The 10 Best Costcos on Earth

One of the largest physical retail stores in the world, Costco is undoubtedly a household name. In addition to being one of the largest retailers in the world, Costco is also the most popular location to purchase just about anything in bulk, from peanut butter to clothes. 

From the start, Costco stands out thanks to its outstanding food court, samples, rotisserie chicken, Kirkland-branded everything, and cheap gas prices. It’s hard to argue that Costco is anything but special. Of course, this begs the question of which Costco stores must be visited in 2025 if you are truly a fan of this brand. 

10. South San Francisco

• Location: South Airport Boulevard
• Store size: 170,000 square feet
• Highlights: Unusually large selection of tech gadgets and electronics, health and wellness center
• Store hours: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Electronics Everywhere

Located in Silicon Valley, the heart of America’s tech heartbeat, Costco’s South Airport Boulevard location in San Francisco strongly emphasizes gadgets. There is a good chance you’ll find plenty of gadgets here you won’t find populating the aisles of any other Costco store since this location is said to experiment with new products to gauge a broader customer appeal.

9. Tiquilla, Mexico

• Location: Tiquilla, Mexico
• Store size: 175,000 square feet
• Highlights: Mexico-inspired foot court with plenty of local flavor and a terrific seafood collection 
• Store hours: 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM

Mexican Food Court

It’s tough to say no to the Tiquilla, Mexico Costco food court as soon as you walk into the store. You should go to this store hungry to enjoy the local Mexican cuisines that populate the food court to promote local flavors. Better yet, this Costco location is super supportive of the local community, which is very important to Mexican culture, making it a staple of the community. 

8. Vive La France

• Location: Villebon-sur-Yvette, France
• Store size: 160,000 square feet
• Highlights: More cheese than you could ever hope to find in one Costco store
• Store hours: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Wine And Cheese

While wine and cheese are undoubtedly plentiful all over France, you’ll be hard pressed to find a single retailer near this Costco location outside Paris with a more extensive wine and cheese aisle. Who can say no to giant wheels of brie paired with French rose and then topped off with French desserts? In other words, visiting this French location will be truly mouth-watering, leaving you with an empty wallet. 

7. Cumming, Georgia Highest-Rated Location 

• Location: Cumming, Georgia
• Store size: 148,000 square feet
• Highlights: Highest rated Costco in the world
• Store hours: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Highest-Rated Location 

Known as the highest-rated Costco in the country, this location ranks best for inventory control, sample quantity and quality, and the friendliness of the staff. While not everyone’s experience at this Costco will go well, this location will undoubtedly win over most customers, who will return to their local Costco stores hoping to find similarly smiling employees. 

6. Merida, Mexico

• Location: Merida, Mexico
• Store size: 150,000 square feet
• Highlights: Includes a natural sinkhole or cenote in the parking lot
• Store hours: 9:30 AM – 9:00 PM

Discover Nature In Merida

One of the more unusual aspects of a Costco location occurs in Merida, Mexico, where a natural cenote is found in the parking lot. Created by the “Chicxulub Crater,” this sinkhole is right there, illuminated by the parking lot at night. Thankfully, even after the Costco closes, visitors can visit this natural phenomenon anytime. What’s crazy about this crater is that while it was formed millions of years ago, it was only discovered in 2015, making it a relatively new discovery for Mexico. 

5. Salt Lake City

• Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
• Store size: 235,000 square feet
• Highlights: The largest Costco location in the world and a business center
• Store hours: 8:00 AM – 8:30 PM

Costco Giant

Whereas most Costco locations are only around 150,000 square feet, the Salt Lake City Costco location is approximately 235,000 square feet, which makes it the largest in the world. If you walked the entire perimeter of the store, you would walk approximately one-third of a mile. It’s said that employees who work in this store average around 10 miles of walking per day. As a bonus, this store also has one of the biggest walk-in refrigerator sections you can find at any Costco location worldwide. 

4. South Korea Prison Turned Costco

• Location: Gocheok, South Korea
• Store size: 150,000 square feet
• Highlights: This Costco location used to be the home of a prison 
• Store hours: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM

Prison Turned Costco

Before this Costco location turned up in Gocheok, South Korea, it was a former prison. Not only is this South Korea’s largest Costco location, but it was also the home of the Yeongdeungpo prison, which was redeveloped and repurposed into the current Costco location. Interestingly enough, this was also the first Costco location to be placed in a store rather than a stand-alone building. 

3. Mexico City

• Location: Mexico City, Mexico
• Store size: 150,000 square feet
• Highlights: Located underneath a park
• Store hours: 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM

It’s A Park And Costco

Designed to blend into the local environment, this Costco is well worth visiting to see how it’s set underneath a park. On top of the store’s roof, parking garage, and loading bay is a giant park and play area including a soccer field, walking trails, and a skate park. The store’s designer, Maribel Barba, specifically states it was built to “be hidden and merge with the natural landscape.” 

2. Alaska Capital Smallest Costco Location 

• Location: Juneau, Alaska
• Store size: ~square feet
• Highlights: Smallest Costco in the world, sells vital resources for the local community
• Store hours: 9:00 AM – 8:30 PM

Smallest Costco Location 

At only 76,696 square feet, the world’s smallest Costco is almost half the size of the company’s traditional 150,000 square feet locations. However, it’s tough to argue why this Costco ranks as one of the best in the world as it’s vitally important to the community. Due to Juneau’s limited access to the rest of the United States, it brings necessary resources to help residents survive the harsh Alaskan climate. 

1. Iwilei Costco

• Location: Oahu, Hawaii
• Store size: ~150,000 square feet
• Highlights: Busiest Costco in the world
• Store hours: 9:00 AM – 8:30 PM

World’s Busiest Costco

Currently regarded as the world’s busiest Costco location, revenue from this location is twice that of other Costco stores. In fact, this Costco is so popular and so busy that it’s said that one out of every four island residents have a membership. What’s also incredible about this location is that it achieves these sales numbers even as it’s not the only Costco on the island. If nothing else, visiting this Costco and ordering a $1.50 hot dog is a right of passage for the most die-hard brand fans. 

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