14 Costco Grocery Items You Should Stock Up On Now Before Prices Increase

It feels ironic to talk about stocking up at Costco, because hasn't the point always been to stock up at the retail warehouse giant? Whatever your reasons for shopping at Costco, it's true that you might notice the prices going up on some of your favorite products throughout 2025. In more stable economic times, Costco can typically regulate its prices better than smaller shops and grocery stores –– in fact, the membership charges you pay go directly to the warehouse keeping prices comparatively low. Thanks to messy tariff issues and an ever-complicated global supply chain, however, even Costco could be at the mercy of price increases this year. CEO Ron Varchis admitted in a Q2 earnings call (via Motley Fool), "When it rains, it rains on everyone."

In April, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a deluge of tariffs — taxes businesses pay on imported goods — on a long list of U.S. international trading partners. Although there's still little certainty and very few countries have settled on figures, some of the damage has already been done. Instability can cause prices to rise in anticipation of shakier times, and it certainly muddies the waters on what is really causing your Costco receipt to go up in price. Because on top of tariffs, our supply chains are also struggling with inflation and product shortages. Whether you're a first-time Costco member deciding what to buy or a veteran shopper, take note of what products could go up in price at the warehouse and stock up while you can.

If your Costco shopping list usually includes butter, yogurt, or ice cream, it might be time to double up on these dairy products the next time you hit the warehouse. Dairy prices can fluctuate dramatically, even from month to month, depending especially on the steadily increasing cost of fuel and electricity to care for cows and transport products. Additionally, an alarming outbreak of avian flu discovered in U.S. dairy cows in early 2025 could decrease supply and further drive up prices.

Between January 2022 and June 2025, 1 pound of butter jumped from averaging $3.67 to $4.87, while the average ½ gallon of ice cream went from $4.99 to $6.49. You could brush this off as little more than a dollar, but it represents your dairy products being around 30% more expensive. Considering these price trends will probably continue their upward trajectory, save your wallet some grief and stock up ASAP.

Moreover, many Costco dairy products represent global imports. Kirkland Signature Greek yogurt, for example, is likely from a German dairy company called Ehrmann. Kerrygold butter and Kirkland Signature grass-fed butter are produced in Ireland and New Zealand, respectively. While both the European Union and New Zealand currently face tariffs on their exported goods, the very real possibility of these taxes climbing could foreshadow additional price increases.

Tomatoes have had a dicier year than you might realize as you're picking through them in the Costco produce section. In March 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico, causing plenty of uncertainty about how this could affect prices. The U.S. relies heavily on Mexican imports, after all, amounting to over $500 billion in 2024. Fortunately, most supermarket goods are exempted from the tariffs, thanks to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. One notable exception from the free-trade agreement, however, is tomatoes.

In hopes of beefing up domestic production, the U.S. revealed its plans to exclude Mexican tomatoes from the USMCA, taxing them instead with a 17% duty. This breaks with a previous 2019 agreement that allowed free trade of fresh tomatoes. The U.S. currently imports 4 billion pounds of tomatoes from Mexico each year, accounting for 70% of the U.S. tomato market.

Many of the tomatoes Costco offers in the produce aisle list that they're sourced from either the U.S., Canada, or Mexico. With all the back and forth, it's safe to say the prospects for tomato prices look shaky at best. You're better off loading up during the summer when selection is probably more local, and canning them or making some sauces to freeze.

Around 2023, the price tag on olive oil seemed to have no limit. A couple of years of droughts in the Mediterranean –– the region responsible for well over half of the global olive supply –– led to poor harvests and price surges of up to 40%. Starting in late 2024, abundant rainfall in countries such as Spain suggested an easing of prices worldwide. Just when the future was looking promising, however, the U.S. applied 20% tariffs on goods from the EU, with the possibility of increasing them to 30% by August 2025.

Faced with these looming price jumps, it might be time to add an extra jug or two to your cart the next time you're at Costco. Olive oil can even be stored for up to two years in the pantry if unopened. The wholesale retailer sells name-brand Greek and Italian olive oils, and even Kirkland Signature uses a blend of olives from across the Mediterranean for its extra virgin olive oil. To cut costs by buying closer to home, you could also grab the brand's Californian extra virgin olive oil, which happens to be one of many Kirkland Signature favorites among Costco shoppers.

Even when we're not worried about ballooning prices, what better to stock up on at Costco than big boxes with dozens of packets of instant noodles inside? The noodles make for easy meals or snacks, and they're even tastier spruced up with some tofu, vegetables, or a fried egg. Costco offers a lot of name-brand instant noodles, but Indomie Mi Goreng in particular seems to be a hit among customers. Reddit users across the Costco subreddit sing their praises for the Indonesian-imported product, with many claiming that you can buy it cheaper from Costco than small Asian supermarkets.

Recent tariffs have been tough on Asian supermarkets, which depend on a majority of imported products, and Costco may not be able to maintain low prices forever, either. Taxes hover around 30% for many Asian countries. This could affect other instant noodles at the warehouse, like the Buldak spicy ramen carbonara from South Korea, or Ajinomoto yakisoba from China. You could save some money in the long run if you load up now, especially considering noodles are pretty easy to store. Costco also has options produced in the U.S. that might not suffer as many price increases, including Nongshim soup bowls and Nissin cup noodles.

Check out the back of one of Costco's 3-pound bags of Mayorga chia seeds, and you'll see just how interconnected our webs of global trade can be. The seeds are packaged in Maryland but imported from various countries like Nicaragua, Mexico, and Bolivia. Higher demand for health food seeds like chia and quinoa has driven up prices over the last couple of decades, thanks to more shoppers who are health-conscious, vegetarian, or gluten-free. (And yes, even though we often cook it like a grain, quinoa is actually a seed.) In addition, Latin America is the world's primary exporter of these seeds, making the millions of pounds the U.S. imports dependent on good climate conditions in these countries.

On top of higher demand and climate crises, proposed tariffs on Latin American countries may also spur an uptick in prices. The Kirkland Signature quinoa is imported from Peru –– which currently faces 10% tariffs on many agricultural products –– while other countries like Nicaragua could see up to 18%. So, whether you use them to sprinkle on yogurt or throw into your salads, it might be time to buy a few extra bags of seeds before prices get out of hand.

Including Starbucks, Peet's, and Kirkland Signature, Costco has plenty of options for brewing your morning cup of joe. Many Reddit users have complained of increasing coffee prices, however, with one shopper pointing out that Kirkland Signature removed "100%" from the labeling on its tubs of Colombian coffee. Shoppers throughout the thread chalked it up to supply issues, with one user claiming the coffee is a blend of whatever beans the company can get its hands on. 

Due to the rising costs of everything from fertilizer to fuel, it's true that coffee prices have been on the rise without much hope of letting up. The U.S. is the world's largest importer of coffee, 60% of which comes from Brazil and Colombia. It hasn't helped that severe weather conditions in Latin America –– from frosts to droughts –– have damaged and significantly reduced coffee bean harvests.

To top it off, in July 2025, the U.S. announced potential tariffs of up to 50% on Brazil, meaning your caffeine addiction could continue to get a lot more expensive. If grocery delivery is one of Costco's many perks you're enjoying, double up on the quantity of your favorite coffee the next time you make an order.

Shoppers have become increasingly more curious about the world and are trying more global products –– even if just from the comfort of home. Strolling through Costco's alcohol section is like taking a little international tour, with beers from Mexico, wines from New Zealand, and an especially abundant selection of imported European beverages. At the national level, the U.S. dropped nearly $7.5 billion on imported wines in 2022, with European bottles comprising 75% of the total value. Costco offers an impressive line-up of these European wines, from private label Spanish Crianzas to a Kirkland Signature French Chateauneuf du Pape or Italian Barolo.

If you like bragging to your friends about your collection of Italian reds, now might be a good time to bolster your wine cellar. Under the imminent threat of taxes increasing to 30% on all EU goods, the future of European alcohol prices looks precarious at best. In March, U.S. President Donald Trump even threw around the idea of 200% tariffs on EU alcohol. Of course, the heavier toll would not only apply to Costco's various bottles of wine, but could also affect the cost of beloved liquors like the Kirkland Signature French vodka –– a spirit so good it was once rumored to be Grey Goose in disguise.

In March 2025, Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs on the U.S. that could have shot the price of nuts up by 25%. Thanks to eased tariffs under the USMCA, we shouldn't have to worry as much about Canada influencing nut prices, but our northern neighbor is far from the only player in the game. Take a look at the back of a bag of Kirkland Signature extra fancy mixed nuts, and you'll see the product is sourced from at least 15 different countries. Spanning from the Americas to Africa and Asia, this leaves a lot of room for tariffs to affect prices. For example, Côte d'Ivoire and Brazil–– two major exporters in this list –– could face tariffs of 21% and 50%, respectively.

Due to the declining acreage of domestic nut trees, the U.S. was already predicting that the dry fruits could get more expensive. Another factor to consider is if you purchase canned nuts, a recent 50% tariff on imported steel and aluminum might cause an upcharge in packaging. While this deluge of uncertainty could make you discard nuts as another Costco item to avoid, a better bet would be to keep a stash of the salty snack in your freezer while we wait out the economic storm.

For the past few years, it's been difficult to ignore the rollercoaster of egg prices. In 2024, a highly infectious avian flu struck U.S. chickens, reducing flocks and skyrocketing prices. Supermarkets ran out of eggs and even wholesale retailers like Costco limited how many cartons a customer could buy. The disease plagued the egg industry until spring 2025, when cases finally hit a lull. Prices even dipped 7.5% from April to May 2025, making it a good moment to stock up — the cost of your eggs is only expected to rise throughout the rest of the year.

Despite the growing number of healthier hens, the avian flu wreaked too much havoc on flocks to expect any speedy recoveries. Given that eggs are prone to volatile price swings, higher demand during holiday seasons paired with slowly recuperating flocks will continue to inch prices upward. The USDA predicts that price jumps could even exceed 60%. To compensate for a limited supply, the U.S. is importing almost 1 million eggs from Mexico and Turkey, but these imports would (of course) be subject to the ever-changing politics on tariffs.

Considering the fact that about one-third of Costco products in the U.S. are imported, some of your favorite international buys will likely get more expensive due to tariffs. Ironically, even the tea you get to relax and forget about current affairs could soon experience the same markups as other imported goods. In March 2025, Costco CEO Ron Vachris mentioned the possibility of pulling items that weren't performing well to offset pressures from the trade war, or even replacing imported items with domestic substitutes.

In that regard, plenty of Costco's international tea options could be at risk of price hikes or disappearing from shelves for good. For example, Taiwan is facing tariffs of 32% on its exports, likely impacting products like bottles of Ito En golden oolong tea. Similarly, Japan has gone back and forth with the U.S. regarding 25% tariffs, unable to reach any definitive resolution. This uncertainty, paired with potential taxes, could affect Kirkland Signature Japanese green tea bags.

If you're a fan of homemade sushi, onigiri, or salty snacks outside the realm of potato chips, load up on roasted seaweed the next time you're at Costco. The thin strips of dried seaweed are harvested off the shores of South Korea and end up at the warehouse under a couple of different brands, including Bibigo –– a South Korean company that exports other goods, such as kimchi –– and Kirkland Signature.

South Korea has endured a year of ups and downs concerning its exports to the U.S., starting with the threat of 25% tariffs. President Trump postponed these proposed taxes until July, then pushed the deadline to August, but not without sending an ominous letter to the East Asian country expressing his intent to stay true to his word (via BBC). Even though no agreement has been reached and no duties levied, prices have already witnessed an increase. A Costco shopper from Business Insider noted that Kirkland Signature roasted seaweed went from $10.99 to $11.99 (a 9% increase), just between April and June 2025.

It never hurts to have extra packages of beef in the freezer, and now would be the perfect time to stock up on some of the best meats at Costco. Although the wholesale retailer caps its markups at around 15% –– meaning you can score some pretty good deals –– Costco may not be able to keep its beef prices down this year. In its 2025 Food Price Outlook, the USDA revealed that the cost of meat products such as ribeyes and ground beef has quietly increased throughout the first half of the year, with no signs of plateauing.

A few reasons for these increases include a never-ending demand for beef, coupled with diminishing cattle herds. In fact, America's cattle inventory hit its lowest numbers since 1951 in January 2024. USDA predictions detail beef prices increasing by 6.8% throughout 2025. While NPR reports that the U.S. produces 90% of its own beef, smaller herds have also made us more reliant on importing beef from the likes of New Zealand and Australia. Both countries face 10% tariffs, throwing U.S. beef prices into the uncertainty of the trade war.

Tracking tariff discussions between the U.S. and the EU has been confusing, to say the least. For the time being, taxes on EU imports remain at 10%, but they could increase to 30% by August 2025. President Trump has even thrown around the idea of a 50% rate, while the EU plans its own set of retaliatory tariffs.

That said, even if taxes seem relatively harmless right now, the overwhelming instability could push companies to prepare for the worst and raise prices. Seeing as the EU is a major trading partner for the U.S., we'll likely see markups on a lot more products than we'd expect. Costco offers a wide assortment of imported French cookies, for example, meaning something as simple as the sweets you throw into your cart on a whim could get more expensive. Costco shoppers on Reddit have expressed plenty of love for the flaky, buttery cookies from brands such as La Mere Poulard and St Michel. Considering the St Michel butter cookies are already over $11 per pack, you could save some money by satisfying that sweet tooth now.

Lemonade is another product on the USDA's watch list for price increases in 2025. The Food Price Outlook claimed that nonalcoholic beverages face an increase of 3.4% throughout the year, but specifically called out those made with citrus juices. A report from Business Insider found that Kirkland Signature organic lemonade already went up $0.10 from April to June 2025.

A few factors could be at play regarding the forecasted markups, the most likely of which is decreased domestic production. Hurricanes and citrus greening –– a destructive bacterial infection also known as Huanglongbing –– have both reduced U.S. harvests. A struggling supply will naturally push the U.S. to import its lemons from other countries, which could include Mexico, China, or the world's top producer of lemons, India. It's not clear from the packaging of Kirkland's lemonade where its fruits are sourced, but new tariffs on lemon-exporting countries could also impact costs. Taxes on Indian goods, for example, could be as steep as 27%.