5 Best Costco Baby Items to Save You Money

Have you been wondering about Costco baby stuff? Then this is the list for you.

Before having your baby, you may be thinking does Costco even have baby stuff? Indeed, many of the baby items are tucked away in store near the pharmacy so they’re easy to miss.

But yes, Costco is a great place to save money on high quality baby items!

This list is based on our personal experience actually using all the Costco baby products. Both our babies were Kirkland formula babies, used Kirkland baby wipes, and tried Kirkland diapers.

I’m a researcher and have been writing about being a frugal parent for almost four years. I’m here to help you analyze which Costco baby items are right for your family and budget.

Because, spoiler alert, not all Costco baby stuff is cheaper than other store brands.

Let’s dive in and find the best baby items at Costco.

🤩 Costco’s Kirkland Formula is an amazing deal that can’t be missed

1. Kirkland Formula

Costco’s Kirkland formula is an amazing deal. Not only is it much cheaper than name-brand formula, it is also great quality, ranking #1 on Wirecutter’s list of top formulas (source).

We personally chose Kirkland formula for it’s combination of good ingredients and good price. We wanted a formula that used lactose and not corn syrups as its carbohydrate.

Plus, Costco formula price simply cannot be beat. Doing some napkin math, we personally saved about $756 in a year over name-brand formula and $158 over store-brand formula by using Kirkland formula.

Our second baby was on formula during the 2022 formula shortage and I also appreciated the little steps Costco took to help: every employee we asked about supply during that period was knowledgable and helpful, and they limited how many you could purchase.

At Costco you can also find name brand formulas at a cheaper price, but their Kirkland brand is what really shines.

(psst… if you want to do a deep dive on how much it really costs to feed your baby, check out the results of my survey of over 100 breastfeeding and formula feeding moms.)

2. Big Pack of Rags

You probably haven’t seen this one on other lists of Costco baby finds. You were probably expecting diapers next, weren’t you?

Nope. A big pack of rags is what every baby parent really needs to buy at Costco.

You may not realize yet that what you need is an embarrassment of rags. But, do you know how many rags you go through after giving your six-month old yogurt?

Approximately a million.

Our Costco pack of 50 rags was by far the best baby purchase we have ever made. It is our #1 recommendation of things to get for new parents.

A big box of rags will:

• Make it easier to clean up the countless messes throughout the day
• Save you money on paper towels
• Allow you to have rag supplies throughout the house (you never know where your baby will take off their diaper and pee on the floor).

Babies are gross, just trust me on this one.

Rags can be a little hard to find in store. We found ours by the car supplies.

3. Kirkland Diapers

Kirkland diapers are Costco’s star baby item.

People love Kirkland diapers because they are very, very similar to Huggies at a cheaper price.

At Costco, you can get a pack of size 1 diapers for roughly $0.18 per diaper, compared to their Huggies costing $0.23. This works out to about a $10 savings per box of diapers.

Kirkland diapers are noticeably nicer than other store brand diapers like Target’s Up & Up (and I’ve tested out a lot of diapers).

However, those more premium features do some at a higher price tag. Kirkland diapers are not cheaper than other store-brand diapers.

While size 1 diapers at Costco are $0.18, Target brand diapers costs about $0.14 per diaper. That difference adds up when you think of how many diapers you’ll use.

That said, the quality of Kirkland diapers I’d say is far superior than Target Up & Up’s and definitely worth the extra cents.

4. Kirkland Wipes

I love Costco wipes. They’re substantial, affordable and not made of plastics.

As part of my diaper analyses I’ve bought basically every type of wipe on the market to compare them and Kirkland wipes came out on top.

What I like most about Kirkland wipes is that they are made of tencel, which is a plant-based fiber instead of a plastic polymer (source).

They’re also bigger and thicker than other wipes on the market, even popular Water Wipes. Their size is much appreciated when dealing with gross diaper changes.

The price of Costco wipes is slightly higher than some other store brands, but the difference is slight.

A similar pack of wipes at Wal-mart is $2 cheaper, but the quality just doesn’t compare.

For the quality, the Kirkland wipes price is such a good deal.

5. Pouches

Listen, I have a love-hate relationship with pouches. I stress about the packaging waste but my baby and toddler go nuts for them.

Plus, they’re an incredibly convenient snack to take on-the-go.

And they’re the only snack I feel comfortable giving my kids in the car (source), which is a godsent because their demands for car snacks are… aggressive.

That’s why at some point you’ll likely buy pouches and Costco is the place to get them.

Costco pouches are organic and include both fruits and veggies (one flavor has spinach and one has carrot).

Costco Kirkland pouches are the best price I’ve found for pouches anywhere. Aldi’s are close in price range but they are only apple sauce-based and don’t offer flavor variety.

Costco pouches are great for babies just starting to eat all the way up to toddlers running around like maniacs.

Like them or not, they’re a Costco baby item I buy every. single. trip.

Is a Costco Membership Required to Buy Costco Baby Products?

Generally, you need a membership card to physically shop in a Costco store. If you plan to be a regular Costco shopper, buying a membership is likely cost-effective and easier than using a workaround.

That said, there are still options for non-members to purchase Costco-brand items.

Non-members are able to shop online at Costco.com, with a 5% surcharge per item. Online items are sometimes a little more expensive than in store too.

For example, baby items are an extra buck or two per item generally. Orders under $75 are also subject to shipping charges, and non-members can’t take advantage of Costco-run sales.

Another possible loophole for non-members to shop in-person at Costco is to acquire a Costco gift card. Only members may purchase Costco Shop Cards, but they can be given to non-members for use in store (source).  

FAQs About Costco Baby Stuff

🤩 While Costco isn’t always cheaper, the quality of their baby products is much better other store-brands.