Is Alcohol Cheaper At Costco Or Sam's Club?

Looking to stock up your home bar and not spend an arm and a leg on alcohol for an event? If you're a wholesale club member, you could be in luck! Both Costco and Sam's Club are known for their great deals on a huge variety of beer, wine, and liquor. But which store offers the better alcohol prices? The truth is that alcohol pricing and availability vary depending on where you live. This can make Costco's alcohol selection more affordable in one area while Sam's Club's is the winner in another. That said, if we're looking overall, Sam's Club edges out Costco on alcohol pricing. 

In Denver, for instance, a 1.75-milliliter bottle of Kirkland Signature vodka comes with a price of $15.69 compared to Member's Mark-brand vodka of the same size at $12.98. A 24-pack case of White Claw likewise costs $24.96 at Sam's Club in Austin, but $28.89 in the same area at Costco. In fact, customer assessments have found that Sam's Club typically offers items like store-brand liquor and beer at about a 3% lower rate per volume than Costco.

Even so, there's considerable variation between products, including higher-end ones. Johnnie Walker Blue label has been spotted at over $10 cheaper at Costco compared to Sam's Club, for example. Ultimately, deciding which store is better for alcohol purchases is like trying to decide if Sam's Club or Costco has the better food court. It comes down to personal preferences.

Unless you plan to do a ton of bulk shopping and happen to live close to both a Sam's Club and a Costco, you're only going to want to pay for one membership. So, it pays to consider the mileage it's going to cost you to get to the store, your delivery options for alcohol (not available in many areas), and of course what kind of inventory each wholesale club regularly has available. Once you're signed up, you can stay on top of the deals near you by scanning weekly ads, looking for mail ads, and signing up for email alerts. You'll also just want to pop in as often as possible if you're actively on the hunt for alcohol deals — some markdowns are in-store only.

Still, cheap prices don't always mean better bargains, especially when directly comparing Costco's and Sam's Club's in-house alcohol lines. They may skew a tad pricier overall, but Costco's own Kirkland Signature alcohol options are impressive, with dedicated producers from around the world and a wider variety of styles. Customers who've taken to Reddit tend to agree as well, noting that, while Sam's Club house brand (that's Member's Mark) alcohol tends to be cheaper, it's Costco's Kirkland Signature brand that boasts the higher caliber drinking experience. So, even if you're in the market for tips on how to save money on wine and other boozy items, it's a good idea to prioritize quality along with cost.