Costco is a members-only wholesale supermarket with some of the lowest prices in Hawaii.
In Hawaii, you’ll often hear locals pronounce “Costco” as “Costco,” dropping the ‘t’ sound.
If you’re a regular Costco shopper, you might think, “Why go to Costco while I’m in Hawaii?” But the truth is, Costco in Hawaii is a treasure trove of souvenirs!
You’ll find a wide variety of Hawaii-exclusive items that you can’t buy at other locations, such as aloha shirts and dried fruits.
Although the quantities are large, they are perfect for buying souvenirs in bulk to give out, for your own use at home, or for stocking up on gifts.
If you’re looking to shop smart and save money, be sure to check it out!
Costco Membership Prices
Costco offers three types of memberships: Gold Star and Business (both $60/year), and Executive ($120/year).
Each membership allows you to receive two cards!
The benefits available to Executive members that Gold Star and Business members don’t have include:
- A 2% cash back reward, up to $500 annually.
- Additional savings on Costco Travel products.
- Extra discounts on various services.
If you spend over $3,000 a year at Costco, the Executive membership is a better deal.
By the way, your existing Costco membership card from your home country will grant you entry into any Costco in Hawaii, so be sure to bring it with you if you plan on visiting during your stay!
Please note that, unlike some Costco locations in other countries, Costco in Hawaii only accepts Visa for credit card payments.
Top 7 Best Souvenirs at Costco
While there are many souvenirs you can buy at Costco, most tourists tend to choose similar items.
So, here are some of the most popular products that customers frequently buy!
Hawaiian Host
Hawaiian Host products are extremely popular as small gifts to hand out to friends and family!
Popular items include the Island Trio, which contains 36 individually wrapped macadamia nut chocolates perfect for souvenirs, and the classic AlohaMacs macadamia nut chocolates.
Both of these products can be purchased for less than half the price you would pay in Waikiki.
Mauna Loa
When you think of Hawaiian souvenirs, Mauna Loa macadamia nuts are one of the first things that come to mind.
You can get a value pack of six cups, the same kind sold individually in Waikiki!
They come in four varieties: Sea Salt, Garlic, Honey Roasted, and an Assortment pack (a mix of five flavors). They are a perfect choice for a slightly more premium souvenir to give out.
Maui Style
A personal recommendation is the incredibly popular Maui Style potato chips.
In particular, I honestly believe the Maui Onion flavor might be the most delicious potato chips in the world.
When it comes to potato chips in Hawaii, this is the definitive choice, and it’s sold in large, budget-friendly bags.
While you won’t find this size in Waikiki, the price per ounce is less than a third of what you’d pay there.
Kona Brewing Company
Among the many varieties of local Hawaiian beer, Kona beer is the most popular.
Beer prices vary greatly from store to store, but at Costco, you can get it for about $1 per bottle.
The very same beer often costs around $7 to $8 in Waikiki restaurants, so if you enjoy a drink, Costco is the place to go.
Costco has such a massive selection of alcohol you’d think it was a liquor store, so you can find pretty much anything you’re looking for!
Honolulu Cookie Company
In Waikiki, you can find Honolulu Cookie Company stores just about everywhere.
These cookies are a very popular souvenir, loved for their adorable pineapple shape and irresistibly crisp texture.
And at Costco, you can buy these famous cookies for about half the price you’d pay in Waikiki.
While the selection isn’t as wide, it’s great that they stock the most popular varieties for souvenirs!
For reference, the products in this photo are the Chocolate Chip cookies and the Ultimate Collection (which includes three different cookie varieties).
Cooke Street
When it comes to high-quality aloha shirts at an affordable price, Cooke Street is the brand to know!
There are many aloha shirt brands, but the quality of a Cooke Street shirt is comparable to that of brands that cost around $100.
While the designs are a bit different from high-end brands like Tori Richard or Kahala, you can get a great shirt for around $20.
In fact, many business professionals in Hawaii wear aloha shirts as their work uniform, so these are marketed toward locals!
If you were to buy a shirt of the same quality in Waikiki, it would likely cost you around $35 to $40.
American Brand Electronics
Electronics from popular American brands are another hidden gem!
Products from top brands are generally sold at a standard price worldwide, but for some reason, they’re cheaper at Costco.
The reason for this is Costco’s immense buying power and their regular sales events.
Even items that are typically only sold at full retail price are discounted here.
I’d say you can generally expect to pay about 10-20% less than at a typical retail store.
Top 3 Cheapest Items at Costco
Now I’d like to introduce a few items that might not be suitable as souvenirs but are fantastic deals if you can buy them.
While everything at Costco is a good value, I’ve focused on some of the most distinctive deals!
Gift Cards
Gift cards for various restaurants, services, and leisure facilities.
These are probably the top item that you can truly say is a “Costco-exclusive” deal!
I’ve picked out a few examples that are popular with tourists.
For example, you can often find great discounts: a $100 gift card for the popular steakhouse Ruth’s Chris for $80, two admission tickets to the Wet’n’Wild water park (a $98 value) for $57, or a $100 Uber Eats gift card for $80.
Some of these gift cards can be used not only at locations in Hawaii but also worldwide!
Rotisserie Chicken
When you think of a signature Costco item, the rotisserie chicken always comes to mind.
A whole roasted chicken for the incredible price of $4.99—another deal you’ll only find at Costco!
It’s the first product that comes to mind when thinking about their concept of selling large items at low prices.
The $9.99 pizza is also popular, but I think the chicken is still number one.
Large TVs
Large TVs can be purchased for about a quarter of the price they sell for in some other countries.
This is more of a characteristic of the U.S. market than just Costco, but TVs are sold incredibly cheap here!
One reason for this is that the TV itself doesn’t include broadcast channel packages; you need a separate subscription for that.
In a sense, you’re essentially just paying for the display.
You can buy a 65- to 70-inch TV for around $350-$400.
While you won’t be able to watch local broadcast TV from your home country, you can still use YouTube and other internet streaming services, which might be all you need in this day and age.
Costco Basic Information
| Name | Costco Wholesale |
| Address | 4589 Kapolei Pkwy, Kapolei, HI 96707 |
| Map | |
| Hours | 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM (Mon-Fri) 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM (Sat) 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Sun) |
| Closed | None |
| Restrooms | Available |
| Parking | Available (Free) |
| Number of Stores | 4 locations on Oahu (Kapolei, Iwilei, Waipahu, Hawaii Kai) |
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