Sam's Club Vs Costco: Who Has The Better Deal On Seafood In 2026?

Sam's Club and Costco devotees are often positive that their preferred store has the best deals on groceries like seafood, but both teams can't be correct. So let's compare and see who's right. The following prices are from Denver, Colorado, area stores. Seafood prices and availability fluctuate between regions, so things might be a little different depending on where you're located. But here in the Centennial State, at least, seafood fans on one team or the other might be surprised to realize their favorite protein could be cheaper at another store.

Take salmon, for example. One comparable product between the two retailers is wild sockeye salmon. Sam's Club customers can walk out with a roughly 2.5-pound fillet for $36.55 at $14.62 per pound. Costco offers bulk purchases of sockeye, which one might assume means a discount is in store, but not so. Ten pounds of the fish costs $229.99, equating to $23 per pound. Other species of salmon reflect a similar price discrepancy.

If cooking tuna steak is more your style, Sam's Club is once again the better deal — by far. Member's Mark yellowfin ahi tuna goes for $9.17 per pound, generally coming in 2.5-pound packages. This is another item you have to buy in bulk at Costco, and even then you're paying a premium of $23 per pound for a 10-pound container. Unfortunately for Costco fans, with some exceptions, the higher prices on seafood extend to the frozen aisle of the store.

Although it's undeniably best when it's fresh, if you watch out for the red flags with frozen seafood that signal poor quality, it can still be a good product. And for many of us in landlocked states, that's the only way you're getting things like shrimp without paying through the nose. Thankfully, Sam's Club and Costco both have plenty of seafood in their freezers.

As for shrimp, Costco offers a bulk deal on 16/20s for $25.83 a pound. Sam's Club's most comparable product is a pack of 16/30s, so some of the shrimp will be a bit smaller, but it only sets folks back $9.98 per pound. There's a similar disparity in the price of frozen crab cakes. Member's Mark Hand Made Crab Cakes are $17.98 for six cakes in a package that's just over a pound. Costco's Rastelli's Jumbo Crab Cakes are larger, with 20 coming in a 5-pound package, but the cost is also inflated at $42 per pound.

One item both stores carry that can be had at a discount at Costco if you buy in bulk is Annasea Poke Bowl Trio Kits. Sam's Club offers one variety pack for $19.96, whereas Costco will sell folks 12 for roughly $9.92 a piece. Affordable breaded tilapia is also available at each store. Costco's tortilla-crusted tilapia is $15.99 for a 2-pound package, and Sam's Club's parmesan-crusted fish is slightly cheaper at $13.96 for 2.5 pounds. Costco may be a great grocery store for quality seafood, but for the best deals on fishy fare, Sam's Club is hands-down the destination to save some serious coin.