How Much Money Can You Actually Save On Wine At Costco?

Who doesn't love Costco? From the incredible selection to really low prices on everything from big-screen TVs to those iconic hot dogs, the warehouse club is a shopper's paradise. But fewer people take advantage of one of the best savings opportunities the chain offers: unmatched discounts on a wide variety of high-quality wine.

Costco takes just a 10% to 13% markup on wine. This means a bottle of wine that costs the store $10 will be sold to you for $11 to $11.30. That's far less than most other liquor retailers or specialty wine stores, which often mark up bottles 50% or more. With this increase, that same $10 bottle would instead be sold to you for $15, which is roughly the average price for a bottle of wine at liquor or wine stores.

It's easy to see how this difference can add up, especially for frequent wine drinkers. Using the example above, Costco shoppers can save up to $4 per bottle, a gap that only gets wider for those who buy even higher-priced vintages.

Another great benefit of doing your wine shopping at Costco? You often don't even need to be a member to take advantage of these savings. At Costco locations in more than a dozen states (including populous ones like California, Texas, and New York), the law prohibits restricting alcohol sales to members only, meaning you won't even need to pony up the $60 to $120 annual membership fee that most other Costco shopping requires. That way, you're saving money from your first purchase rather than needing your initial savings to defray the cost of joining.

As the largest retailer of wine in the United States, Costco also offers one of the best selections of wine anywhere, from well-known favorites to more unique styles for wine lovers looking to experiment. And in select states, your local Costco may allow returns on unopened wine that can be resold. Of course, wine and other booze aren't the only great deals at Costco. But it's easy to get overwhelmed in those cavernous aisles, so do your research, and learn how to pick the best wine out from Costco before heading over.