Both warehouse clubs can save a typical household hundreds of dollars a year over regular retail. But “cheaper” means something different at the pharmacy window than it does in the produce aisle or at the gas pump — and which store actually wins depends on what your household buys. Here is a plain-language breakdown of every category that moves most budgets, updated for current membership fees and benefits.
These are the questions people actually search for — answered without the runaround, using the most current pricing and benefit information available.
- 1 Which club has the cheaper membership fee right now? Sam’s Club is still cheaper at both tiers, but the gap narrowed significantly in May 2026. Sam’s Club raised its basic Club membership from $50 to $60, and Plus from $110 to $120 — its first increase since 2022. Costco raised its Gold Star fee from $60 to $65 in September 2024. So the current gap is $5/year at the basic tier and $10/year at the premium tier. The $10 annual difference at the premium level is real but modest. Where the math actually changes: Sam’s Plus members now earn up to $750/year in cash back (raised from $500), while Costco Executive members cap at $1,250/year. For high-volume shoppers, Costco’s higher cap matters more than the $10 fee difference.
- 2 Which store has cheaper groceries overall? Neither — the answer changes by category. An AARP analysis of 30 comparable items found Sam’s Club runs about 18% cheaper by weight across a broad grocery basket. But the detail matters more than the headline: Sam’s Club leads on packaged pantry staples, paper goods, and boneless chicken. Costco leads on milk, eggs, produce, and organic items — where its limited-SKU sourcing strategy and Kirkland Signature brand produce consistent quality at lower price points. Costco also wins on the food court, rotisserie chicken ($4.99, consistently the cheapest in the country), and prepared meals. Shopping both for their category strengths is the ideal move if you live near both.
- 3 Do you need a membership to use the pharmacy at Sam’s Club or Costco? No — both pharmacies are legally open to non-members for prescription medications. You can walk into either store’s pharmacy without a membership card, drop off a prescription, and fill it at their rates. This is one of the most underused pieces of information for people on fixed incomes: you can compare what both stores charge for your specific prescriptions before committing to any membership at all. Sam’s Club Plus members additionally get 10 select generic medications free and 600+ generics starting at $4 — but even without the Plus tier, Sam’s Club’s pharmacy prices on generic drugs are generally 20–30% lower than Costco’s.
- 4 Which store is easier to shop — especially if standing in checkout lines is difficult? Sam’s Club — and the gap is wider than most people know. Sam’s Club’s Scan & Go app lets every member (including the basic $60 Club tier) scan items with their phone, pay in the app, and show a QR code at the exit without touching a checkout lane at all. This feature is available at all 600 US Sam’s Club locations. Sam’s Club is also actively remodeling all stores to make Scan & Go the primary checkout method, replacing traditional staffed lanes. Costco has been testing scan-and-go at just 27 pilot warehouses — it is not available chain-wide. Costco’s checkout lines on busy weekend afternoons can run 20–30 minutes. For anyone who finds long lines physically draining, the Sam’s Club experience is meaningfully better right now.
- 5 Which store has the better return policy? Costco, by a large margin. Costco’s return policy — unlimited time on most merchandise, no receipt needed, no questions asked — is one of the most generous in all of American retail. Electronics are the one exception at 90 days. Sam’s Club has a reasonable return policy but prefers the original receipt and reserves the right to limit returns on certain items. The practical dollar value of Costco’s return policy shows up most on large purchases: appliances, furniture, outdoor equipment, mattresses, and electronics. If you make major household purchases at a warehouse club, Costco’s protection on those items is a real and meaningful benefit that doesn’t show up in any price comparison.
- 6 Which gas station is cheaper? Both stores consistently price gas 20–40 cents per gallon below the surrounding market — making the pump price essentially a tie. Where they differ: Sam’s Club accepts all major credit cards at the pump. Costco’s gas stations only accept Visa credit cards — if you carry Amex, Mastercard, or Discover, you pay with debit or cash there. On rewards, the Sam’s Club Mastercard earns 5% back on gas purchases (up to $6,000/year), while the Costco Anywhere Visa earns 4% (up to $7,000/year). Sam’s has the higher rate; Costco’s cap is higher. One genuine quality difference: Costco’s fuel stations are Top Tier certified — a standard that reduces engine deposits and matters for vehicle health over years of use.
- 7 Which store is better for electronics and big purchases? Costco for most large purchases. On Apple products specifically, Costco consistently runs $50–$100 below Sam’s Club pricing year-round. Costco also extends a free 2-year warranty on TVs and laptops purchased there, compared to Sam’s Club’s 1-year extension. More importantly, Costco’s unlimited return policy provides protection that Sam’s Club cannot match on large electronics purchases. If you buy multiple Apple products, a TV, or a laptop from a warehouse club per year, the combination of Costco’s lower price, longer warranty, and more forgiving return policy makes it the clear choice for that category.
- 8 Is it worth having memberships at both stores? For some households yes, but it requires discipline to actually use both. The scenario that makes it work: you live within reasonable distance of both stores, you buy fresh produce and electronics primarily at Costco (quality and return policy), and paper goods, prescriptions, and chicken primarily at Sam’s Club (price). Combined basic membership cost is $125/year. If both stores are within 15–20 minutes of each other and you’re willing to split the trip, the savings on pharmacy prescriptions alone can cover both membership fees within a couple months. If they’re not both nearby, the added driving cost and time usually outweigh the incremental savings.
Both clubs raised their prices in recent cycles. Here’s exactly what each tier costs, what it includes, and the math on when the premium upgrade pays for itself.
$60/year — Sam’s Club raised this $10 on May 1, 2026, its first increase since October 2022 and only the second in over a decade. The basic Club tier covers in-store and online shopping, gas station access, the pharmacy and optical center, tire services, and travel discounts. One household card is included at no additional charge. Scan & Go mobile checkout is available to all Club members — including this entry-level tier — at every Sam’s Club location. Basic Club members do not earn 2% Sam’s Cash; that benefit is exclusive to Plus. New member promotions periodically reduce the first-year cost to as low as $25–$35 for qualifying first-time members, including a current $55 offer on Plus through September 30.
$120/year (currently on sale for $55 through September 30) — Along with the May 2026 fee increase, Sam’s Club raised the Plus cash-back cap from $500 to $750 per year — a 50% increase. To reach that cap you’d need to spend $37,500 in club annually, which few households will hit. To break even on the $60 upgrade cost versus basic Club, you need to spend $3,000/year at Sam’s Club (about $58/week) in qualifying purchases. Plus also adds free same-day delivery on orders over $50 (Club members pay $12), free shipping on orders over $50, early shopping hours from 8–9 a.m. before Club members, and enhanced pharmacy savings: 10 select generics are free; 600+ generics start at $4.
$65/year — Costco raised its fee from $60 in September 2024, its first increase since 2017. Gold Star covers in-store and Costco.com shopping, gas, pharmacy, optical, hearing, tire center, and travel services. One household card is included. A critical limitation: Costco warehouse locations only accept Visa credit cards. Mastercard, Amex, and Discover work only as debit (PIN-based) or cash payments in-store. Online at Costco.com, all major cards are accepted. This constraint is a genuine friction point for households whose primary rewards card is not a Visa.
$130/year — The Executive tier adds 2% annual reward on most Costco purchases, capped at $1,250/year (raised from $1,000 in September 2024). That ceiling is nearly 67% higher than Sam’s Club Plus’s $750 cap. For the typical household, hitting Costco’s $1,250 cap would require $62,500 in annual Costco spending — but for heavy shoppers and small businesses, the headroom matters. Costco guarantees the upgrade pays for itself: if your 2% rewards at year end don’t cover the $65 cost of upgrading from Gold Star to Executive, Costco refunds the difference. That guarantee removes all risk from upgrading — you either come out ahead or you’re made whole.
Sam’s Club runs periodic first-time membership discounts that can drop the Plus membership to as low as $25–$55 for the first year. A current deal reduces Plus to $55 through September 30. These promotions rotate and are not always well-publicized. If you are joining Sam’s Club for the first time, search for current new-member deals before paying full price — the savings are substantial and the warehouse benefits are identical to a full-price membership. Discounts have historically been available for first-time members age 50 and older, active and retired military, first responders, healthcare workers, and teachers.
The only useful comparison is one that doesn’t hand everything to one store. Here is how each club stacks up across the categories that move most household budgets — with the reasoning, not just the verdict.
For fresh food — produce, dairy, eggs, and organic items — Costco consistently holds the price edge, and retail analysts attribute it to a deliberate sourcing strategy. Costco carries far fewer SKUs per category than Sam’s Club, which means it buys deeper on each item, negotiates harder, and passes more of that leverage to the shelf price. On milk, Costco’s 2% gallon has held at roughly $3.70–$4.10 per gallon versus Sam’s Club’s $3.80–$4.20. On eggs — a category still volatile from disease outbreaks and feed cost pressure — Costco runs approximately 10–15 cents per dozen cheaper, again through the consistency of Kirkland Signature sourcing. On organic produce and proteins, the Kirkland name has built genuine quality recognition that Sam’s Club’s Member’s Mark line has not matched across the board. If fresh food is the majority of your warehouse cart, Costco earns the trip.
Paper towels, toilet paper, trash bags, laundry detergent, dish soap, zip-lock bags — commodity categories where Sam’s Club’s connection to Walmart’s global supply chain produces a reliable price edge. A large pack of paper towels typically runs $16–$18 at Sam’s Club versus $18–$20 at Costco. Sam’s Club also runs what it calls price-hold programs on these categories, committing to a price for an extended window so members can stock up without worrying the price will jump next week. Member’s Mark products in these categories are solid and competitive with Kirkland on unit price, even if Kirkland carries broader quality cachet across its full range. For households that burn through paper goods and cleaning products in volume, Sam’s Club’s advantage in this aisle can offset the membership fee difference on its own.
Among proteins, boneless skinless chicken breast is where Sam’s Club’s pricing edge is hardest to argue with. Repeated price comparisons have found Sam’s Club running roughly $1.37 per pound less than Costco on this high-volume household protein. For a family buying a 10-pound pack twice a month, that gap compounds to over $30 in annual savings on chicken alone. The picture is more mixed on other proteins: Costco’s beef reputation — particularly its USDA Choice and Prime cuts — is consistently cited as superior even when Sam’s Club runs a lower sticker price. Costco’s $4.99 rotisserie chicken is also a genuine outlier: it is consistently the cheapest rotisserie chicken available anywhere in the US, subsidized by Costco as a deliberate traffic driver.
At the pump, both stores hold gas prices 20–40 cents per gallon below the surrounding market — essentially a tie on what you actually pay per gallon. Where they differ is in everything around the price. Sam’s Club accepts all major credit cards at its pumps; Costco’s gas stations only take Visa. On rewards, the Sam’s Club Mastercard earns 5% back on gas (up to $6,000/year in purchases); the Costco Anywhere Visa earns 4% (up to $7,000/year). Sam’s has the higher rate; Costco has the higher cap. On fuel quality, Costco’s stations are Top Tier certified — a fuel quality standard designed to reduce engine deposits over time that Sam’s Club stations do not hold.
For households managing multiple medications — especially common for people 55 and older — the pharmacy difference between these two clubs can be the single most financially significant comparison point. Sam’s Club’s generic drug prices routinely run 20–30% lower than Costco’s on equivalent medications. Common generics for blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, thyroid, and anxiety management are where this gap is most visible. Sam’s Club Plus members now receive 10 select generic medications completely free and 600+ generics starting at $4. Neither pharmacy requires a membership card to fill a prescription — walk up, hand over the prescription, and pay the posted price. Before joining either club, walk into both pharmacies and ask for the out-of-pocket price on your specific medications. That number often decides the membership question faster than any grocery comparison.
Unlimited time on most merchandise, no receipt needed, no questions asked — Costco’s return policy is genuinely exceptional and should factor into the membership decision for anyone who makes large purchases. Electronics are the only category with a time limit (90 days), and that 90-day window is itself longer than most retailers offer. The real-world value of this policy shows up on a patio set that fades after two summers, a mattress that proves wrong after a month, an appliance that underperforms, or a piece of furniture that doesn’t fit once assembled. Sam’s Club’s return policy is functional but asks for the original receipt and can limit returns on certain items. For large, expensive, or uncertain purchases, Costco’s protection is a material financial benefit.
Costco’s checkout lines have been its most consistent member complaint for over a decade. On busy Saturday afternoons, waits of 20–30 minutes are not uncommon. Sam’s Club’s Scan & Go app has been in place since 2018 and is now available at every one of its 600 US locations — and the company is actively remodeling all stores to make Scan & Go the primary checkout method, reducing staffed lanes. About one in three Sam’s Club members currently uses it. Costco began testing scan-and-go in 27 pilot warehouse locations — a meaningful step, but not yet a chain-wide rollout. Sam’s Club also accepts all major credit cards in-store; Costco takes only Visa at the warehouse register. On the technology and friction side of shopping, Sam’s Club is currently ahead by a significant margin.
Both stores have built genuinely competitive private-label brands. But Costco’s Kirkland Signature — spanning olive oil, batteries, spirits, cashmere, coffee, nuts, vitamins, and much more — has built a quality reputation that Member’s Mark has not replicated across its full range. Kirkland batteries test as well or better than Duracell. Kirkland olive oil and nuts are consistently rated highly in independent tests. Kirkland Signature spirits are widely cited as exceptional value. Member’s Mark is strong in paper goods, snacks, and cleaning supplies — and in those categories specifically, the quality gap between the two is minimal. But across the widest range of product types, the Kirkland name carries more credibility and, in many cases, better-quality sourcing.
On Apple products — iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, AirPods — Costco consistently runs $50–$100 below Sam’s Club’s pricing year-round. Beyond price, Costco extends a free 2-year warranty on TVs and laptops purchased in-store, versus Sam’s Club’s 1-year extension. And Costco’s unlimited return policy on most merchandise means a laptop or tablet you’re unhappy with can come back long after the manufacturer’s window closes. The combination of a lower purchase price, a longer warranty, and a more forgiving return policy makes Costco the stronger choice for any significant electronics purchase. For households buying one or two Apple products per year, that advantage alone can offset the $5 annual membership fee difference many times over.
Every major category in one place. Scroll the table on smaller screens or use the cards below it on mobile.
| Category | Sam’s Club | Costco | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Membership | $60/year (raised May 2026) | $65/year (raised Sept 2024) | ✅ Sam’s Club |
| Premium Membership | $120/year (Plus) | $130/year (Executive) | ✅ Sam’s Club |
| Cash-Back Rate | 2% — capped $750/yr | 2% — capped $1,250/yr | Tie (high spenders: Costco) |
| Upgrade Guarantee | No guarantee | Refund if rewards fall short | ✅ Costco |
| Produce & Dairy | Competitive but higher | Slightly cheaper, more consistent | ✅ Costco |
| Eggs | ~$2.80–$3.30/dozen | ~$2.70–$3.20/dozen | ✅ Costco |
| Milk (2%) | ~$3.80–$4.20/gallon | ~$3.70–$4.10/gallon | ✅ Costco |
| Chicken Breast | ~$1.37/lb cheaper | Higher per-pound price | ✅ Sam’s Club |
| Rotisserie Chicken | Higher price | $4.99 — cheapest in US | ✅ Costco |
| Paper Goods & Cleaning | $16–$18 large pack towels | $18–$20 comparable pack | ✅ Sam’s Club |
| Organic Selection | Limited | Broader — Kirkland sourcing | ✅ Costco |
| Gas Pump Price | 20–40¢ below market | 20–40¢ below market | Tie |
| Gas Card Rewards | 5% back (up to $6,000/yr) | 4% back (up to $7,000/yr) | Tie (Sam’s rate; Costco cap) |
| Fuel Quality | Standard | Top Tier certified | ✅ Costco |
| Pharmacy — Generics | 20–30% cheaper · 10 FREE w/Plus | Higher — well staffed | ✅ Sam’s Club |
| Non-Member Pharmacy | Open to all — no card needed | Open to all — no card needed | Tie |
| Return Policy | Good — receipt preferred | Unlimited — no receipt needed | ✅ Costco |
| Checkout Experience | Scan & Go — all 600 locations | Lines — 27 pilot scan-go only | ✅ Sam’s Club |
| Credit Cards In-Store | All major cards | Visa only in warehouse | ✅ Sam’s Club |
| Electronics Pricing | Higher — especially Apple | $50–$100 cheaper on Apple | ✅ Costco |
| Electronics Warranty | 1-year extension | 2-year extension | ✅ Costco |
| Store Brand Quality | Member’s Mark — strong in staples | Kirkland Signature — broader edge | ✅ Costco |
| US Locations | ~600 — South & Midwest heavy | ~617 — West Coast & Northeast heavy | Tie (region-dependent) |
| Food Court | $1.38 hot dog combo | $1.50 hot dog combo — cult status | Tie |
Prices are approximate and vary by location, region, and season. Both stores adjust pricing and membership benefits periodically. Always verify specific prices at your local warehouse. “Winner” designations reflect general trends from multiple price-comparison analyses — individual items at your local store may differ.
The right warehouse club is not the same for every household. These situations cover the cases where the choice is clear — and the ones where it isn’t.
Go to Sam’s Club — and you don’t even need a membership to get started. Walk into the pharmacy at your nearest Sam’s Club, hand over your prescription, and ask what they charge. You’ll receive the same pricing non-members and members get. Sam’s Club pharmacies typically price generic medications 20–30% below Costco. If you have or can get the Plus tier, 10 select generics are completely free and 600+ additional generics start at $4 — including medications for blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and thyroid conditions. For a household filling four or five monthly prescriptions, the pharmacy savings alone can cover the annual membership cost within two to three months. Compare your specific drug costs at both stores before committing to either.
Costco is the clearer choice if fresh food and quality are your priorities. Its limited-SKU buying strategy focuses negotiating power on fewer products, and the results show up most in the produce section, dairy case, and meat counter. Kirkland Signature sourcing on organic items has built real credibility — the kind Member’s Mark has not replicated across its full line. Costco’s beef reputation, particularly on Choice and Prime cuts, is consistently rated above Sam’s Club. And the $4.99 rotisserie chicken — Costco’s most famous loss leader — is the cheapest hot rotisserie bird available anywhere in the United States. If your weekly warehouse trip is primarily a produce-and-protein run, Costco earns that trip more reliably.
Sam’s Club. The pricing edge on paper towels, toilet paper, trash bags, laundry detergent, and comparable household staples is real and consistent — typically $2–$4 per large multi-pack versus Costco. Sam’s Club also runs price-hold programs on these categories, so stocking up is lower risk than it is at a store where the same item might jump in price next week. Member’s Mark products in these commodity categories hold up well against Kirkland in quality — neither private label outperforms the other meaningfully on paper towels or cleaning products. For a household spending $50–$80 per month on household supplies at a warehouse, Sam’s Club’s lower price on these specific items can cover the membership cost difference multiple times over each year.
Sam’s Club is the right choice right now. Scan & Go is available at every Sam’s Club location, available to every member including the basic $60 tier, and the company is remodeling all 600 stores to make it the primary checkout method. You scan items with your phone as you put them in the cart, pay through the app, and show a QR code at the exit. No lane, no wait, no unloading and reloading a cart. You can also order from the cafe through the app while shopping and pick it up without queuing. Costco’s scan-and-go pilot covers 27 warehouses — not the store near you in most cases. If avoiding checkout lines is a genuine physical or logistical priority, Sam’s Club’s current technology edge is meaningful and real.
Costco, clearly. The return policy alone justifies the choice for any major household purchase. An appliance that underperforms after six months, outdoor furniture that weathers poorly, a mattress that doesn’t suit you after a few weeks — all returnable at Costco without a receipt and without a time limit. That protection has real dollar value that doesn’t appear in any price comparison but shows up when something goes wrong. Add in Costco’s better Apple pricing ($50–$100 less per device year-round), 2-year warranty extension on TVs and laptops (versus Sam’s Club’s 1-year), and unlimited return window on electronics up to 90 days, and there is no serious comparison for big-ticket purchases.
Sam’s Club’s $60 entry point is $5/year cheaper and its new-member promotions can bring the first year down to $25–$55 — a genuine trial at low cost. The most important step before joining either club on a fixed income: walk into both pharmacies without a membership and ask for the price on your specific regular medications. If you take three or more generics monthly, Sam’s Club’s pharmacy pricing (and the 10 free generics available with Plus) may save you more in your first month than the combined annual membership cost of both clubs. For someone spending primarily on paper goods, prescriptions, and basics, Sam’s Club’s category advantages in those specific areas make it the right starting point. Costco’s value over Sam’s Club is most visible to households spending more than $400–$500 per month at the warehouse.
Knowing which store to join is only part of it. These are the habits that separate members who extract full value from those who quietly overpay.
Both Costco and Sam’s Club pharmacies are legally open to non-members for prescription medications. Before you pay for a membership at either store, go to the pharmacy window and ask for out-of-pocket pricing on your regular prescriptions. That one conversation often tells you more than any grocery price comparison. If Sam’s Club’s generic prices are dramatically lower than what you currently pay (and they usually are versus CVS or Walgreens), you can calculate roughly how long it takes for that savings to pay for the membership — often just one or two months.
If you don’t carry a Visa credit card, using Costco warehouse locations means paying in cash, debit, or running your non-Visa card as a debit transaction. This is not a hypothetical limitation — it’s a genuine friction point for the millions of Americans whose primary rewards card is an Amex, Mastercard, or Discover. Sam’s Club accepts all major credit cards. If you want to keep earning your normal credit card rewards on warehouse purchases, Sam’s Club removes a layer of friction that Costco cannot yet address. Neither store requires their co-branded card, but their co-branded cards offer the highest rewards rates at their respective locations.
Warehouse club shopping reverses the usual grocery trap — instead of overpaying per unit for small quantities, you risk buying large quantities of things that go to waste. A 10-pound produce bag or a club pack of bread is only a bargain if your household actually uses it before it spoils. The sweet spots for bulk buying: shelf-stable pantry items (pasta, rice, canned goods), paper and cleaning products, frozen proteins, batteries, and cooking oils. For perishables like fresh produce, bread, and dairy — buy amounts matched to what your household reliably goes through in the shelf-life window. Throwing away half a container of strawberries turns a good price into a bad deal instantly.
A warehouse club price is only a deal if the unit price (per ounce, per pound, per sheet) actually beats alternatives. Both Costco and Sam’s Club carry items where the per-unit cost is not lower than a sale price at a regular grocery store or Walmart — especially on items that regional grocers frequently put on deep promotion. Before loading up, divide the total price by the unit count or weight and compare that number. Categories where warehouse clubs reliably win on unit price: cooking oils, nuts, laundry detergent, canned goods, paper products, batteries, frozen proteins, and vitamins. Categories where the math is less reliable: specialty or seasonal foods, items that go on deep sale weekly elsewhere, and anything whose bulk size your household is unlikely to finish.
Both Costco and Sam’s Club operate tire centers that routinely beat Firestone, Goodyear, and many regional independent shops — and include installation, lifetime rotation, balancing, and flat repair in the purchase price. For a full set of four tires, both clubs frequently beat standalone shops by $50–$150 total once you factor in the included services. Neither tire center requires a membership to purchase tires — though membership may unlock additional promotional pricing. Before your next tire purchase, get a price from both clubs in addition to your regular shop. The savings are consistently significant enough to be worth the extra research, and the service quality at both is generally comparable to dedicated tire retailers.
This page is for general informational purposes only. Sam’s Club raised Club membership to $60 and Plus to $120 effective May 1, 2026; the Sam’s Cash cap for Plus members rose simultaneously from $500 to $750. Costco raised Gold Star to $65 and Executive to $130 effective September 2024, with the Executive cash-back cap raised to $1,250. Membership fees, product prices, pharmacy pricing, and store policies are subject to change — verify current details directly with Sam’s Club (samsclub.com, 1-888-746-7726) and Costco (costco.com, 1-800-774-2678) before making any purchasing or membership decision. Costco scan-and-go testing was confirmed in 27 pilot locations; chain-wide availability has not been announced. Sam’s Club Scan & Go is available at all US club locations. Pharmacy pricing varies by medication, dosage, and local market. Neither Sam’s Club nor Costco endorses this content. This is an independent editorial comparison. Gas pricing varies daily and by region. Top Tier fuel certification status subject to ongoing provider verification.