I want the truth! You can’t handle the truth!
I have a multitude of personality flaws, but there is one in particular that has been plaguing me since childhood: I get a sick pleasure out of proving people wrong. Everything from spelling errors, to driving directions, to movie trivia. If I’m not right, it bugs me.
So when I heard people say that Costco’s prices weren’t much better than a regular grocery store, I had to find out for myself. During my most recent shopping trip, I wrote down the prices of some items that I buy regularly.
I would like to start this post with a few disclaimers:
1) I do not enjoy making spreadsheets. But for the sake of this project, I was willing to open Excel on my home computer. If you’d like to see the entire spreadsheet, including unit prices for each item, just leave me a note and I’ll e-mail it to you.
2) I do not work for Costco. (Although, when I was standing in front of the cereal aisle with a pad of paper and a pencil, a few people did ask me…)
So, without further ado, here it is - the true difference between Costco prices and Jewel prices.
Paper/Plastic Products:
| Item | Costco Price | Jewel Price | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toilet Paper (Generic Brand) | $18.99 for 36 rolls | 85 cents per roll | Costco: 36% cheaper |
| Paper Towels (Generic Brand) | $16.99 for 12 rolls | $1.79 per roll | Costco: 21% cheaper |
| Garbage Bags (Generic Brand) | $10.39 for 200 bags | 3.49 for 20 bags | Costco: 71% cheaper |
| Kleenex (Generic Brand) | $13.69 for 12 boxes | $1.29 per box | Costco: 11% cheaper |
Non-Perishable Food:
| Item | Costco Price | Jewel Price | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat Thin Crackers | $6.50 - 40 oz bag | $5.49 - 14.5 oz bag | Costco: 57% cheaper |
| Quaker Chewy Granola Bars | $9.62 - 60 oz box | $3.49 - 9 oz box | Costco: 61% cheaper |
| Life Cereal | $6.29 - 62 oz box | $3.49 - 21 oz box | Costco: 39% cheaper |
| Skippy Peanut Butter | 8.39 - two 61-oz containers | 5.79 - 35 oz | Costco: 44% cheaper |
Soap and Cleaning Products
| Item | Costco Price | Jewel Price | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cascade Dishwasher Liquid | $8.69 - 289 oz (two 8-lb jugs) | $7.49 - 74oz jug | Costco: 70% cheaper |
| Softsoap Liquid Hand Soap | $7.99 - 159 oz (two 5-lb jugs) | $6.19 - 40 oz | Costco: 67% cheaper |
| Dove Shower Gel | $10.58 - 48 oz | $6.49 - 24 oz | Costco: 18% cheaper |
| Crest Toothpaste | $12.99 - 40 oz | $2.99 - 4.5 oz | Costco: 51% cheaper |
Other - Miscellaneous
| Item | Costco Price | Jewel Price | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinnamon | 2.99 for 11 oz. | 2.89 for 2.3 oz. | Costco: 77% cheaper |
| Butter | 1.99 per lb | 5.89 for 4 lb | Costco: 31% cheaper |
There you have it, folks. Costco is the clear winner. But before I go wallow in smugness, I would like to point out that my experiment has its share of flaws. I didn’t compare prices of produce, meat, alcohol, etc. I didn’t factor in coupons, or the price of a Costco membership. Although Costco serves my purposes very well, it might not work for everyone. Only people of a certain disposition enjoy stacking 36 rolls of toilet paper in their bathroom closet. :)
Coming Soon: Tips for making ice cream cake from scratch.
