Whether I’m hosting my kiddo’s birthday or a Super Bowl fiesta, Costco is my go-to store when I’m having a party. From the prepared platters to the $4.99 rotisserie chicken to various snack options for kids and adults alike, the big-box store helps me spend less time in the kitchenand keeps me from worrying that we’ll run out of food. (Every hostess’ nightmare.)
But while I do love shopping at Costco, some things are not actually worth getting at the warehouse. When it comes to carbonated beverages, from soda to sparkling water, you’re better off shopping for the deals at your local grocery store. Here’s why.
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How much can you save on soda at Costco?
Costco does have fairly competitive prices for brand-name sodas. For example, as of publication, a 35-pack container of Coca-Cola is $23, and a 36-pack container of Pepsi is $20. That comes out to 61 cents per can and 55 cents per can, respectively.
Meanwhile, at my local Vons supermarket, a 12-pack of Coca-Cola is $11, which comes out to 91 cents per can. But there’s more to the story.
Why should you think twice about buying soda at Costco?
There are a few reasons to avoid buying soda in bulk at Costco, the first of which is the cost. In fact, according to money-saving expert Andrea Woroch, carbonated drinks like sodas are definitely items you should avoid purchasing at big-box stores. “Contrary to popular belief, not everything is a good deal when bought in bulk from warehouse stores like Costco,” she explains. “You can often find better deals at grocery stores and retailers like Target and Walmart.”
In fact, Woroch points out that soda is one of the items that grocery stores regularly discount in an attempt to draw shoppers in. Take the aforementioned comparisoneven though it seems like Coca-Cola is cheaper at Costco, it’s really not. Let me explain.
Right now, my local Vons store is offering an in-store promotion: If you buy two 12-packs ($11 each), you get three 12-packs for free. This means you can get 60 cans of Coca-Cola for $22, which comes out to 36 cents per can, far less than the 61 cents per can that Costco is offering.
Unlike Costco, many grocery stores also accept manufacturers’ coupons for brand-name products like Coca-Cola, allowing you to save even more. And speaking of brand names, you can stretch your dollars further in grocery stores by sticking with generic or store brands. Costco has only two Kirkland brand soda products (a sweetened sparkling juice product and an unsweetened flavored sparkling water) and no store-brand sodas.
What’s another reason you might not want to buy soda at Costco?
Aside from cost, there’s also the issue of storage and waste if you’re not buying soda for a crowd or a party. Unless you have a dedicated beverage fridge or pantry space for all of those extra cans, your soda could get damaged by the elements (more on this later) or simply take up unnecessary space in your home.
Also, when you buy in bulk, Woroch says, “you run the risk of wasting soda you don’t consume right away since it may lose its carbonation.” Soda doesn’t last forever, which we’ll go into detail next, so unless you plan to drink it quickly, you may not want to buy 35 cans at a time, no matter how good of a deal you’re getting.
Does soda have an expiration date?
Yes, but according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), carbonated soft drinks are actually safe to drink after their expiration dates: diet sodas can be consumed within three months of the expiration date, while regular sodas can be consumed within nine months. But eventually, both the fizziness and the flavor of the soda will decrease, so even though drinking the contents of the expired cans is fine for your healthas most sodas have a high pH and can’t support the growth of bacteriawhat’s inside may not taste as good.
While Costco does restock its shelves continually, there’s no way to know how long soda and other carbonated beverages have been sitting on its warehouse shelves, which is why it’s important to always check the expiration date before you buy anything.
When is it worth it to buy soda at Costco?
If you’re having a party and know that all those cans won’t just be sitting in your pantry for months on end, you can try buying soda at Costco when it goes on sale. Costco sales can be a little tricky to decode, so here’s what you need to know: A price ending in .97 means the item is on clearance, while a price ending in .00 or .88 means a manager special, both of which are better deals than typical sales.
And while Costco doesn’t price match with other retailers, one good shopping secret to know is that the warehouse will make price adjustments if you notice a price cut within 30 days of purchase.
How should you store soda to make it last longer?
If you buy soda in bulk and need to make it last as long as possible, follow these rules to extend its shelf life:
- For optimal quality, store soda in the refrigerator, where you can control the temperature.
- If you can’t store your soda cans in a fridge, keep them at room temperature in a pantry, cabinet or dry basement.
- Keep soda out of sunlight, which can cause the flavor quality to degrade more quickly, and out of extreme heat, which can cause it to go flat faster. (As the temperature goes up, the gases inside the can expand, creating higher pressure, which leads to a loss of carbonation.)
- Since water expands when cooled, the liquid in a can of soda will expand when frozen, so don’t store it in a garage or an unfinished basement if you live in a place that gets really cold.
The bottom line on buying soda in bulk
While Costco is great for many things, you probably shouldn’t stock up on carbonated beverages there. You’re more likely to find a better per-can deal elsewhereand you run the risk of overbuying and potentially wasting your money. So unless you’re having the whole family over, and everyone enjoys the same kind of soda, you’re better off grabbing a couple different 12-packs or a few liter bottles that your guests can finish off that day.
Or better yet, when your guests ask you what they can contribute to the party, tell them to bring a beverage.
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Sources:
- Andrea Woroch, nationally recognized money-saving expert; interviewed, February 2025
- USDA: “Is buying soda with an expired date on it dangerous?”
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