Costco vs Safeway in Edmonton: Which Is Actually Cheaper? (2026 Price Data)

Costco vs Safeway in Edmonton: The Real Numbers

We pulled every unflagged price submission for Costco and Safeway in Edmonton from our database: 179 prices at Costco across 4 locations and 42 prices at Safeway across 8 locations. Instead of guessing, here is what the data actually says.

A quick note on the data: Costco has 4x more price submissions, so we have richer data there. Many Safeway prices are marked as sale prices. Where possible, we compare using normalized per-kilogram rates to keep things fair.

Head-to-Head: Peanut Butter

This is the clearest comparison in our data. Costco sells Kraft Smooth Creamy peanut butter in a 1.36 kg jar for $8.99 ($6.61/kg). At Safeway, Compliments peanut butter in a 300 g container is $5.49 on sale ($18.30/kg). That is nearly 3x the per-kilogram cost. Even the smaller Safeway jars of Jif to go at $4.99 and generic peanut butter at $4.99 cannot compete on a per-kg basis with Costco's bulk jar.

Head-to-Head: Potatoes

Costco sells Russet Potatoes in a 6.8 kg bag for $10.99 ($1.62/kg). They also have a 2.27 kg bag on sale for $5.99 ($2.64/kg), down from $7.99. At Safeway, Red Potatoes (Compliments) are $4.99 on sale per package. Without knowing the exact weight of Safeway's bag, the big Costco bag at $1.62/kg is hard to beat if you have storage space.

Head-to-Head: Chicken Breast

Costco prices Skinless Chicken Breast at $15.29/kg across multiple locations. At Safeway, Kirkland Signature Chicken Breasts (Boneless Skinless) are listed at $6.88 on sale per package. Safeway's sale price looks attractive, but note it is a per-package price without a listed weight, making a direct per-kg comparison impossible from our data alone. If it is a standard 1 kg package, Safeway wins handily at sale price. If it is a smaller pack, Costco could still be competitive.

Head-to-Head: Ground Beef

Costco sells Lean Ground Beef at $12.89/kg (regular price). At Safeway, Save On Regular Ground Beef is $5.44 on sale (regular price $6.49) per package. Two caveats: Costco's is lean ground (typically 90/10), while Safeway's is regular ground (typically 73/27), and Safeway's price is per package without a listed weight. Even so, Safeway's sale price suggests competitive per-unit pricing on this staple.

Head-to-Head: Tomatoes

This is one category where Safeway clearly competes. Roma Tomatoes at Safeway are $2.49 for 1.36 kg ($1.83/kg) on sale, and Compliments Grape Tomatoes start at $2.29 on sale. Over at Costco, Roma on the Vine costs $5.99 for 0.91 kg ($6.60/kg) and bulk Tomatoes cost $8.99 for 1.36 kg ($6.61/kg). Safeway's sale-price tomatoes are over 3x cheaper per kilogram than Costco's regular prices.

Head-to-Head: Rice

Costco is the bulk rice champion. Kirkland Signature Thai Jasmine Rice costs $21.99 for 8 kg ($2.75/kg). At Safeway, Basmati Rice is $14.99 on sale, India Basmati Rice is $13.99 on sale, and Ben's Original White Rice is $11.48 on sale. Without listed weights for the Safeway bags, Costco's $2.75/kg on an 8 kg bag is almost certainly cheaper per kilogram for heavy rice buyers.

Head-to-Head: Cream Cheese

Costco has Philadelphia Cream Cheese at $10.49 on sale (regular $13.49). Safeway has James Farm Cream Cheese Spread at $2.99 on sale. Different brands and likely different sizes (Costco's Philadelphia is typically 1 kg), but if you only need a small amount, Safeway's $2.99 tub wins on out-of-pocket cost.

Costco-Only Highlights

Costco has massive selection that Safeway simply does not match in our data. Some standouts:

• 2% Milk: $5.96 for 4L ($1.49/L)
• Bananas: $1.99 for 1.36 kg ($1.46/kg)
• Burnbrae Large Free Run Eggs: $23.99 for 60 ($0.40 per egg)
• Chicken Thighs: $7.39/kg
• Kirkland Coffee pods: $48.99 for 120 ($0.41 per pod)
• Navel Oranges: $17.99 for 4.54 kg ($3.96/kg)
• Salmon Fillet: $34.99/kg
• Sour Cream 18% M.F.: $5.99 for 1L

Safeway Sale Highlights

Most Safeway prices in our data are sale-tagged, so take these as deal snapshots rather than everyday prices:

• Red Prince Apples: $2.47 on sale
• Compliments Grape Tomatoes: $2.29 on sale
• Roma Tomatoes: $2.49 for 1.36 kg ($1.83/kg) on sale
• Kellogg's Breakfast Cereal: $4.49 on sale
• Organic Onions: $4.99 on sale
• Armstrong Cheese: $5.99 on sale
• Compliments Gouda Cheese: $4.44 on sale
• Dempster Cinnamon Raisin Bread: $5.49 on sale

The Comparison Table

* Safeway items marked with an asterisk are sale prices and/or per-package prices without confirmed weight, so the real per-kg comparison may differ.

Bottom Line

Costco wins on bulk staples where the per-kilogram math is clear: peanut butter (3x cheaper per kg), potatoes ($1.62/kg), rice ($2.75/kg), milk ($1.49/L), eggs ($0.40 each), and chicken thighs ($7.39/kg). If you have storage space and a membership, these savings add up fast.

Safeway fights back with aggressive sale prices: tomatoes at $1.83/kg crush Costco's $6.60/kg, and small-format items like $2.99 cream cheese and $2.29 grape tomatoes keep your out-of-pocket spending low when you only need a little. The catch is that most Safeway prices in our data are sale prices, meaning regular prices are higher.

The honest answer? It depends on what you buy, how much you buy, and whether Safeway is running a sale. For a family stocking up on staples, Costco's bulk pricing is hard to beat. For a smaller household grabbing a few items, Safeway's sales can be genuinely cheaper on the specific items you need that day.

All prices from PriceHive's community-submitted database as of March 2026. Prices vary by location and change over time.

Help Us Settle the Costco vs Safeway Debate

This analysis is based on community-submitted prices from 25 stores across 14 chains in Edmonton (including City Market, Costco, Costco Business Center, FreshCo, Freshco Foods). The more prices our community submits, the more complete and accurate these comparisons become.

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