Read on for a price comparison chart, and a hot tip to save on membership at either store!

Warehouse clubs are a hot button issue. People tend to choose their allegiance for life. The level of loyalty is almost on par with that of Cubs fans. And the stores work hard to make shopping there an experience – huge displays when you first walk in, cheap pizza and hot dogs, and, of course, the samples!

I grew up going to Sam’s Club, and so, naturally, continued shopping there as an adult. However, I recently had sworn to never return to the store due to frustrations with their website and app. But I was knocked off my high horse when I discovered that Sam’s Club in fact has the best deals on pantry basics, and many other items, for the average woman who likes to cook and bake.

Find the chart summarizing my research below! I set out to compare four options: Costco, Sam’s Club, King Soopers, and a restaurant supply store. Turns out the restaurant supply store didn’t have nearly as good of prices as you might think, unless I was willing to buy ridiculous sizes for a family of five (ie., 5 lbs of baking powder, or 25 lbs of chocolate chips). So that store didn’t even make it into my chart.

I really wanted to like Costco. Truly, I did. Costco enthusiasts have an unparalleled ardor for their club. And I was all set to transfer my allegiance. Until I started investigating.

1. Membership Cost

For starters, the initial cost of membership is lower at Sam’s Club: $45, vs. $60 at Costco for a basic membership. Or, $100 vs. $120 at Costco for a Plus membership. This means that right out of the gate, you have a lot more ground to make up in terms of how much you need to save in the course of a year to make the membership worth it. So is it?

2. Curbside Pickup

Sam’s Club offers curbside pickup at no extra charge. This is a game changer with three small children.

Additionally, this means that all of Sam’s Club’s items and prices are given upfront online, so you can plan ahead much better even if you intend to shop in-store.

3. Prices of Items

My main objective is to purchase bulk baking and cooking items, as well as some household items, which is reflected in the chart below. Also, contact lenses, as well as optical exams, are much cheaper at these stores than elsewhere.

I have found in life that there is no one singular place that has the best prices on everything, and that is reflected in the chart as well. However,

Sam’s Club’s prices are overwhelmingly lower than those at Costco.

Note: on the Costco website, most items have a notice stating “May be available In-Warehouse at a lower non-delivered price”. But the prices would have to be significantly lower in-store in order to beat out Sam’s Club.

The Chart: Sam’s Club vs Costco

I’ve included King Soopers (a Kroger store) as something of a “control” group, to give an idea of the price you may expect to pay at a regular grocery store.

Bonus!

Both stores often have deals on Groupon. For example, I was able to get a Sam’s Club membership for $25, with potentially $30 back in store credit if I complete tasks such as doing a Scan and Go order, a curbside pickup order, and an online order.

I have also found that if you wait to renew your Sam’s Club membership (rather than automatically renew it when it is up), they will often send you offers to sweeten the deal and woo you to return to the store.

Love getting deals when grocery shopping? Check out my series on saving money on groceries!