A quick post about which one is more cost-effective for people who live alone: Costco vs Aldi.
Having lived in Australia for years, I’ve found Aldi the best (cheapest) supermarket when it comes to grocery shopping for people who live by themselves like me.
I heard about Costco, a giant supermarket where you can get everything cheaper, but they come in bulk.
Why Aldi is Often Cheaper than Costco?
For a person like me, who lives alone and consumes less than those who live with a family, buying things individually is often cheaper.
First, because of the limited storage I’ve had at home. Second, because of the expiry date. For example, the minimum amount of eggs sold in Costco is 30 eggs. Though I like eggs, I don’t eat many, and keeping them for a long time is not a good idea as eggs don’t last that long.
When Costco Is More Cost Effective Than Aldi
It was hard to convince me to get a Costco membership as I don’t see paying the annual fee of $60 can save me more than $60 worth of groceries in a year.
Until lately in Melbourne (Australia), the fuel price has been up to $1.89 per litre. That’s a huge jump since the last lockdown, a few months ago, which was $1.59 per litre. If one keeps paying 30 cents difference to fill a 40-litre fuel pump once a week, that’s $625 a year. That’s crazy. And therefore, paying $60 per year to save $625 is very much worth it.
Conclusion
Costco is only more cost effective than Aldi if you use the membership to buy fuel. With Costco membership, you save around 25-30 cents per litre. If the difference (between Costco fuel and normal retail ones) is more than $60 per year, then you should get a Costco membership, regardless how often you shop for groceries there.
