A positioning method includes: executing a first correlation accumulation process on a received signal, a positioning signal spread-modulated with a spread code, and a replica code of the spread code while shifting a phase of the replica code in a first phase search range, setting a second phase search range narrower than the first range based on an accumulated correlation value at a first timing in the first correlation accumulation process, executing a second correlation accumulation process on the received signal and the replica code while shifting the phase of the replica code in the second phase search range, determining appropriateness of the second phase search range based on the accumulated correlation value at the first timing and an accumulated correlation value at a second timing in the first correlation accumulation process, and positioning using a result of the second correlation accumulation process, if the second phase search range is determined appropriate.