WinCo is a discounted grocery store that gives shoppers the option of buying dry goods, like grains and cereals, in bulk. Located in the Western U.S., WinCo is a very different kind of grocery store than Costco, but begs comparison for those looking for the cheapest groceries. Lets take a closer look at both stores and see which one might be best for your personal finances.
WinCo doesnt charge a membership fee, which gives it a leg up on Costco — whose annual membership costs $60 or $120. But aside from membership dues, whose groceries are cheaper?
I went out to a local WinCo and compared prices with my Costco warehouse. Heres what I found for eight grocery items:
Costcos prices are competitive but WinCo beats the wholesaler for most items, sometimes by wide margins. That said, Costco is cheaper for most cleaning supplies and toiletries, especially paper towels and toilet paper. But if youre looking for the cheapest all-around grocery store, WinCo may be your place.
WinCo stores are slightly smaller than Costcos warehouses but are stocked with roughly 23,000 SKUs. The store has so many products, in fact, most stores will offer you a map upfront to help you navigate the aisles.
Costco has significantly fewer products — roughly 4,000 SKUs — but offers a greater variety of services and non-grocery items, like tires, smartphones, clothes, eyecare services, appliances, laptops, even getaway vacations.
On the other hand, WinCo has an impressively diverse bulk dry foods section. If youre familiar with Costco, this can be misleading, as the foods here dont necessarily come in bulk quantities. Rather, the section is divided into self-service aisles of dry foods which you can measure out of dispensers into bags and containers. These goods include beans, cereals, coffee, flour, granola, grains, lentils, mixes (like pancake and muffin), nuts, oats, oils, pasta, rice, spices, tea, and yeast.
The price of these items is on par or lower than Costco. This gives you the best of both worlds: cheap prices for buying in bulk, plus the convenience of measuring out how much you want to use.
Finally, WinCo offers more variety in its produce section. The company sells basic vegetables, like bell peppers and carrots, in reasonable quantities, as well as produce you might not find at Costco, like dragon fruit, papaya, coconuts, and cactus leaves.
Costco is available to more American shoppers than WinCo. With 589 stores in the U.S. and a presence in all states and territories except Maine, Rhode Island, West Virginia, and Wyoming, Costco is statistically more likely to have a store location near you than any of WinCos 139 stores. Currently, WinCo has stores in 10 states, including:
WinCo does have a leg up in its hours. Most WinCo stores are open 24/7. This can be convenient for grocery shoppers whose schedules dont align with Costcos closing hours, which are typically between 8:30 and 9:30pm.
Winco doesnt accept credit cards, only cash and debit. This helps it keep prices low by avoiding credit card transaction fees. That might help you save, but if you like earning rewards with the top grocery cash back cards, WinCo will only wag its finger.
Costco isnt perfect in this regard, as it only accepts Visa credit cards, which eliminates roughly 47.2% of credit cards in circulation. But if you have a Visa credit card — like the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi — you can charge purchases to your card and potentially earn rewards.
Costco vs. WinCo: which one should you choose?
If you have a WinCo and a Costco near you, I would use both to your advantage. WinCo has lower prices for most groceries, sells items in small quantities, and lets you measure out dry goods. Conversely, Costcos toiletries are cheaper and buying in bulk means fewer trips to the grocery store and potentially saving money on gas. Striking a balance between the two could mean saving more on grocery bills, and you could get items at one that you simply cant find at the other.
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- WinCos prices per unit are slightly lower than Costcos.
- WinCo has more variety of products, but Costco offers more services and non-grocery items.
- Costco accepts Visa credit cards, whereas Winco only accepts cash and debit.
WinCo is a discounted grocery store that gives shoppers the option of buying dry goods, like grains and cereals, in bulk. Located in the Western U.S., WinCo is a very different kind of grocery store than Costco, but begs comparison for those looking for the cheapest groceries. Lets take a closer look at both stores and see which one might be best for your personal finances.
WinCo doesnt charge a membership fee, which gives it a leg up on Costco — whose annual membership costs $60 or $120. But aside from membership dues, whose groceries are cheaper?
I went out to a local WinCo and compared prices with my Costco warehouse. Heres what I found for eight grocery items:
| Grocery item | Costco price (per unit) | WinCo price (per unit) |
|---|---|---|
| Cage-free eggs | $0.37 per egg | $0.27 per egg |
| Bananas | $0.86 per pound | $0.58 per pound |
| 2% milk | $4.00 per gallon | $3.80 per gallon |
| Hickory smoked bacon | $3.87 per pound | $4.99 per pound |
| Chicken breasts (frozen) | $3.38 per pound | $1.66 per pound |
| Toilet paper (30 rolls) | $1.68 per 100 sq ft. | $1.87 per 100 sq ft. |
| Butter | $7.25 per pound | $4.41 per pound |
| Basmati rice | $1.15 per pound | $1.68 per pound |
Costcos prices are competitive but WinCo beats the wholesaler for most items, sometimes by wide margins. That said, Costco is cheaper for most cleaning supplies and toiletries, especially paper towels and toilet paper. But if youre looking for the cheapest all-around grocery store, WinCo may be your place.
WinCo stores are slightly smaller than Costcos warehouses but are stocked with roughly 23,000 SKUs. The store has so many products, in fact, most stores will offer you a map upfront to help you navigate the aisles.
Costco has significantly fewer products — roughly 4,000 SKUs — but offers a greater variety of services and non-grocery items, like tires, smartphones, clothes, eyecare services, appliances, laptops, even getaway vacations.
On the other hand, WinCo has an impressively diverse bulk dry foods section. If youre familiar with Costco, this can be misleading, as the foods here dont necessarily come in bulk quantities. Rather, the section is divided into self-service aisles of dry foods which you can measure out of dispensers into bags and containers. These goods include beans, cereals, coffee, flour, granola, grains, lentils, mixes (like pancake and muffin), nuts, oats, oils, pasta, rice, spices, tea, and yeast.
The price of these items is on par or lower than Costco. This gives you the best of both worlds: cheap prices for buying in bulk, plus the convenience of measuring out how much you want to use.
Finally, WinCo offers more variety in its produce section. The company sells basic vegetables, like bell peppers and carrots, in reasonable quantities, as well as produce you might not find at Costco, like dragon fruit, papaya, coconuts, and cactus leaves.
Costco is available to more American shoppers than WinCo. With 589 stores in the U.S. and a presence in all states and territories except Maine, Rhode Island, West Virginia, and Wyoming, Costco is statistically more likely to have a store location near you than any of WinCos 139 stores. Currently, WinCo has stores in 10 states, including:
WinCo does have a leg up in its hours. Most WinCo stores are open 24/7. This can be convenient for grocery shoppers whose schedules dont align with Costcos closing hours, which are typically between 8:30 and 9:30pm.
Winco doesnt accept credit cards, only cash and debit. This helps it keep prices low by avoiding credit card transaction fees. That might help you save, but if you like earning rewards with the top grocery cash back cards, WinCo will only wag its finger.
Costco isnt perfect in this regard, as it only accepts Visa credit cards, which eliminates roughly 47.2% of credit cards in circulation. But if you have a Visa credit card — like the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi — you can charge purchases to your card and potentially earn rewards.
Ask the WinCo Butcher – Episode 1
FAQ
What grade of meat does WinCo sell?
Does WinCo sell good steak?
Is Costco or WinCo cheaper?
Does WinCo have prime beef?
What kind of meat does WinCo Foods sell?
[block:multiblock=40] In the Meat Department at WinCo Foods, we hope to be the center of the plate for your family meal; We offer outstanding quality with USDA Choice Beef, Grade A Poultry, Regionally sourced Ground Beef, and Hormel Fresh Pork available at every employee-owned WinCo Foods. We ARE the “low price leader” in meat.
Is Winco a good place to buy cheap food?
Winco is great for cheap food. They carry most brands, and usually have a great bulk section. Their produce isn’t the highest quality but it’s pretty good. Cheap cuts of meat as well that are pretty good. The produce must depend where you are. I was on the west coast and it was amazing there.
What can I buy at WinCo?
Check out our assortment of seasoned and ready to cook items. Stir Fry, Carne Asada, Pork Carnitas, Seasoned Chicken Leg Quarters and more. *Price and selection may vary, see your local WinCo for details. Check out the selection of plant-based products in your WinCo Meat Department, including Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat.
Is Winco a good store?
I have more trust in employee owned. WinCo is usually the cheapest store in my area overall. If you visited five or six stores with specific sales, you’d likely find a plenty of items cheaper than WinCo, but when you consider time and gas, often times it’s easier and easy on the wallet to get it all there.