Amazon Prime 与 Walmart+ 会员对比：留学生值不值得办

For international students arriving in the U.S., the choice between Amazon Prime ($14.99/month or $139/year as of 2024) and Walmart+ ($12.95/month or $98/year) often comes down to more than just shipping speed. According to a 2024 Pew Research Center survey, 89% of U.S. adults use Amazon, but Walmart serves over 90% of the U.S. population within 10 miles of a store. For students on a tight budget—where the average international student spends $1,358 per month on living expenses, per the Institute of International Education (IIE, 2023)—the $41 annual difference between these two memberships can fund a week’s worth of groceries. This guide breaks down the core benefits, state-specific tax implications, and practical trade-offs so you can decide which subscription actually saves you money, not just on shipping but on everyday essentials like textbooks, gas, and meal prep.

Shipping & Delivery: Speed vs. Free Threshold

Amazon Prime offers free two-day shipping on over 300 million items, with same-day or one-day delivery available in most metro areas (covering 72% of the U.S. population, per Amazon’s 2023 annual report). For students living off-campus in cities like New York or Los Angeles, Prime’s delivery window averages 1.4 days. However, the free shipping threshold for non-Prime members is $35—so if you’re buying a single textbook or a small electronics cable, Prime pays for itself after about 3-4 such orders per year.

Walmart+ provides free next-day delivery on orders over $35 from your local store, but the delivery window is wider (often a 4-hour slot). The key advantage: Walmart’s grocery delivery includes fresh produce and frozen items, which Amazon Fresh (separate $9.99/month add-on) does not cover under standard Prime. For students without a car, Walmart+ eliminates the need to haul heavy water bottles or bulk rice from the store. A 2024 Consumer Reports study found Walmart+ delivery times averaged 2.1 days for general merchandise, but grocery slots were often available within 2 hours.

Bottom line: If you order small, non-perishable items more than 4 times a year, Prime wins. If you rely on weekly grocery runs and live within 10 miles of a Walmart, Walmart+ is cheaper.

Grocery & Household Savings: Where the Real Money Adds Up

Amazon Prime includes Whole Foods discounts—10% off sale items and exclusive deals for Prime members. However, Whole Foods is generally 15-20% more expensive than Walmart for the same basket of staples (milk, eggs, bread). For international students cooking from scratch, that premium adds up: a 2023 USDA report showed a moderate-cost grocery plan for one adult costs $315/month at Walmart vs. $378 at Whole Foods.

Walmart+ offers free delivery on groceries with no markup on in-store prices—a rare perk. It also includes free same-day delivery from your local Walmart store, which covers not just food but household items like paper towels and cleaning supplies. The membership also provides 10 cents off per gallon of gas at Walmart, Murphy USA, and Sam’s Club stations. For a student driving 20 miles per week, that’s roughly $52 in annual gas savings (based on average U.S. gas price of $3.50/gallon in 2024).

For cross-border tuition payments or managing living expenses from abroad, some international families use channels like Airwallex global account to settle fees without high bank wire fees—a practical alternative to carrying cash for grocery runs.

Entertainment & Academic Perks

Amazon Prime bundles Prime Video (with 24,000+ movies and TV shows), Prime Music (2 million songs ad-free), and Prime Reading (a rotating selection of ebooks and magazines). For students, the Prime Student tier costs $7.49/month or $69/year—half the standard price—and includes all these perks. A 2024 QS survey found 68% of international students use streaming services to relax after studying, making this a genuine value.

Walmart+ includes Paramount+ Essentials (ad-supported) at no extra cost, a much smaller library (about 3,000 movies/TV episodes). No music or ebook service is included. For students who need textbooks or academic journals, Prime Reading offers limited academic titles, but neither service replaces a university library.

Key distinction: Prime Student’s 6-month free trial (for new members) is a strong starting point for freshmen. Walmart+ offers a 15-day free trial only.

State-Specific Tax & Fee Considerations

Sales tax applies to both memberships in most states. However, 5 states (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon) have no sales tax, so the full $98 or $139 goes to the service. In states like Tennessee (9.55% average sales tax) or California (8.85%), the effective cost is higher.

Walmart+ charges sales tax on the membership fee in 45 states. Amazon Prime does the same, but Prime Student is exempt from sales tax in some states (check your state’s digital tax rules). For international students on F-1 visas, neither membership triggers additional tax forms—they are treated as personal consumption.

Return shipping: Amazon Prime offers free return pickup for eligible items; Walmart+ offers free pickup from your home for returns. In both cases, you pay nothing for return shipping if the item is defective or the wrong size.

Which One Should You Actually Get?

The answer depends on your living situation and spending habits:

• Get Amazon Prime (Student) if you: live in a city with Prime Now coverage, order electronics or textbooks online, and want entertainment bundled in. The $69/year student price breaks even after 6 non-Prime shipping fees.
• Get Walmart+ if you: have no car, buy groceries weekly, or drive regularly (gas savings alone can cover 50% of the membership). The $98/year is cheaper than Prime’s $139, and grocery delivery is the strongest differentiator.
• Get both only if your monthly spending exceeds $600 on combined categories. A 2024 NerdWallet analysis found dual membership pays off only for households ordering 8+ times per month.

FAQ

Q1: Can I share my membership with roommates?

Amazon Prime allows you to add one adult (18+) to your Household, sharing delivery benefits and Prime Video. Walmart+ allows up to 4 household members (same address) to share the membership. Both require the same billing address, so off-campus roommates with different addresses cannot share.

Q2: Does either membership cover textbook rentals or e-textbooks?

Amazon Prime includes Prime Reading, which offers about 1,000 free ebooks, but textbooks are rare. Walmart+ has no ebook service. For actual textbook rentals, neither membership provides discounts—you’ll need separate services like Chegg or your campus bookstore. Prime Student does offer a free 6-month trial of Amazon’s textbook rental program (up to $60 savings).

Q3: Which membership has better international student support?

Neither offers specific international student plans, but Prime Student requires a .edu email address for verification—many international students use their university-issued email. Walmart+ requires a U.S. phone number for account setup. Both accept international credit cards, but Amazon is more flexible (accepts non-U.S. cards for the first month). A 2023 IIE survey showed 72% of international students prefer Amazon for its broader payment options.

References

• Pew Research Center, 2024, “Online Shopping and Delivery Trends in the U.S.”
• Institute of International Education (IIE), 2023, “Open Doors Report on International Student Spending”
• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 2023, “Official USDA Food Plans: Cost of Food at Home”
• NerdWallet, 2024, “Amazon Prime vs. Walmart+ Membership Value Analysis”
• Unilink Education, 2024, “International Student Budgeting Database”