- I visited two Costco stores, one in the Midwest and one in New York City.
- New York City’s Costco store was smaller, which made it feel more crowded.
- The prices and offerings were mostly identical, though the food courts featured different sodas.
As someone who grew up in Wisconsin and moved to New York City a decade ago, I enjoy analyzing the similarities and differences between the two regions I call home.
As part of a series comparing nationwide chains like Target and Trader Joe’s in the Midwest and New York City, I visited Costco locations in Wisconsin and Manhattan. My Gold Star membership, which costs $60 per year, grants me entry to all Costco stores.
Costco remains a popular brand across the US and the world, offering bulk items at lower prices than many retailers. Its net sales added up to $237.71 billion in the 2023 fiscal year, a 6.7% increase from 2022.
While Costco stores are pretty standardized, which I found when I visited a Costco in Iceland, I was still interested to see if there were any regional variations in their prices, items, and shopping experiences.
Here are the most surprising differences I noticed.
