How Much You'd Need To Spend At Costco To Make An Executive Membership Worth It

Being a Costco member has plenty of perks, from savings on bulk items and food court treats (yes, you need a membership to eat at Costco's food court), to discounted tires and high quality gasoline. Whether you're currently a Gold Star member or a warehouse newbie pondering a Costco membership, you might be wondering if the executive membership is worth the cost. Luckily, Chowhound is here to do the math for you. 

Costco offers two tiers of non-business memberships: The standard Gold Star membership ($65) and the higher-priced executive membership ($130). The way Costco puts it, executive members pay the cost of the membership plus a $65 upgrade. Executive members receive an annual 2% reward on qualified purchases, which is provided in a refund check mailed to you around three months before your membership renewal date. Members can use their reward certificate at the front-end registers on qualified items at any time since it does not expire. The refund cannot be used in the food court or at the gas station, but may be used on qualified Costco travel purchases.

To receive a refund check equal to the amount of the upgrade for the executive membership ($65), members have to spend approximately $3,250 per year or $270 per month on qualified Costco purchases. To recoup the entire $130 for the membership, you'd have to spend $6,500 annually, or $542 per month. For the maximum annual refund allowed of $1,250, members would have to spend a whopping $62,500 annually. 

There are other Costco perks you can only get with an executive membership that you might not be aware of. Two newer benefits include executive member shopping hours and a $10 monthly credit to use on same-day online purchases. While many Costco locations normally open at 10:00 a.m. Monday through Friday and Sundays, and 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays, executive members can enter the store at 9:00 a.m. every day of the week. If you've been to Costco on busy weekends, you know that this can make a big difference in your shopping experience. For some, it might even be reason enough to buy an executive membership. You can also receive $10 off same-day delivery orders of $150 or more once per month via Costco's website or Instacart. This might not be enough to push you into the executive membership but it's a nice little discount nonetheless. 

Costco executive members also receive additional benefits on various services and discount programs. For example, members can receive extra discounts through Costco's auto program, which provides savings and prearranged prices on vehicles purchased at approved dealerships, and additional auto and home insurance benefits like roadside assistance and home lock out assistance. The bulk retailer also offers executive-member-only discounts on Pods moving and storage, including four free deliveries and pick-ups per year and a discount on rentals. With all that being said, if you spend around $270 per month at Costco and utilize some of these services, the executive membership is probably worth it.