chicken purchaser from Costco for years. Then the Kirkland brand went on sale and I tried it and it was by far is a better quality product. Tyson is hit or miss. Many times the chicken is stringy and chewy, and not tender at all.
That vanilla ice cream is way better than any other vanilla ice cream in our opinion. To us it tastes creamier, and almost homemade. I think you are paying for the quality on that one, and I personally am willing to pay for better quality sometimes, but not always. Also, on things like chips, and cereals sometimes I know I could get them cheaper, but it’s worth it to me to grab them, because I’m already there, especially if I’m shopping for a camping trip, or something. It’s helpful to see the price breakdowns so that you’re making an informed decision while shopping, but sometimes there are other reasons why people are choosing to buy those items. Just my thoughts, I really enjoy reading these kinds of articles. Thanks for the useful shopping tips!
The Kirkland Brand Chicken Breasts in the red package in your picture come individually packaged and do not get freezer burnt that’s why I buy it and why it’s more than the other brands.
Good to know Charity – thanks so much for the tip!
You are So Right Costco’s Individually Wrapped Chicken is
Very Good and you Don’t Have To Be Concerned
about Freezer Burn.
When you Open the individually Package Chicken
and it’s Always Good Every Time.
I Really Like this Kirkland Chicken from Costco
Great info! Thanks for sharing.