Average Cost Of Groceries By State [2023] - Zippia (2024)

Average Cost Of Groceries By State [2023] - Zippia (1)

Research Summary: Unless you’re living off the grid with your own flock of chickens and an apocalypse-ready garden, you’ve likely felt the strain of inflation. From $6 eggs to nearly $2 bread, things can add up quickly. There’s no doubt about it; food prices are simply going through the roof.

Of course, not all states are created equal, with some forcing you to spend an outrageous amount on food at the grocery store while others can save you a pretty penny.

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To find out more, we’ve investigated the average cost of groceries in each state, and you might be surprised by what we’ve found. According to our research:

RankStateCity analyzed (population)Average monthly cost of groceries per person
1HawaiiHonolulu (337,200)$556.76
2VermontBurlington (42,400)$497.41
3AlaskaAnchorage (291,800)$483.24
4New YorkNew York City (8.17M)$482.87
5West VirginiaCharleston (51,400)$427.19
6MississippiJackson (173,500)$423.33
7South CarolinaCharleston (136,200)$411.29
8MassachusettsBoston (617,600)$406.21
9WashingtonSeattle (608,600)$402.08
10PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia (1.52M)$401.02
11GeorgiaAtlanta (420,000)$397.97
12AlabamaBirmingham (212,200)$397.39
13MinnesotaMinneapolis (382,600)$395.39
14Rhode IslandProvidence (178,000)$390.19
15WisconsinMilwaukee (594,800)$385.97
16DelawareWilmington (70,800)$380.39
17OregonPortland (583,800)$375.41
18MainePortland (66,200)$372.21
19CaliforniaLos Angeles (4.79M)$370.96
20FloridaJacksonville (880,600)$364.25
21IowaDes Moines (215,500)$347.05
22OklahomaOklahoma City (580,000)$346.37
23TennesseeNashville (660,400)$346.37
24WyomingCheyenne (59,400)$345.62
25New JerseyNewark (277,100)$343.67
26MarylandBaltimore (620,900)$343.67
27ConnecticutBridgeport (144,200)$343.30
28OhioColumbus (879,200)$341.48
29North CarolinaCharlotte (731,400)$341.10
30NebraskaOmaha (408,900)$336.90
31IllinoisChicago (2.69M)$327.31
32MichiganDetroit (713,800)$327.12
33ColoradoDenver (600,100)$326.92
34North DakotaFargo (105,500)$326.66
35LouisianaNew Orleans (343,800)$325.19
36MontanaBillings (104,100)$323.91
37IndianaIndianapolis (820,400)$318.03
38KentuckyLouisville (597,300)$315.20
39MissouriKansas City (459,800)$312.63
40New MexicoAlbuquerque (545,800)$307.79
41ArizonaPhoenix (1.44M)$302.80
42VirginiaVirginia Beach (438,000)$298.01
43NevadaLas Vegas (583,700)$293.43
44TexasHouston (2.10M)$286.64
45South DakotaSioux Falls (153,900)$286.23
46ArkansasLittle Rock (193,500)$282.46
47UtahSalt Lake City (186,400)$282.23
48IdahoBoise (205,700)$281.12
49KansasWitchita (382,400)$261.35
50New HampshireManchester (109,500)$183.00

For further analysis, we broke down the data in the following ways:
Most Expensive | Cheapest

The Top 10 States With The Most Expensive Groceries

The state with the most expensive groceries in the US is Hawaii. This might not be surprising, given that Hawaii needs to import most of the foods you’d find in an American supermarket from a pretty long distance. This same logic can also be applied to Alaska.

Want to learn more? Well here is a detailed list of average costs in the most expensive states:

StateAvg. monthly cost of groceriesAvg. cost of milkAvg. cost of breadAvg. cost of eggs
Hawaii$556.76$7.08$5.62$5.92
Vermont$497.41$4.06$3.25$3.40
Alaska$483.24$4.26$4.39$4.29
New York$482.87$4.76$3.87$4.64
West Virginia$427.19$3.69$1.99$3.00
Mississippi$423.33$3.40$2.41$4.00
South Carolina$411.29$3.09$2.59$4.00
Massachusetts$406.21$4.20$3.61$4.26
Washington$402.08$4.31$3.82$3.71
Pennsylvania$401.02$4.66$3.28$4.02

The Top 10 States With The Cheapest Groceries

The state with the cheapest groceries in the US is New Hampshire. While it’s unclear why exactly New Hampshire is so cheap, it could partially relate to shopping preferences. For example, many New Hampshire residents say they prefer shopping at Market Basket, which is cheaper than Whole Foods and other popular New England supermarket chains.

Here are some examples of the average cost of staple foods in the cheapest states:

StateAvg. monthly cost of groceriesAvg. cost of milkAvg. cost of breadAvg. cost of eggs
New Hampshire$183.00$3.30$2.44$2.90
Kansas$261.35$3.08$2.45$3.50
Idaho$293.43$3.12$2.77$3.99
Utah$282.23$3.52$3.02$4.47
Arkansas$282.46$3.95$3.03$3.56
South Dakota$286.23$3.69$2.85$3.98
Texas$286.64$3.57$2.82$3.59
Nevada$293.43$3.86$3.17$4.51
Virginia$298.01$3.74$3.13$3.83
Arizona$302.80$3.22$2.91$4.50

Cost of Groceries By State FAQ

  1. How much should a two-person household spend on groceries?

    The average two-person household can expect to spend between $510-$820 per month on groceries. The average moderate cost between these two figures is around $655 per month. And broken up into weekly costs, here is what the average two-person household might expect to spend:

    • Thrifty: $119.40 per week

    • Low-cost: $122.90 per week

    • Moderate-cost: $152.30 per week

    • Liberal: $190.10 per week

    Of course, these numbers will also depend on your state and city of residence, as a household in Hawaii can expect to spend far more than one in Idaho.

  2. What is a good daily food budget?

    A good daily food budget is no more than 10%-15% of take-home pay. For example, if you made an average of $200 per day, you’d want to spend no more than $20-$30 on food that day. This includes home-cooked meals and restaurants.

    On a weekly basis, making approximately $1,000 would mean that your weekly grocery trip should cost no more than $100-$150 using this metric.

  3. How can I cut my grocery bill?

    There are at least ten ways you can cut your grocery bill significantly. Here are those big secrets to saving money:

    • Buy from discount grocery stores (e.g., Aldi or Trader Joes)

    • Use supermarket websites to compare the prices of different stores

    • Create a weekly meal plan so you only buy what you need

    • Stick to your grocery list and don’t buy extras

    • Eat your leftovers instead of making new meals

    • Clip coupons and look for discount codes

    • Buy in bulk for cheaper, wholesale prices

    • Choose the store brand

    • Create your own sauces and spice mixes at home

    • Grow your own garden vegetables and herbs

  4. Is buying groceries cheaper than eating out?

    Yes, buying groceries is generally cheaper than eating out. For example, the average cost of a meal made with groceries at home is only $4 per person, compared to a whopping $13 per person at a restaurant. To put that in perspective, a family of four that only eats at home for dinner would spend just under $500 per month, compared to $1,600 eating out every night.

    Additionally, eating at home also comes with the general benefit of better nutrition, which can save you a lot in the long run.

Conclusion

Ever since the 2020 pandemic began to impact the global supply chain, employment, and other major factors that contribute to inflation and food security, we’ve seen a drastic increase in overall food prices.

As of 2023, Americans can expect to spend $556+ per person on groceries in Hawaii and over $400 per person in the rest of the top ten most expensive states. While some of these states (e.g., Hawaii and Alaska) are heavily reliant on imports, others are expensive for a variety of other reasons.

Luckily, there are still some states in the US where you can get a good deal at the supermarket. In particular, groceries in New Hampshire are an average of $183, with Virginia, Nevada, Texas, South Dakota, Arkansas, Utah, Idaho, and Kansas all being under $300 on average.

When in doubt, it’s important to budget your groceries and plan meals according to that budget. This alone can save Americans hundreds of dollars on their monthly grocery bill.

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Average Cost Of Groceries By State [2023] - Zippia (2)

Author

Jack FlynnAverage Cost Of Groceries By State [2023] - Zippia (3)

Jack Flynn is a writer for Zippia. In his professional career he’s written over 100 research papers, articles and blog posts. Some of his most popular published works include his writing about economic terms and research into job classifications.Jack received his BS from Hampshire College.

Average Cost Of Groceries By State [2023] - Zippia (2024)

FAQs

Average Cost Of Groceries By State [2023] - Zippia? ›

In 2023, food prices grew by 5.8 percent, while household energy prices increased by 1.6 percent and motor fuel prices declined by 10.6 percent following relatively large increases for each of these categories in 2022.

Which state has the most expensive groceries? ›

Hawaii tops the list with average weekly grocery spend of $333.88, while Alaska follows closely behind with $328.71.
  • 5 states with the highest average weekly grocery bills. Hawaii: $333.88. Alaska: $328.71. California: $297.72. ...
  • 5 states with lowest average weekly grocery bills. Wisconsin: $221.46. Iowa: $227.32.
Jul 12, 2024

How much have groceries gone up in 2023? ›

In 2023, food prices grew by 5.8 percent, while household energy prices increased by 1.6 percent and motor fuel prices declined by 10.6 percent following relatively large increases for each of these categories in 2022.

What is the average grocery cost in the US? ›

The average American household spends an average of $475.25 a month on groceries, according to the most recently available dataset from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2022. That's a total of $5,703 spent on groceries in a year.

Do groceries cost the same in every state? ›

Weekly grocery prices vary widely across the country, the study found, and California topped the list of most expensive places to buy food with a household average of $297.72 per week, or $27.51 more than the average for the 48 continental states.

Which state has the most affordable groceries? ›

1. Wisconsin. If you want to find the least expensive groceries in the nation, look no further than The Badger State. The weekly grocery spend here averages $221.46.

Which state spends the most on groceries? ›

U.S. households spend an average of $270.21 per week on groceries, or roughly $1,080 per month. Average weekly grocery spending is highest in California ($297.72), Nevada ($294.76), Mississippi ($290.64) Washington ($287.67) and Florida ($287.27).

What is the average inflation rate for groceries? ›

Price development in the U.S.

As of 2023, the food inflation rate in the United States was at about 5.8 percent and is expected to decrease to just 1.3 percent in 2024. However, prices will continue to increase for many food items.

What does the president have to do with grocery prices? ›

Calling on grocery chains making record profits to lower grocery prices—with several grocery chains answering the President's call and lowering prices. Investing in fertilizer production and meat and poultry processors to lower costs by spurring competition and giving farmers more market options.

Why is food in America so expensive? ›

Higher production, labor and fuel costs have rippled through every aspect of the food system. Supply chain disruptions caused by global events, severe weather and disease have affected many essential crops and livestock.

What is a realistic food budget for one person? ›

Remember that you can use grocery money for future weeks in one bulk shopping trip if that will cover your food for the weeks you're drawing money from. The average food budget for a single person is between $250 and $300 a month, but that's just a guideline.

How much should one person spend on groceries a week? ›

An adult male from 19 to 50 years of age would account for $86.80 a week on a moderate food budget, and a 19- to 50-year-old woman would be allocated $73.20 a week.

What is a reasonable grocery budget for 2 people? ›

The average two-person household can expect to spend between $510-$820 per month on groceries. The average moderate cost between these two figures is around $655 per month. And broken up into weekly costs, here is what the average two-person household might expect to spend: Thrifty: $119.40 per week.

Is it cheaper for two people to eat out or buy groceries? ›

Pro: The Cost

Regardless of your state, cooking and eating at home is significantly cheaper than eating out. Even in the bottom ten states, the cheapest cost for a meal at an inexpensive restaurant costs well over $12 compared to $3.78 made at home.

What state has the cheapest everything? ›

Mississippi: According to World Population Review, in 2023, Mississippi holds the title of the cheapest state to live in the United States. Its cost of living index is 85, and overall costs in the state are 17% lower than the national average.

What is the average grocery bill for a 4 person household? ›

Single-person households, as you might expect, spent the least on food: $5,235 in 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Two-person households spent $9,363, up from $8,242 in 2021. The national average for three-person households was $11,158. Four-person households spent $13.055.

Where are the highest food prices in the US? ›

Hawaii. Given Hawaii's isolated location, it should come as no surprise that it clocks in as the state with the highest grocery bills. Residents of Hawaii spend, on average, $333.88 on groceries per week, which is approximately $64 above the national average.

What is the most expensive city to buy groceries in the US? ›

The most expensive city in America to buy groceries in is Miami, HelpAdvisor found, with grocery bills there costing residents an average of $327.89, or about 14% higher than Florida's statewide average. 1.

What is the number 1 expensive state? ›

Hawaii is the State with the Highest Cost of Living.

Which state has the highest grocery tax? ›

Mississippi. Mississippi currently has the highest-taxed groceries in the U.S. The state taxes essential food items at the regular 7% tax rate. Some Mississippi lawmakers proposed reducing the grocery tax, but their efforts haven't succeeded. Efforts to reduce the state's income tax have been more successful.

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