A Canadian TikToker has taken it upon himself to compare the prices of popular Costco items between the US and Canada to see which country offers the better deals.
Andy Shen conducts his “cross border grocery games” at Costco locations in the Vancouver, BC, and Washington State areas and posts his findings on TikTok.
He first started his series in January, examining the price difference between Folgers Ground Coffee Classic Roast.
Based on the exchange rate at the time, Shen found that the Canadian Folgers coffee worked out to be a better deal at CA$10.74/kg compared to the US coffee priced at CA$12.83/kg.
@andyshen.ca Costco Canada vs US — Folgers In Your Cup #groceryshopping #grocerystore#costco#costcofinds #border #usa #canada ♬ original sound – Andy
Another popular comparison was between Kirkland organic maple syrup.
The 1L bottle in Canada was cheaper by around 8% compared to the same product in the US.
@andyshen.caCostco Canada vs USA — Maple Syrup (Organic) by Kirkland Signature #groceryshopping #grocerystore#costco#costcofinds #border #usa #canada♬ original sound – andyshen.ca
Shen also tackled some produce items like a six-pack of bell peppers.
The Canadian peppers worked out to be a much better deal.
@andyshen.caCostco Canada vs USA — Windset Bell Peppers #groceryshopping #costco #costcofinds #border #usa #canada♬ original sound – Andy – andyshen.ca
What about cheese?
In February, Shen put the Kirkland Signature Parmigiano Reggiano to his cross-border test.
@andyshen.ca Costco Canada vs USA — Parmigiano Reggiano #groceryshopping #costcofinds #costcofindscanada #canadavsusa ♬ original sound – Andy – andyshen.ca
Shen’s calculations found the cheese at the US Costco location was the way to go.
Many commenters on Shen’s videos wanted him to compare US and Canadian meat, and he delivered.
Which organic lean ground beef do you think will be a better deal?
@andyshen.caCostco 🇨🇦 vs 🇺🇸 — Organic Ground Beef #costco #groceryshopping #inflation #canada #usa♬ original sound – Andy – andyshen.ca
While the US beef was slightly cheaper, the price wasn’t too far off from the Canadian product.
One of Shen’s most popular videos was his price analysis of chicken thighs.
@andyshen.caCostco 🇨🇦 vs 🇺🇸 — Chicken Thighs (Kirkland Signature) #costco #groceryshopping #inflation #canada #usa♬ original sound – Andy – andyshen.ca
Americans get a much better deal on the item at Costco, but many folks in the comments said they would stick with buying Canadian meat products either way.
“Except we have a more strict policy about our food so I’ll stick to Canadian meat,” said one commenter.
“USA meat and dairy products are not anywhere near the quality,” added another person.
One individual said they “trust Canadian chicken producers more than the US ones.”
Some Canadians have said they’ve found better deals when they cross the border to shop for groceries.
Do you find better deals at Costco in Canada or the US?
Let us know in the comments.