Costco Vs. Amazon: 9 Items I'm No Longer Buying at Costco

Costco has some unbeatable deals; nobody can argue with that. But, that doesn’t mean Costco is always cheaper. I went down the Amazon rabbit hole, and then I ran around Costco to compare prices on a few items. My hunch was right — Amazon is actually cheaper for a few things. This is especially true when you include a Subscribe & Save discount, which I’m doing for all of these. (Remember to subscribe to at least five things per shipment to get the full 15% discount!)

Amazon Subscribe & Save items ship for free to anyone, even if you’re not an Amazon Prime member. Learn more about Subscribe & Save and see cheap filler items to reach the five-item minimum.

For more money-saving tips, deals, and coupons download the KCL app.

 

1. Spend $0.04 less per diaper on Amazon Mama Bear diapers over Costco’s Kirkland diapers.

I know I’m touching the golden calf because many of you swear by Kirkland diapers. I used to as well — until I discovered Mama Bear diapers. Then I converted.

I don’t usually decide based on reviews; price point is more of a factor. But I was skeptical that Mama Bear could wear as well as Kirkland. All the five-star ratings convinced me to try. And at the end of the day, $0.04 per diaper over the life of one baby (or more!) in diapers sounds like the start of a tropical vacation fund to me.

Prime members get an extra 20% off through Amazon Family and that’s reflected here too.

• Costco Kirkland brand Size 1 diapers, 192 count, reg. price $29.99, or $0.16 per diaper
• Amazon brand Mama Bear Size 1 diapers, 196 count, $23.99 with Amazon Family Subscribe & Save, or $0.12 per diaper

 

2. Costco’s Red Bull Energy Drinks are a whopping $0.49 cheaper per can on Amazon.

These ain’t cheap, and if you’re a Red Bull drinker, then you’re a Red Bull drinker. Getting a good price is the most important thing. And these aren’t skimpy savings. Almost fifty cents savings per can when each can costs a little over a dollar? Um, yes.

• Red Bull Energy Drink, 24-8.4 ounce cans, Costco reg. price $39.99, or $1.67 a can
• Red Bull Energy Drink, 24-8.4 ounce cans, $28.32 with Amazon Subscribe & Save: $1.18 a can

 

3. Save almost $6 a box when you order Keurig Caribou coffee from Amazon Subscribe & Save.

Think about that dime you’re saving every time you rev up your Keurig machine. One cup of coffee is $0.10 in your pocket when you shop on Amazon. If you’re like me and three cups is just a starting point, then it’s more like $0.30 you save per day on coffee. Hawaii, here I come!

• Keurig Caribou K-Cups, 100 count, Costco reg. price $45.99, or $0.46 per cup
• Keurig Caribou K-Cups, 96 count, $34.25 with Amazon Subscribe & Save, or $0.36 per cup

 

4. Order Kraft Easy Mac with Amazon Subscribe & Save and pay $0.44 less per serving.

Costco and Amazon both sell Kraft Easy Mac. Costco’s version comes in 2.05-ounce cups, but Amazon sells pouches that have a larger serving size and are $0.44 cheaper.

I would say something about getting these for the kids, but I can’t lie to you. They’re for me. Avoid Costco and still get my Mac and Cheese? Amazon gets me.

• Kraft Easy Mac Macaroni and Cheese Dinner, 12-2.05 ounce cups, Costco reg. price $9.79, or $ $0.82 per cup
• Kraft Easy Mac, 6-2.15 ounce pouches, $2.30 with Amazon Subscribe & Save, or $0.38 per pouch

 

5. Stock up on Monster Energy drinks at Amazon for $0.22 less per can than at Costco.

Rinse and repeat what I said about Red Bull. If you’re a Monster drinker, it’s gotta be Monster. Cheap energy drinks all around, on Amazon!

• Monster Energy Drink, 24-16 ounce cans, Costco reg. price $34.99, or $1.46 per can
• Monster Energy Drink, 24-16 ounce cans, $28.88 with Amazon Subscribe & Save, or $1.20 per can

 

 

6. Order Dove Beauty Bars on Amazon for $0.10 less than Costco’s price per bar.

Fourteen Dove bar soaps for dirt cheap sounds like the start of a beautiful stockpile to me.

• Dove Beauty Bar (White), 16-3.75 ounce bars, Costco reg. price $16.99, or $1.06 per bar
• Dove Beauty Bar (Coconut Milk), 14-3.75 ounce bars, $13.37 with Amazon Subscribe & Save, or $0.96 per bar

 

7. Forget Costco, spoil your cat with Friskies for $0.06 less a can.

Spoiling our children might have consequences, but spoiling a cat? Nope. We don’t care about spoiling cats, because they’ll never call us up to demand more money. Or whine when it’s time for them to adult.

I give you Friskies you can buy in bulk on Amazon and not feel any guilt.

• Friskies Chicken & Seafood Variety Pack, 60 – 5.5 ounce cans, Costco reg. price $29.99, or $0.50 a can
• Friskies Chicken & Seafood Variety Pack, 40 – 5.5 ounce cans, $17.42 with Amazon Subscribe & Save, or $0.44 a can

 

8. Buy Frank’s RedHot Sauce on Amazon for $0.05 less an ounce than Costco’s price.

You don’t like it but your partner does. Or you like it but your partner doesn’t. Or your teen likes it and everyone else thinks it’s gross. Whoever you’re buying this for, one thing is for certain — you’ll never run out! (And it’s cheaper on Amazon, so I guess two things are certain.)

• Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce, 1 gallon, Costco reg. price $12.99
• Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce, 1 gallon, $10.18 with Amazon Subscribe & Save

 

9. Skip Costco’s snack packs and order Cheez-Its on Amazon.

Cheez-Its are the way to avoid giving your children the unreasonable things they keep asking for, while still achieving peace and quiet for five minutes. Change my mind.

The price on these is a toss-up. Packs are slightly larger at Costco, but then again, going to Costco requires putting on pants and getting into the car.

• Cheez-It Original Crackers, 45-1.5 ounce packs, Costco reg. price $13.49, or $0.30 a pack
• Cheez-It Original Crackers, 40-1.0 ounce packs, $12.16 with Amazon Subscribe & Save, or $0.30 a pack