Which Is Cheaper for Halloween: Dollar Tree or Costco?

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If you’re trying to save on Halloween expenses this year, Dollar Tree and Costco could help you save. Find out which is cheaper for your budget here. 

In 2023, Americans are expected to spend a record-breaking $12.2 billion on Halloween, which is more than the GDPs of 37 countries and almost six times as much as the projected gross sales of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour ($2.2 billion and counting). That’s a lot of pumpkins, styrofoam tombstones, and hayrides.

This might be the most expensive Halloween on record, but that doesn’t mean you have to overspend to get into the season. If you want to celebrate without going over budget, buying your Halloween supplies at Costco and Dollar Tree could be your best bet. Both stores offer a variety of stuff. But if you had to pick one which one will save you more? To find out, let’s compare both stores on candy, costumes, and yard decorations.

Candy

Winner: Costco

Costco has low prices for most Halloween candy, but it’s not a knock-out winner. For some candy, Dollar Tree will actually give you more value for your dollar. To give you an idea, here’s how they compare on similar candy products:

The prices are close, but Costco takes the lead for most popular candies. It also has a 90 ounce variety pack of candies, including M&Ms, Twix, Snickers, and seven other types of candy, for $22.99. Dollar Tree doesn’t have a variety pack online that can compare with this.

It’s important to know that Dollar Tree sells candy in bulk online. For instance, you would have to buy $60 worth of Tootsie Pops, or about 16 pounds, to get it at that $3.70 per pound price. Costco also sells its candy in bulk, but in much more reasonable quantities. If you’re feeding a neighborhood or two, ordering your candy through Dollar Tree’s website might give you the best value for your dollar — that is, where it beats Costco (like on Tootsie Pops). For smaller quantities, you can buy your candy at a Dollar Tree store, or purchase it in smaller bulk packages from Costco.

Costumes

Winner: No contest

Comparing costumes from Dollar Tree with those at Costco isn’t apples to apples. In fact, Dollar Tree doesn’t sell costumes but rather accessories, while Costco does sell costumes for kids and dogs.

I’d say, if you want to buy your kid a costume for Halloween, Costco will sell you one for a very low price. Even though we can’t compare Costco with Dollar Tree for this category, we can definitely compare it with Amazon, especially since both brands sell many of the same Teetot costumes. For perspective on how low its prices are, here’s how Costco and Amazon compare:

Not every kid needs a full costume. In fact, it can be wasteful, as your kid will likely grow out of it before next Halloween. A DIY costume, on the other hand, could be more sustainable — both for your budget and waste management. If you can make a costume yourself, Dollar Tree could give you the cheapest materials. Most of what you find at Dollar Tree are accessories, like witch caps, wands, toy swords, and plastic tiaras. Truthfully, all you need do is crown a kid with a tiara and most people will get the idea.

Yard decorations

Winner: Dollar Tree

As with costumes, comparing Costco and Dollar Tree on yard decor isn’t exactly a fair matchup, since Costco sells only premium and large decorations, like pumpkin luminaries and a seven-foot animated mummy. If you already have Halloween decor, Costco may offer you some unique yard decorations to add to your collection. Otherwise, you might want to shop at Dollar Tree.

Dollar Tree’s Halloween decor is mostly small, cheap stuff, like skeleton hands, plastic witch cauldrons, lawn stakes, gel window clings, barricade tape — you know, the typical Halloween stuff. On the whole, it’s mostly lame, but it’s cheap and can put you and your neighbors in the Halloween spirit.

Which is better?

If personal finances are on your mind and you’re looking for a one-stop Halloween shop, it’s hard to beat Costco on candy and costumes. Its yard decorations are a bit pricey, however, and the variety is a little meh. Dollar Tree’s decorations aren’t the most unusual, extraordinary, or frightening, but you can at least buy more trinkets and cheap decor there.

Ultimately, if you’re trying to avoid getting carried away in the expected $12.2 billion Halloween onslaught, shopping at both Dollar Tree and Costco could give you the best bang for your buck. You might want to compare them to other retailers, too, like Walmart and Amazon, to see which has the best prices. In general, I’d stay away from Halloween outlet stores (like the ones haunting the buildings where a Bed, Bath, and Beyond used to be). Their stuff might be trendy, but it’s usually expensive and not often the best value.

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The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. The Motley Fool recommends Amazon.com, Costco Wholesale, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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