Hello, Would like to go to one of the Costco’s in Taipei, but
have no idea where either one of them are. Which one is
the biggest/has the best selection? Also, if I was using the
Taipei Central Train Station as a reference point, which one
would be the closest or easiest to get too? Any ideas, tips,
etc would be appreciated. The Dragon
There’s only one.
A NT$1,200 membership fee applies. It’s in Neihu. I think the easiest way is to take a train from Taipei main station to Songshan and get a cab there.
There is an old thread on the topic, however I can’t find it and bump it for you. 
I have never been there, though.
Hi Holger,
Thank you for the reply. According to the Costco web-site though, there are 2 in Taipei. The one in Neihu as you mentioned, and another in Shih Chih near the Chung San Expressway.
Perhaps someone else might know of it?
The Dragon.
I go to the Xijr one now, which is near my home, even though I work right next door to the Neihu one.
The Xijr Costco is all on one floor, it is rarely as crowded as the Neihu one (which is a living hell at weekends!), and they have pretty much the same stuff.
It is a bit far out unless you live in the Xijr, Donghu, or even Geelung area, which could be why it’s less crowded.
I think the SiJhih one is not that far from the Sijhih trainstation which is one stop beyond the Sungshan stop. You could also go to the last stop on the subway line that goes past City Hall. Then there is a bus that goes to Costco. Anyway, I like the Neihu Costco a little better, but it is usually crowded and never go there on the weekend. It is way too crowded then. For weekend runs go to the SiJhih one which is also kind of fun to go on a weekday too since it is totally empty at times. I once threw down the plastic covered matresses on the floor and rolled around on top to check the comfort level. You got the place to yourself. It’s fun, although the NeiHu one seems to have a few more products.
Hope this helps. Info taken from their Warehouse Locator
http://www.costco.com
[color=darkblue]Neihu, Taibei [/color]
Regular Hours:Monday - Sunday; 10:00 am - 9:30 pm
Warehouse Telephone #:
(02) 8791-0110
MAP:
[color=darkblue]
Xizhi, Taibei
[/color]
Regular Hours:
Monday - Friday; 10:00 am - 9:30 pm
Warehouse Telephone #:
(02) 2690-7335
MAP:
I went to the Nei Hu one today after work at 5.30 and it was quiet as a mouse. Then again, I usually do anything consumer related at lunch or dinner times here as I know the locals will be chowing down their noodles.
Do avoid Costco on Sundays or you’ll think your in Mucha zoo. The chimps have got nothing on a Taiwanese food fight over freebie samples!
I went to Costco once or twice in the States, and once here. Yeah, it’s great to get Tostitos for 82NT a bag, but I guess I’m one of the few that really hate the place.
There is no pleasure in shopping there. No customer service, no one to say “Welcome” when you walk in (OK, someone handing out flyers). You shop inside of a big honkin’ warehouse walking around on concrete floors. There is NO ambience whatsoever. You buy huge quantities of things that, if you pull out your calculator, really are NOT that cheap. Yes, free samples: Three kernels of popcorn in a tiny cup. Shoot me.
You stand in huge lines, battle crowds, and are humiliated when you finally get to the end because A) They don’t accept credit cards, and B) they make you get through a big pile of trash to get a box for your purchases. Excuse me, but aren’t you asking NT$1200 for a “membership”? I’m a member, and you make me crawl around in a pile of trash for a box?
I really think they are taking people for a big ride, and no one seems to mind. They don’t pay floor help, they don’t pay for bags, they don’t offer the convenience of paying by credit card, no comfort of carpeting or decor, and it’s still not that cheap! The printer I was looking at was NT $3000 cheaper right near my house!
I must be missing something. I like small shops. I like putting money into my community. I like people smiling at me, HELPING me! My father used to call it trading, as in “That family trades at our store”. I’m sure I’m prejudiced, but I prefer stores where the shopkeeper recognizes me. I’ll pay a little more to help out with the economic survival of my neighborhood. I saw what Wal-Mart did to the midwest of the United States - extinguished small towns, putting family-run businesses out on the street. So now we are exporting this to Asia? No thanks.
I understand many of you like Costco, even LOVE it. I just don’t get it, though. Not wrong for you, but it’s wrong for me. I’ll shop here, thanks.
Just my personal view…
uncle wiggly
i think costco has it’s own draws that differ based on location. only been to the costco in taiwan once, but i was absolutely amazed at the amount of american foods you could buy there. seriously, who in taiwan is buying the cheeze wiz they sell? 
no, i wouldn’t really count on taiwanese costco’s to have the cheapest prices on electronics(though the us costcos can have some great bargins on computers/electronics sometimes), but it’s about the stuff you can’t get easily anywhere else in taiwan. i can go to some boutique store in tienmu or something catering to rich foreigners and buy random american goodies…or i can go to costco and get a vastly larger selection at much cheaper prices. that’s why so many people on this board love costco.
the costcos in the states are awesome for 2 things, alcohol and meat/produce. i’ve been to costco’s with really amazing selections of wines and liquors at much cheaper prices than regular supermarkets/liquor stores. and they have a kick ass meat selection, as well. i used to buy fresh polish sausages and some steaks for the grill. we’re not talking about a tiny savings here, we’re talking like 30%-40% cheaper than the supermarkets near where i lived.
I am in Kaohsiung is there a sam’s club or costco here? if not what’s some nice center to go to…i heard the malls are always very crowded
No costco, no tesco, but you can get processed cheese slices in carrefour. Buy a car and go shopping in Taipei.
According to Costco’s website Kaohsiung has a Costco but it does not give an address.
Actually it does give an address…
656 Chung Hwa b[/b] 5th Road
Kaohsiung b[/b]
Taiwan
Their telephone number is (07) 338-0016
This info may be out of date, though, because it says the opening date is January 1997.
AH! Indeed there is an address, poor website design, there should be a line under the link for user friendlyness.
I’m with Uncle Wiggly on this one. I don’t pay money to become a member of a store. What a crock. Whoever thought up membership stores was a genius. P.T. Barnum must be proud.
I don’t need 12 of anything.
Lyrics from a song I wrote about Costco (and other Big Box stores)
[color=black]“Costco–I don’t go
Makro–you blow
Price Club–I won’t join
I don’t pay to shop
None of my cash
Is in your stash”[/color]
I do thank Sandman for giving me a free one-year membership years ago. Otherwise, I would never have known how much I dislike shopping with the SUV crowd in Taipei.
WTF Tim? You sat down and wrote a song about … SHOPPING? We need to go hiking!
Well, in my view shops are places where you buy things - you don’t sing about them.
I was in Costco once about a year ago. We walked in, shopped and even bought something…no problem
Yesterday, I mede a special trip over there for something and some Red Guard woman was carding everyone trying to enter. I was prohibited from going inside and spending my money on their wares.
I thought this was odd, turning away a person who was definitely prepared to spend money there.
Of course there is not way in hell I am going to pay a fee just to enter the establishment (what is it? over NT$1,000?). You’d have to be a restaruant owner to make that pay and even so, the concept is bullshit.
Yiyongjun Jinxingqu
Arise, ye who refuse to be slaves;
With our very flesh and blood
Let us build our new Costco!
The peoples of Taiwan are in a most critical time,
Everybody must protect his wallet.
Arise! Arise! Arise!
Millions of coldcuts with one purpose,
Brave Costco’s Red Guard’s flatulence,
March in!
Brave the other’s gullibility,
March in! March in! March in, in!
we went a few weeks back, thinking it was just another supermarket with some products that are not normally found in Taiwan.
It was so busy we decided a quick “in and out” was out of the question so filled a trolley with a few bits and pieces we normally would have bought at Tescos or similar.
When we fought our way to the counter, the lady said “card please”, to which we declined…well, it was like we shit in the bed or something. One of those Ally Mcbeal moments when the music gets ripped off and the whole store stared at us in disbelief.
Geez, friggin 1200 bucks later, a mug shot and blood tests and we we ‘allowed’ to buy our stuff.
I noticed that you can refund a membership if you’re not ‘satisfied’. I wonder, does annoyance at 20min to get into a carpark, 10 mins to get out, and dealing with thousands of people to get to the goods qualify an ‘unsatisfactory’ experience?
The only convenient time for us to go will be the weekends and I fear what we experienced was a typical weekend day at Costco.
Stay away from the Neihu Costco - go to the Xizhi one instead. It’s not half the zoo that the Neihu one is.