Costco vs. Target: Which Store Wins on 5 Everyday Staples?
No one wants to spend more than they have to on everyday essentials. With skyrocketing prices on must-have groceries and household items over the last several years, it's getting harder to afford what you need.
That’s why we compared the cost of various household staples and essentials at Target and Costco to see where you’ll get the most for your money. Keep in mind that the Costco price will vary based on whether you’re shopping online or in store.
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Read on to find out which popular supermarket wins on overall value.
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Toilet Paper
Target: $20.99
Costco: $23.82
Winner: Target
Toilet paper is always a little difficult to compare. Not only are there often different numbers of sheets per roll depending on the brand, but each brand has a different feel. Both Target’sup&up toilet paper and Kirkland’s toilet paper come with three rolls and have 380 sheets per roll, making them fairly easy to compare. Target has the better price, but when it comes to feel comparison, we’ll leave that to you.
Paper Towels
Target: $25.49
Costco: $23.60
Winner: Costco
Target’s Make-a-Size Paper Towels come with 12 rolls of 150 sheets each while Kirkland’s Create-a-Size Towels come with 12 rolls of 160 sheets each. The up&up brand cost breaks down to $1.42 per 100 count while Kirkland’s costs $1.23 per 100 count. Costco takes the win for paper towels.
Trash Bags
Target: $16.59 for 100
Costco: $20.42 for 200
Winner: Costco
At first glance, Target’s price for up&up 13 gallon trash bags looks better than Costco’s, but that’s for 100 bags compared to Kirkland’s trash bags that come with 200 — that’s double the number of trash bags for less than $4 more. Costco wins.
Laundry Detergent
Target: $13.39
Costco: $20.99
Winner: Tie
Up&up Free & Clear Unscented Liquid Laundry Detergent contains enough for 93 loads which works out to $0.14 per load. Kirkland’s UltraClean Free & Clear does 146 loads — also $0.14 per load. This one’s a tie.
Flour
Target: $6.29
Costco: $19.28
Winner: Costco
In addition to household goods, you can also compare pantry staples at the two stores to find the better deal. The price difference in the flour category, for instance, is pretty dramatic, but this is where Costco shines.
Buying in bulk often means paying more upfront for a larger amount but getting a better deal in the long run. Target’s Good & Gather Organic All Purpose Unbleached Flour costs $1.25 per pound while Costco’s Kirkland Organic Unbleached All Purpose Flour costs just $0.96 per pound. The catch is that you have to buy 20 lbs. at Costco versus 5 lbs. at Target.
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Editor’s note: Prices and availability are subject to change.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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