How Much Is Food In Washington Dc (2024)

FAQs

How much money should I bring to DC? ›

How much money will you need for your trip to Washington? You should plan to spend around $155 per day on your vacation in Washington, which is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Past travelers have spent, on average, $30 on meals for one day and $37 on local transportation.

Groceries & Food

If the average yearly estimated non-restaurant food and beverage expenditure in the District of Columbia is $6,241 per person, divide that by 12 to end up at $520 per person, per month.

Save Money Visiting Free Museums And Attractions

Like any international capital, D.C. is an expensive place to visit. The good news is, you can save a lot by spending your time doing all the free things. All the Smithsonian museums are free—including the National Zoo. Ditto all the monuments and memorials.

Groceries in D.C. aren't as expensive as they are in New York, but they're far from cheap. Numbeo.com's May 2019 data estimates a recommended minimum amount of money for food in D.C. at $15.20 a day, or $471.28 a month. The national average is $324.20.

Now in 2024, the city is home to 25 Michelin-starred restaurants, firmly cementing D.C as a different kind of capital—a food capital!

In Washington, DC famous food options—such as mumbo sauce, half-smoke sausages, and Peruvian chicken—are worthy of wider recognition, not to mention all the fabulous Salvadorian and Ethiopian food scattered about the city. Here are five of Washington, DC's most iconic dishes to tickle your tastebuds.

Food Cost. Dining out in the D.C. area is fairly expensive, especially for dinner. A meal at a full-service restaurant, not including alcohol or tip, averages $40 for one. Lunches are less expensive, at around $15.

Why is DC so expensive? ›

“D.C. is certainly among the most expensive, and that is just simply because we haven't been building enough new housing to keep up with demand,” Salviati said. “That's something that has been going on for quite some time now, and so prices have really risen to a point that can one problematic for a lot of households.”

Average grocery cost per month for 1 person in a household

Considering the Thrifty and Liberal plan averages, the monthly grocery cost for an adult male falls between $275.63 and $434.33, while the average for an adult female ranges from $238.46 to $384.93.

On average, a trip to Washington D.C. can cost around $150 to $200 per day for a budget-friendly trip, or $300 to $500 per day for a more luxurious experience.

January, February and March are the cheapest months to visit Washington DC, although February is your best bet – shoppers heading to the city for the January sales can push up prices at the start of the year, and the second half of March is when the cherry blossoms begin to bloom.

But our recommended 3 day Washington DC itinerary is enough to get a good sense of this vibrant city and all that it has to offer. And if you're really looking to get a sense of the city's true history, make sure to reserve a spot on one of our Walking Tours around Washington, DC.