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Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi: What It Pays and What It Requires (2026)

ClearValue Lending··7 min read

TL;DR

The Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi is a no-annual-card-fee cash-back Visa available only to paid Costco members. It pays 5% on Costco gas, 4% on other gas/EV charging (up to $7,000/yr combined), 3% on dining and eligible travel worldwide, 2% on Costco and Costco.com purchases, and 1% on everything else, with no foreign transaction fee. The real cost isn't the card — it's the underlying Costco membership ($65–$130/year).

Citi (Citibank, N.A.)

Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi

No card fee cash-back Visa available exclusively to paid Costco members.

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$0
Citi card fee

No separate annual fee from Citi — membership fee still applies

5%
Top cash-back tier

Gas purchased at Costco stations

$65–$130/yr
Costco membership cost

Gold Star $65, Executive $130 — Costco fee schedule, Sept 2024

Aug 2026
Terms last verified

Confirm directly at Citi.com before applying

The Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi is one of the few major retail-affinity cards with no separate annual card fee — but it isn't free. Access requires an active, paid Costco membership, and the membership fee ($65–$130/year depending on tier) is really the card's cost.

The rewards structure

Per Citi's official product page (verified August 2026), the card pays:

Category Rate Notes
Gas at Costco 5% No cap
Other gas & EV charging 4% First $7,000/yr combined, then 1%
Restaurants & eligible travel 3% Worldwide
Costco & Costco.com 2% In-warehouse and online
Everything else 1% No cap

There's no foreign transaction fee and no charge for authorized users — both confirmed on Citi's site.

The real cost: Costco membership, not the card

Citi doesn't charge a card fee. Costco does charge a membership fee, and that fee increased in September 2024: Gold Star and Business memberships moved from $60 to $65/year; Executive memberships moved from $120 to $130/year. Executive members also get a separate 2% reward (capped at $1,250/year) on most Costco purchases — layered on top of, not instead of, the card's own cash-back rate.

Who this card actually pays off for

If you already shop at Costco regularly — gas, groceries, warehouse purchases — the 5%/4%/2% tiers add up fast with no annual card fee dragging on the math. If you rarely shop Costco, the membership fee alone can outweigh what you'd earn; a general 2% flat-rate card with no membership requirement may pay off better.

Compliance note

ClearValue Lending is not a bank, card issuer, retailer, or financial advisor. This is editorial content built from Citi's and Costco's own published disclosures. The Costco Anywhere Visa Card is issued and operated by Citibank, N.A.; Costco membership terms are set by Costco Wholesale. Rewards rates, fees, and membership costs may change — verify current terms at citi.com and costco.com before applying.

Sources & citations

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a Costco membership to get the Costco Anywhere Visa Card?+

Yes. Citi requires an active, paid Costco membership — Gold Star, Business, or Executive — to apply for or use the card. As of Costco's September 2024 fee increase, Gold Star and Business memberships cost $65/year and Executive memberships cost $130/year. The card itself carries no separate annual fee from Citi.

How is Costco Anywhere Visa cash back paid out?+

Citi accrues cash back on every purchase with no earning limit. Rewards are typically issued once a year as a certificate redeemable at U.S. Costco warehouses — confirm the current redemption mechanics and timing directly at citi.com/costco before relying on a specific payout date.

Does the Costco card charge foreign transaction fees?+

No. Citi does not charge foreign transaction fees on the Costco Anywhere Visa Card, and there's no fee to add authorized users — both confirmed on Citi's official product page as of August 2026.

What's the difference between Executive membership and the card's rewards?+

They're two separate reward mechanisms. The card pays cash back on purchases (5%/4%/3%/2%/1% by category). Costco's Executive membership tier ($130/year) additionally pays a separate 2% reward on most Costco purchases, capped at $1,250/year, regardless of which card you use. An Executive member using the Costco Anywhere Visa effectively stacks both rewards.

Is ClearValue Lending affiliated with Costco or Citi?+

No. ClearValue Lending is not a bank, card issuer, retailer, or financial advisor. This is editorial content built from Citi's and Costco's own published information. The Costco Anywhere Visa Card is issued and operated by Citibank, N.A.; membership terms are set by Costco Wholesale. Verify current fees and rewards at citi.com and costco.com before applying.

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