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Costco vs Whole Foods: Which Is Cheaper? [2024]

Costco vs Whole Foods: Which Is Cheaper? [2024]

Costco vs Whole Foods: It doesn’t hit you until you see multiple grocery stores lining up to advertise their offers and deals, and you find different prices at different grocery shops, to finally realize — it’s time to decide on one grocery store because you simply can’t keep comparing prices all the time! 

In the long run, we have two leading grocery stores – Costco and Whole Foods Market, the two department stores which are currently being compared by thousands of users with the main question: which among them is cheaper? 

Now, if you are here to know the answer to the aforementioned question, with unbiased justifications, then you’d be glad to know that we have presented a comparison article between Costco vs Whole Foods below, which is definitely going to help you decide which is your favorite grocery store between the two!

Costco vs Whole Foods: Overview

Costco 

Costco Wholesale Corporation is a US-based multinational chain operating membership-only big-boss retail stores and warehouse clubs. Unlike Whole Foods, it doesn’t limit its offering to food products but offers a good variety of categories to shop from. 

At Costco Wholesale, as the name suggests, you’ll get to buy everything at wholesale rates – at a discount. It offers multiple deals regularly, which only increase at the time of special seasons and festivals.

Costco vs Whole Foods

Whole Foods

Whole Foods Market IP is a widespread supermarket chain, a subsidiary of Amazon. It’s an American-based multinational chain selling items free from hydrogenated fats, flavors, preservatives, and unnatural colors.

Whole Foods Market works to get you organic, Plant-based, and local food and offers multiple sales and deals regularly. It also specializes in delivering special diets and recipes to live a healthy long life.

Whole Foods vs Costco

Pricing: Which is Cheaper?

ProductsCostcoWhole Foods
Cat food€12.39 for Dreamies variety snack box including 12 bags, 60g each€1.19 Applaws tuna jail and salmon cat pouch 70g
Cakes€8.79 for McVities Jaffa Cakes 180 Cakes, 6 x 30 Pack€12.99 for Karaway square honey and walnut cake, 1 each
Soft drink (small)€19.99 for Mogu Mogu Lychee Drink, 24 x 320ml€2.19 for grassroots the hot one, 60 ML, ginger, apple, and Cayenne shot
Soft drink (big)$8.69 Grassroots turmeric tiger dosing bottle, 300 ML$5.89 for Robinsons Real Fruit Double Strength Apple & Blackcurrant Squash, 2 x 1.75L
Juice Can€10.39 for Fentimans Gently Sparkling Elderflower Water, 12 x 250ml€1.29 for Dash sparkling water peach, 330 mo
Immunity smoothie€14.49 for Ella's Kitchen Organic Fruit Smoothie Pouches, 25 x 90g€4.19 for press immunity smoothie, 250 ml
Immunity Tablets€11.49 for Sambucol Immuno Forte Black Elderberry Liquid, 2 x 120ml (3+ Years)€6.99 for higher nature immune effervescent 20 tablets
Vitamin D3 tablets€11.79 for Kirkland Signature Calcium & Vitamin D3, 600 Count€11.99 for nature’s plus sol Garden retirement D3
Salads€9.49 Rio Mare Insalatissime Mexican Style Tuna Salad, 4 x 160g, £1.49 per 100g€4.99 for Whole Foods Market classic potato salad, 760g, burns 1034 cal
Biscuits€11.49 for Border Luxury Mini Biscuit Assortment, 48 x 2 Pack, €0.25 per pack€1.69 for nairns wheat-free ginger biscuits, 200 g
Oat biscuits€7.99 for Quaker Oats Porridge To Go Breakfast Squares Variety Pack, 18 x 55g, €0.81 per unit€1.49 for doves farm organic fruity oat digesters
Wafers €11.49 for Tropical Fields Coconut Wafer Thins with Dark Chocolate, 397g, €2.90 per 100g$0.79 for loacker Napolitano wafer 45g
Milk€6.39 for Candia Just Milk UHT Semi-Skimmed Milk, 6 x 1L, €0.11 per 100ml €1.89 for Yeo valley organic semi-skimmed milk, 1 L
Crisps€4.29 for Good and Honest Popped Veggie Crisps, 300g, €1.43 per 100g €2.29 for simply roasted black truffle potato crisps, 93 g
Popcorn€16.49 for Kirkland Signature Microwave Popcorn, 44 x 93, €0.38 for per 100 gram€1.69 for propercorn sweet and salty popcorn, 90 g
Pretzels€12.19 for Reese's Dipped Pretzels, 680g, €1.80 per 100 gram€2.19 for olly’s pretzel thins original salted pretzels, 140 g
Beer€16.99 for Brewdog Punk IPA, 12 x 440ml, €1.42 per can€8.99 for brewdog punk IPA can, pack of 4, 330 ML
Cider€5.79 for Acetum Organic Apple Cider, 2 x 1L, €0.29 per 100 ML€4.19 for Dunkerton organic dry cider, 500 ML
Dips€4.89 for Blue Dragon Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce, 2 x 1L, €0.25 per 100 ML€2.99 for Gran Luchita fire roasted red pepper salsa, 300 g

As you can clearly see in the above price comparison table, Costco is much cheaper than Whole Foods Market. While the quality of the product is the same, it sells many of the same brands as Whole Foods. 

However, there’s also a drawback to Costco: you’ll probably have to buy almost everything in a bunch. For instance, you can buy a pack of cans, a bunch of biscuit packets together, etc, and won’t get to buy them single or one piece of it.

On the contrary, at Whole Foods Market, you’ll rarely get any bunch and group deals, and the majority of the products are available in a single piece for sale.

Costco vs Whole Foods: Categories to Shop from

Costco 

Costco has a huge list of categories to shop from. Apart from this, these main departments are further subdivided into numerous subdivisions to help you find the accurate subject you’re looking for fast.

At Costco, you can shop from the list of categories including TVs, electronics, security, furniture and mattresses, appliances, computers, homemade kitchen, home improvement, jewelry, accessories, personal care, grocery and household, business and office supplies, and many more. 

Whole Foods

Whole Foods is all about natural and organic food and related products, it offers you a huge collection of categories, all specifically divided to help you search for the accurate item you are looking for.

Whole Foods' categories list includes fruit, local, meat, seafood, vegetables, salad, and herbs, milk and dairy, vegan and meat alternatives, gluten-free, pasta and sausage, biscuits and treats, international food, home baking, dips, soft drinks and beverages, wine and sparkling, pet, and many more. 

Costco vs Whole Foods: Deals and Offers

Costco 

Costco has multiple deals available regularly on its website. Although the charges are discounted rates for all the products, these random yet regular sales and promotional offers help you save a couple of dollars more on every product.

Additionally, Costco's website and the app come with a special section of offers where you can explore all the currently available offers and shop promotional deals to save on each product in your cart. 

Whole Foods

Whole Foods Market has tens of regular as well as weekly deals in sales available all time of the year. They also have some exclusive deals like Amazon prime member deals at the local Whole Foods market stores where you can save a bunch of dollars on every product.

Whole Foods Market deals go as far as 50% off on every product, and this percentage number only increases at the time of seasons like winter and spring and occasions like Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

Costco vs Whole Foods: Store Experience 

Costco

Customers at Costco have highlighted psychological tricks pulled by the label, including the attractive layout which encourages customers to explore the new items on the shelves. 

Also, it tends to create an ultimate shopping experience for consumers by offering satisfactory customer service.

Whole Foods

Whole Foods Market is known to offer a unique cultural-based atmosphere in all its stores. 

Customers have certainly noted that all stores have a welcoming and engaging atmosphere, where the customer feels overall good and satisfied to enter the stores and shop the deals.

Final Words

With all the points and topics mentioned above, we have come to a clear conclusion that when it comes to the cheaper supermarket chain between Costco and Whole Foods, Costco is the winner. 

On top of that, its major drawback is also an advantage where it encourages you to buy products wholesale at discounted rates – where you can save money and items for the future. 

Therefore, Costco is the winner. With this, we have successfully come to the end of our comparison battle between Costco vs Whole market, and hope you now know your favorite supermarket chain!

Frequently Asked Questions 

Is Costco better than Whole Foods?

Yes, Costco is better than Whole Foods because it offers its products at discounted prices, clearly cheaper than Whole Foods Market. But, since it’s a wholesale supermarket chain, you’ll have to buy everything in a bunch or a pack. 

Is it cheaper to buy Whole Foods?

Buying from Whole Foods can’t be cheaper for many since there are many other supermarkets that offer cheaper products with the same quality. But, if you are chasing after healthy and organic products, then buying from Whole Foods can be cheaper. 

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