The Premium Imported Luxury You Can Buy At Costco (But There's A Twist)

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Although there are certain expensive items and luxury brands that may feel like a waste of money, some are just too good to pass up. Case in point: world famous Wagyu beef. Considered a luxury food item, Wagyu generally carries a high cost. However, this hasn't stopped friendly neighborhood warehouse retailer, Costco, from offering it to customers. 

Wagyu is beef that comes from special Japanese cattle and is considered especially flavorful and tender. However, if you want to taste Japanese Wagyu beef without having to visit a high-end restaurant, your options are limited. While some retailers might claim to sell Wagyu beef, much of it does not actually come from Japan. Instead, these stores likely sell an American version, which is often a crossbreed of Wagyu cattle with Angus cattle from the U.S.

Considering you typically save on groceries when you shop at Costco, you might be surprised to find that the warehouse retailer sells pricey Japanese Wagyu beef for hundreds of dollars. However, the catch is that this high-end beef is not available at physical Costco stores. Instead, members must purchase it through Costco's website.

Beef prices have been especially high in recent years. In fact, the price of beef steaks increased 16.3% from February 2025 to February 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). However, even American consumers who are used to buying steaks — which averaged $12.73 per pound in February 2026, according to the BLS – might experience sticker shock from Costco's Wagyu beef steaks. Four Japanese Wagyu New York 12-ounce strip steaks from Costco will set you back $469.99 in total, or roughly $156 per pound. For comparison, Sam's Club offers Two Japanese Wagyu New York 10.5-ounce strip steaks for $199.98 (or about $152.37 per pound).

For those looking for something a little less rich, Japanese Wagyu ground beef from Costco is $129.99 for a four-pound package — coming out to $32.50 per pound. For comparison, the BLS via FRED clocked the average cost of ground beef in the U.S. at $6.74 per pound in February 2026.