Depending on details, the $5 / month can be well worth it for what options open up. The rotisserie chicken is $5 and significantly larger than the $8-10 chickens anywhere else. If you just get 2 of those per month you could come out ahead.

The challenge with Costco is that the options aren’t always so similar. Sure, their price on Charmin is better than anywhere else, but is it cheaper than the Aldi brand? What about their organic vs cheap produce elsewhere? When I got a Costco membership, I did not save any money, but I have been getting better quality stuff. That said, I am not on a tight budget, so my shopping habits are different