4 Best Cheeses You Can Buy At Costco, Hands Down

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Even bad cheese is expensive these days, and seeing as good cheese is one of life's greatest joys, that's a real shame. Luckily, there's always Costco. The warehouse store prides itself on being budget-friendly, but it's far from basic. Costco has long been a great place to find premium groceries at shockingly reasonable prices, from top-of-the-line pre-made deli items to grownup cocktails in a can. Of course, Costco's cheese case is full of excellent options too. Whether you're only just widening your fromage field from sliced American or you're a certified cheese lover who can tell a mozzarella from a burrata, your local Costco has a lot to offer. 

If you have a store nearby, I recommend sampling as many cheeses as you can since Costco cheeses rarely miss. In case you need a helping hand, however, I've done some research. Here are the four best cheeses available at Costco, spanning high-quality basics to show-stopping artisanal options. Writing for The Takeout is a tough job, but someone's got to do it! And luckily, I'm not lactose intolerant.

I have a confession to make: I'm a cheddar snob. Sure, I'll eat the waxy American stuff. I'll even enjoy it melted in the middle of a super crispy grilled cheese or browned almost to a burn atop a shepherd's pie. But given the choice, I'm looking for something very specific in my aged, English-style hard cheese, so you can trust me when I say that when it comes to cheddar, Costco delivers. 

Kirkland Signature Coastal Rugged, Mature English Cheddar is so good, in fact, it comes with a warning. The front of the package notes: "You may encounter a characteristic 'crunch' when you bite into Coastal." It then explains that calcium crystals sometimes form while cheddar ages, and since this cheese has been maturing for 15 months it will probably contain some. As all real cheddar heads know, these crystals are a good sign! They're indicative of high quality cheese that's been aged in the proper environment, and the added crunch complements the crumbly texture.  

Personally, I like an even more intense cheddar, but if you're not used to the extra-mature stuff it could be considered a chemical weapon. This rugged cheddar is approachable while still displaying all those "real cheddar" features. It's sharp, full-bodied, and melts really well. (I like it on toast with a thin layer of umami Marmite or Vegemite and salty butter.)

Kirkland Signature Coastal Rugged, Mature English Cheddar is priced at $8.73 per pound at Costco.

Costco sells wheels of Italian Parmigiano Reggiano. Yes, it's D.O.P certified. Yes, it's been aged for 24 months. Yes, it weighs 80 pounds. And yes, it's priced at a penny under $1,200. It's cool though, isn't it? The cheese offers everything you want from a parm. It's deeply umami without being too rich and crumbly without being dry. If you don't own a restaurant or have a cheese cave in the back yard, you can get 24-month-aged, D.O.P certified Parmigiano Reggiano from Costco in more manageable quantities. The cheese is sold in 1.5 pound slices or pre-shredded in 1-pound, fridge-friendly square jars. 

No matter what form you choose to purchase the Parmigiano Reggiano in, it's one of the best cheeses Costco stocks. If you do go for the wheel, just know I believe in you. You get through those huge tubs of D.O.P. certified pesto and 3 liter bottles of Spanish olive oil, right? You'll get through a wheel of parm too. Worst case scenario, you can invite friends over for a few pasta dinners or a Martha Stewart-style grilled cheese party.

Whole Wheel Parmigiano Reggiano is available from Costco for $1,199.99, Kirkland Signature Italian Parmigiano Reggiano is priced at $18.15 per pound for a slice, and 1 pound of Shredded Kirkland Signature Aged Parmigiano Reggiano is $22.69.

Manchego is incredibly popular in the United States. So much so, in fact, that increased demand from Americans was named as a factor in a manchego shortage back in 2023. The other factor had to do with the fact manchego cheese must be made from sheep's milk produced in the La Mancha region of Spain. This cheese falls under a Protected Denomination of Origin (P.D.O.), and unfortunately this restrictiveness means a drought or disease can drastically damage production (in this case it was an outbreak of sheep pox). That's why manchego can be pretty pricey. Unsurprisingly, Costco comes to the rescue here. The warehouse store's Kirkland Signature Spanish Manchego is imported from Spain and P.D.O. certified. In my experience it's almost always available and priced fairly at around $12.50 per pound.

If you're nervous about non-cow milk cheese, manchego is a great place to start as it's aged and doesn't tend to be pungent or barnyard flavored. The six-month aging process used for Kirkland Signature Manchego makes it versatile and classic. Savory, crumbly, nutty, and salty; it's an eat-straight-out-the-fridge cheese. Or if you're fancy, a charcuterie board star. In my house at least, manchego often doesn't last long enough to be served as part of a snack platter.

Kirkland Signature Spanish Manchego is $12.47 per pound at Costco.

This fancy, wine-washed cheese feels like a real bargain at less than $10 per pound. It's made in Wisconsin rather than imported, which keeps the price on the lower side, but it tastes just as good as the European cheeses on this list. The pretty purple rind comes from the relaxing red wine bath this cheese takes. The color is showstopping and the rind is edible so you're not sacrificing looks for practicality when you use the bellavatino on a cheeseboard. It's also great as a sandwich filling or salad topping. 

Flavor- and texture-wise, this is another approachable queso. It's smooth, savory, salty, and just a little sweet. Like manchego, it's a great entry-level "grownup" cheese; think Pecorino-meets-medium-aged-cheddar. The cheese also cuts easily with not much crumble so you won't end up with a mangled purple lump in the cheese drawer after someone makes themselves lunch. 

Kirkland Signature Sartori Bellavitano Cabernet Sauvignon Cheese will set you back $9.75 per pound.