In short: There is no Costco in Guatemala. Costco’s own annual report lists 14 countries plus Puerto Rico, and Guatemala is not one of them — the nearest is Mexico. What Guatemala has is PriceSmart, a separate warehouse club founded by the creators of Price Club. It has seven clubs: five in and around Guatemala City, plus Escuintla and Xela. Membership is Q355 a year (Diamond) or Q710 a year (Platinum). Platinum’s 2% reward only pays back its extra Q355 once you spend about Q17,750 a year on eligible items. A Costco card is for Costco’s own warehouses; PriceSmart sells its own membership.
Guatemala does have a warehouse club, under a different name and with a different card. Every fact below comes from Costco’s and PriceSmart’s own annual reports and PriceSmart Guatemala’s website, all read on 24 September 2026.
Costco vs PriceSmart at a glance
| Costco | PriceSmart | |
|---|---|---|
| In Guatemala? | No | Yes — 7 clubs |
| Nearest location | Mexico (Costco’s own country list) | Guatemala City, Mixco, Fraijanes, Escuintla, Xela |
| Company | Costco Wholesale Corporation | PriceSmart, Inc. — founded in 1996 by Sol and Robert Price, the creators of Price Club |
| Standard membership | US$65 in the US (Costco’s 10-K) | Q355 / year Diamond (PriceSmart Guatemala) |
| Reward tier | Executive: 2% reward | Platinum: Q710 / year, 2% reward on most purchases, capped at Q3,900 / year |
| Which card gets you in? | A Costco membership, at Costco’s own warehouses | A PriceSmart membership, sold online or at the club |
Is there a Costco in Guatemala? The company’s own answer
Costco’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended 31 August 2025 — its latest, since the 2026 report had not been filed when we checked — lists where it runs warehouses: the United States and Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Japan, the United Kingdom, Korea, Australia, Taiwan, China, Spain, France, Sweden, Iceland and New Zealand. That is 914 warehouses worldwide, and none is in Central America. Costco says members can use their membership at all its warehouses. For someone living in Guatemala, the closest of those is across the border in Mexico.
PriceSmart: Guatemala’s warehouse club
PriceSmart runs membership warehouse clubs in Central America, the Caribbean and South America. Its annual report says it was founded in 1996 by Sol and Robert Price, the creators of Price Club, the original warehouse club operator. PriceSmart opened its seventh Guatemalan club in August 2025, and its club page lists seven in Guatemala — as many as Panama, and behind only Costa Rica and Colombia at ten each.
All seven clubs, with hours
From PriceSmart Guatemala’s club page (read 2026-09-24):
| Club | Address (as PriceSmart lists it) | Hours | Pharmacy | Tyre centre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miraflores | 21 avenida 7-90, Zona 11, Guatemala City | Mon–Sun 9:00–20:30 | Yes | Yes |
| Pradera | 22 Ave. 18-46, Zona 10, Guatemala City | Mon–Sat 9:00–20:30; Sun 9:00–20:00 | Yes | — |
| Aranda | Bulevar Lourdes toward Zona 5, 500 m from the Cuatro Caminos overpass, Guatemala City | Mon–Sat 9:00–20:30; Sun 9:00–20:00 | Yes | Yes |
| San Cristóbal | 5ta avenida 3-05, sector A3, zona 8 de Mixco, Bulevar Principal San Cristóbal | Mon–Sat 9:00–20:30; Sun 9:00–20:00 | Yes | Yes |
| Fraijanes | Km 20.5, Carretera a El Salvador | Mon–Sat 9:00–20:30; Sun 9:00–20:00 | Yes | Yes |
| Escuintla | Km 60, carretera CA-2 Occidente, Escuintla | Mon–Fri 9:30–20:30; Sat 9:00–20:30; Sun 9:00–20:00 | Not listed | — |
| Xela | 0 calle 37-120, zona 8, Quetzaltenango | Mon–Sat 9:00–20:30; Sun 9:00–20:00 | Yes | — |
Every club lists an optical centre (eye exams 11:00–19:00), a bakery, a rotisserie, a fast-food counter, Click & Go pickup, business services and delivery. One WhatsApp number covers all seven: (502) 5690-1000. PriceSmart’s annual report also says it has signed a lease to relocate the Miraflores club to a new site next to the current one. The same report gives two timings: one passage expects the move in the second half of 2026, another in the first half of 2027. Check the club page before you drive there.
Living in Antigua or at the lake? There is no club in Sacatepéquez. PriceSmart’s Guatemala home page advertises home delivery in Antigua: you order online, schedule the delivery, and it comes to your door. For Lake Atitlán, the nearest clubs are in Guatemala City or Xela. Our grocery guide has the market and supermarket options closer to home.
How much a PriceSmart membership costs
From PriceSmart Guatemala’s local conditions page, last updated 23 July 2026:
| Membership | Annual price | Cards included | Extra cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond | Q355 | Main card + 1 additional | — |
| Platinum (listed as Diamond Platinum) | Q710 | Main card + 1 additional | — |
| Business | Q355 | Main card + 1 additional | Up to 3 more at Q135 each |
| Business Platinum | Q710 | Main card + 1 additional | Up to 3 more at Q179 each |
A few rules from the same pages:
- You must be 18 or older to buy or renew a membership, and to buy alcohol or tobacco.
- Payment at the club: cash, Visa, Mastercard and Amex. Online: Visa, Mastercard and Amex debit or credit cards, charged in quetzales.
- Memberships can’t be shared. PriceSmart says they are for the exclusive use of the main member and their additional cards.
- Where to buy: online (Membership → Buy Membership) or at any club’s Member Services counter. You can also give a membership as a gift card, which the recipient redeems at a club.
- Tobacco isn’t delivered. Delivery orders go out without tobacco products; Click & Go pickup allows them, and you may be asked for ID.
Does Platinum pay for itself? The math
Platinum costs Q355 more a year than Diamond. PriceSmart says it pays a 2% reward on most purchases — “la mayoría de tus compras”, so not every item qualifies. It is capped at Q3,900 a year in Guatemala.
| Your yearly spend on reward-earning items | 2% reward | Platinum vs Diamond |
|---|---|---|
| Q10,000 (≈ Q833/month) | Q200 | Diamond is Q155 cheaper |
| Q17,750 (≈ Q1,479/month) | Q355 | Break-even |
| Q30,000 (≈ Q2,500/month) | Q600 | Platinum ahead by Q245 |
| Q195,000 and up | Q3,900 (the cap) | Platinum ahead by Q3,545 |
Our arithmetic from PriceSmart’s published prices, reward rate and cap. PriceSmart also says an upgrade from Diamond is prorated by the time left on your membership, so upgrading mid-year costs less than the full difference.
Rule of thumb: a household spending less than about Q1,480 a month at PriceSmart on reward-earning items is better off on Diamond. Promotions, like the Q200 welcome certificate PriceSmart ran for Platinum upgrades in August 2026, change the math for that year only. Check what is running when you join.
Where PriceSmart fits
Our grocery guide compares PriceSmart with the markets, La Torre and Walmart/Paiz. Besides groceries, every club lists optical services and all but Escuintla list a pharmacy (club page, 2026-09-24). Our Guatemala City pharmacy directory lists the alternatives.
Related
- Grocery shopping in Guatemala — markets, supermarkets and weekly costs
- Shipping to Guatemala — when a US item is not sold here at all
- Cost of living in Guatemala
Sources
- Costco Wholesale Corporation — Form 10-K, fiscal year ended 31 August 2025 (SEC EDGAR): https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/909832/000090983225000101/cost-20250831.htm — read 2026-09-24.
- PriceSmart, Inc. — Form 10-K, fiscal year ended 31 August 2025 (SEC EDGAR): https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1041803/000104180325000060/psmt-20250831.htm — read 2026-09-24.
- PriceSmart Guatemala — Local Conditions (membership prices, reward cap, payment methods; last updated 23 July 2026): https://www.pricesmart.com/en-gt/local-conditions — read 2026-09-24.
- PriceSmart Guatemala — club locations and hours: https://www.pricesmart.com/es-gt/clubes-locaciones — read 2026-09-24.
- PriceSmart Guatemala — Smart Platinum FAQ: https://www.pricesmart.com/es-gt/smart-platinum — read 2026-09-24.
Prices, hours and club locations change. Confirm on PriceSmart Guatemala’s site before you go. Information current as of 24 September 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a Costco in Guatemala?
No. Costco’s annual report for the year to 31 August 2025 lists the countries where it runs warehouses — the US and Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Japan, the UK, Korea, Australia, Taiwan, China, Spain, France, Sweden, Iceland and New Zealand. Guatemala is not on it, and Mexico is the closest. Guatemala’s warehouse club is PriceSmart.
Is PriceSmart the same company as Costco?
No. PriceSmart is a separate company. Its own annual report says it was founded in 1996 by Sol and Robert Price, the creators of Price Club, the original warehouse club operator. It works the same way as Costco: you pay a yearly membership to shop in large-format clubs.
How much is a PriceSmart membership in Guatemala?
PriceSmart Guatemala’s local conditions page (last updated 23 July 2026) lists Q355 a year for the Diamond membership and Q710 a year for Platinum. Each includes the main card and one additional card. Business and Business Platinum cost the same, with extra cards at Q135 and Q179 each.
How many PriceSmart stores are in Guatemala?
Seven, according to PriceSmart’s club page (checked 2026-09-24): Miraflores, Pradera, Fraijanes, San Cristóbal, Aranda, Escuintla and Xela (Quetzaltenango). Five are in and around Guatemala City. There is none in Antigua, but PriceSmart advertises home delivery there for online orders.
Can I use my US Costco card at PriceSmart?
Neither company says you can. They are separate companies with separate memberships. Costco’s annual report says its members can use their membership at all Costco warehouses and websites, and the nearest to Guatemala is in Mexico. PriceSmart sells its own membership online or at a club’s Member Services counter, and its pages describe no arrangement with Costco.
Is PriceSmart Platinum worth it over Diamond?
Only if you spend a lot. Platinum costs Q355 more a year than Diamond and pays a 2% reward on most purchases. At 2%, that extra Q355 comes back once you spend about Q17,750 a year on items that earn the reward — roughly Q1,480 a month. Below that, Diamond is cheaper. The reward is capped at Q3,900 a year in Guatemala.
