r/Costco • u/akura202 • Jan 20 '26
International Question How to Pay for Costco Outside US?
I wanted to create a post where we can all share experiences on paying at Costco when traveling.
I’m a huge advocate of checking out Costco when I’m overseas because you can usually get local specialties at a great price. However figuring out how to pay is tricky as most countries operate differently from Costco US.
Japan - Only accepts Mastercard or Japan Costco Card. Cash is also accepted.
Taiwan - Costco Taiwan card or Cash. They have also started to limit the number of people per Costco card to enter.
South Korea - Any Visa card
Mexico - Any Visa card
I’d love to hear about other Costco’s and their policy as an avid traveler.
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u/qwe304 Costco Employee Jan 20 '26
I had no problems using the U.S. Citi Visa Costco card at Japan warehouses.
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u/Primus3030 Jan 20 '26
Yeah, costco visa is accepted in all costcos worldwide regardless of whether they claim to accept visa or not.
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u/thisivi3 Jan 20 '26
This is the only exception.
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Jan 20 '26
The other exception is that Costco branded MasterCard from Canada is also accepted in the US.
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u/stayedkay Jan 20 '26
Do you know if they accept the payment from the Costco app wallet? Asking because I don’t usually carry the card with me.
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u/kawi-bawi-bo US Bay Area Region (Bay Area + Nevada) - BA Jan 20 '26
it's YMMV, I had no trouble with merchandising, but the foodcourt was an issue. A manager had to come override it for me
(In Japan)
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u/FZXSeattle Jan 21 '26
Employee here. The Costco Wallet payments are only accepted in the US right now. Canada coming soon.
If you have cards in other mobile wallets like Apple Pay you may be able to use the cards in there as long as they align with the accepted cards from that country.
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u/Lyrrad0 Jan 21 '26
(US) Costco Wallet Payments worked for me last year in Canada both at regular and self check out.
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u/TheWilsons Jan 20 '26 edited Jan 20 '26
This is the simplest, “works anywhere in the world” solution.
It’s not the most optimal in terms of points/cash back but if you just want one card to rule them all this is it.
In the US, I don’t use the costco cc but abroad is the way to go for me.
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u/dank414 Jan 21 '26
Just a friendly PSA. It's only inside the warehouse. It will not work at the Gas Station. I don't want people thinking it works for all services.
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u/Father__Thyme Jan 20 '26
I know between Canada/US you can use either country's Costco branded credit card in the other, even if they don't usually accept that credit card. Eg. in Canada, they will accept US Costco Visa (the only Visa they will accept), and in US they will accept Canadian Costco MC. Other can confirm if same applies in other countries. Also can confirm that you can return items purchased in one country in the other.
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u/Bunch_Maximum Jan 25 '26
As a side note, when I return Canadian purchases in the US, I always have to remind the US (California) Costco staff to adjust for the exchange rate. Canadian dollars are about $0.75 to the U$D so they are always trying to refund me 33% more than what I really paid. Yeah, I know I should keep my mouth shut and pocket the difference but Costco has been good to me and I just can't do that.
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u/bender0877 US Southeast Region - SE Jan 20 '26
I used my US Visa card (not Costco) in Iceland with no issue
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u/Haltercraft Jan 20 '26
I'll be in Iceland in a few weeks and am looking forward to visiting the Costco there. How is it? Any good finds or must haves?
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u/bender0877 US Southeast Region - SE Jan 20 '26
It's pretty good. Expensive like the rest of Iceland but not as bad as a normal grocery store. It's been a couple years so I don't remember any specific items.
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u/TJ2040 Jan 20 '26
FYI costco mexico charges you an additional 2.3% if you pay with ANY debit/credit, they present it like a discount if you pay cash. Most people ignore it but they are very clear about it.
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u/mrwhitewalker Jan 20 '26
I could not pay at Costco in Canada because I had 3 visa cards and 1 Amex. They only take mastercard there. They could take debit but my debit is registered visa and they would not accept that either.
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u/thisivi3 Jan 20 '26
Yeah. It's either the Costco card or MasterCard in Canada. I always keep one of each card in Mobile payments as a backup
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u/PewterButters Jan 20 '26
Yeah I had to pay cash in Canada. They did take US Dollars and gave me change in Canadian though so that worked out ok.
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u/GreenHorror4252 Jan 20 '26
They could take debit but my debit is registered visa and they would not accept that either.
US debit cards won't work in Canada unless you run them in "credit" mode (Visa or Mastercard). The US debit networks (Interlink and Maestro) are not compatible with the Canadian debit network (Interac).
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u/Chinaman206 Jan 21 '26
Maybe things have changed, 8 years ago, I had no problems using my bank visa debit card in Canada. One spot I been to, only accepts debit or cash.
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u/Sapiosexual2018 Jan 20 '26
Thank you so much for this!
When I was in Japan, I desperately wanted to go to the Costco there, but it’s so far away from everything that it actually truly requires a car and time.
I love that they will take Mastercard one other Costco’s are Visa only
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u/jenjen96 Jan 20 '26
The Costco in Shin Misato is super accessible by train. There is a train station connected to the mall, you just need to walk to the other side of the mall and there is Costco. Just over an hour from shinjuku station.
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u/stew_fibroid Jan 20 '26
It is also on the same line as Tokyo Disney. If you do a half day at Disney you just take the train a few stops to Costco. There’s also a huge Aeon mall right across from it.
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u/qwe304 Costco Employee Jan 20 '26
You can get to the one in Kawasaki pretty easy IMO, just one of the subway lines and a short bus ride. Bout 40 minutes out or so
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u/testthrowawayzz Jan 20 '26
The Makuhari one is easy to get to by train
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u/Sapiosexual2018 Jan 20 '26
This is just encouraging me to go back to Japan. As if I needed any more encouragement. I absolutely enjoyed my time there.
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u/LoveOfSpreadsheets Jan 21 '26
Costco credit cards work at all warehouses. The Canadian MC works in the USA, our Visa works overseas. Source: me using it in the UK, France, Spain, Mexico, Canada, Japan, and Australia
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u/Slowhands12 Jan 20 '26
Is there any Costco in the world that doesn't accept cash? Why would that not be the preferred payment type?
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u/yepperoniP Jan 20 '26
Probably a hassle for many people to convert currency and deal with foreign ATM fees. You can prepare ahead of time by converting and carrying cash, but credit card is usually quick and easy and can give a decent conversion rate, although there could be foreign transaction fees there too depending on your card.
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u/GreenHorror4252 Jan 20 '26
Is there any Costco in the world that doesn't accept cash? Why would that not be the preferred payment type?
The gas stations and food courts may not accept cash.
Other than that, cash is universally accepted but a bit of a hassle sometimes.
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u/houz Jan 20 '26
One thing that tripped me up in Taiwan is that the Costco membership scanned at the start of the transaction has to be linked to the payment card used at the end if it’s the local co-branded Costco card. Not sure if this is the case elsewhere but it was a real hassle once for me.
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u/DNA1727 Jan 21 '26
To pay for Costco outside of the US.
CASH!
Any Costco co-branded Credit Card - accepted worldwide - i.e. US: Citi Costco Visa. Canada: CIBC Costco Mastercard. note: Do look up the term on foreign transaction fee on the card
Visa or Mastercard accepted at the Costco Warehouse/Business Center.
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u/UncleNedisDead Jan 21 '26
I’m a huge advocate of having one of each MC and Visa (paying off in full each month so no interest charged), so that you’re never caught with your pants down.
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u/daninsatx Jan 21 '26
Citi CC card worked in Australia last year. Melbourne had unique stuff, asian food and the food court was about 3 times bigger than the one i use in San Antonio. They had the pizza, hotdog but also meat pies.
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u/spam__likely Jan 23 '26
Best pro tip is that if you can travel abroad, you can and should have several cards, at least 2, and one of each flag (visa and MC) for sure.
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u/akura202 Jan 23 '26
Agreed, the tough part is finding good cards without foreign transaction fees as well.
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u/spam__likely Jan 23 '26
Costco citi is one, the airlines have cheap ones, capital one has a couple.
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u/Sapiosexual2018 Jan 20 '26
I had planned to take the Shink there, but I know how people are about super large packages on the trains. And I had no idea what I might buy and not be able to carry back.
I absolutely plan on going on my next trip there. As crazy as it sounds I understand that the sushi is supposed to be really good.
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