Average Cost Of Groceries By State [2026]

Grocery Spending by State

Research Summary: If you’re not living off the grid with your own garden, you’ve likely felt the impact of rising food costs. Prices for staples have soared, with grocery bills climbing significantly in recent years. It’s clear that food expenses are a growing concern for many households across the United States.

The cost of groceries varies widely by state, with some locations offering more affordable options than others. In this analysis, we delve into the average grocery costs across different states, revealing surprising insights.

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We examined the average grocery costs in each state, and the findings may surprise you. Here’s what our research uncovered:

Rank	State	City analyzed (population)	Average monthly cost of groceries per person
1	Hawaii	Honolulu (337,200)	$556.76
2	Vermont	Burlington (42,400)	$497.41
3	Alaska	Anchorage (291,800)	$483.24
4	New York	New York City (8.17M)	$482.87
5	West Virginia	Charleston (51,400)	$427.19
6	Mississippi	Jackson (173,500)	$423.33
7	South Carolina	Charleston (136,200)	$411.29
8	Massachusetts	Boston (617,600)	$406.21
9	Washington	Seattle (608,600)	$402.08
10	Pennsylvania	Philadelphia (1.52M)	$401.02
11	Georgia	Atlanta (420,000)	$397.97
12	Alabama	Birmingham (212,200)	$397.39
13	Minnesota	Minneapolis (382,600)	$395.39
14	Rhode Island	Providence (178,000)	$390.19
15	Wisconsin	Milwaukee (594,800)	$385.97
16	Delaware	Wilmington (70,800)	$380.39
17	Oregon	Portland (583,800)	$375.41
18	Maine	Portland (66,200)	$372.21
19	California	Los Angeles (4.79M)	$370.96
20	Florida	Jacksonville (880,600)	$364.25
21	Iowa	Des Moines (215,500)	$347.05
22	Oklahoma	Oklahoma City (580,000)	$346.37
23	Tennessee	Nashville (660,400)	$346.37
24	Wyoming	Cheyenne (59,400)	$345.62
25	New Jersey	Newark (277,100)	$343.67
26	Maryland	Baltimore (620,900)	$343.67
27	Connecticut	Bridgeport (144,200)	$343.30
28	Ohio	Columbus (879,200)	$341.48
29	North Carolina	Charlotte (731,400)	$341.10
30	Nebraska	Omaha (408,900)	$336.90
31	Illinois	Chicago (2.69M)	$327.31
32	Michigan	Detroit (713,800)	$327.12
33	Colorado	Denver (600,100)	$326.92
34	North Dakota	Fargo (105,500)	$326.66
35	Louisiana	New Orleans (343,800)	$325.19
36	Montana	Billings (104,100)	$323.91
37	Indiana	Indianapolis (820,400)	$318.03
38	Kentucky	Louisville (597,300)	$315.20
39	Missouri	Kansas City (459,800)	$312.63
40	New Mexico	Albuquerque (545,800)	$307.79
41	Arizona	Phoenix (1.44M)	$302.80
42	Virginia	Virginia Beach (438,000)	$298.01
43	Nevada	Las Vegas (583,700)	$293.43
44	Texas	Houston (2.10M)	$286.64
45	South Dakota	Sioux Falls (153,900)	$286.23
46	Arkansas	Little Rock (193,500)	$282.46
47	Utah	Salt Lake City (186,400)	$282.23
48	Idaho	Boise (205,700)	$281.12
49	Kansas	Wichita (382,400)	$261.35
50	New Hampshire	Manchester (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 highest grocery costs in the US is Hawaii. This is largely due to the fact that Hawaii imports a significant portion of its food from distant locations, which drives up prices. Alaska follows a similar trend.

For a detailed breakdown of average costs in the most expensive states, see below:

State	Avg. monthly cost of groceries	Avg. cost of milk	Avg. cost of bread	Avg. 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 offering the most affordable groceries in the US is New Hampshire. This affordability may be linked to local shopping preferences, with many residents opting for budget-friendly stores like Market Basket.

Here are the average costs of staple foods in the cheapest states:

State	Avg. monthly cost of groceries	Avg. cost of milk	Avg. cost of bread	Avg. 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

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. Here’s a weekly breakdown:
- Thrifty: $119.40 per week
- Low-cost: $122.90 per week
- Moderate-cost: $152.30 per week
- Liberal: $190.10 per week
These numbers will vary based on your state and city, as costs in Hawaii are significantly higher than those in Idaho.
What is a good daily food budget?

A good daily food budget is typically 10%-15% of take-home pay. For instance, if you earn an average of $200 per day, aim to spend no more than $20-$30 on food that day. On a weekly basis, making approximately $1,000 would mean spending no more than $100-$150 on groceries with this guideline.
How can I cut my grocery bill?

There are several effective strategies to reduce your grocery expenses. Here are ten tips to help you save:
- Shop at discount grocery stores (e.g., Aldi or Trader Joe’s)
- Utilize supermarket websites to compare prices
- Create a weekly meal plan to only buy what you need
- Stick to your grocery list to avoid impulse buys
- Utilize leftovers instead of cooking new meals
- Use coupons and search for discount codes
- Buy in bulk for better prices
- Opt for store brands
- Make your own sauces and spice mixes at home
- Grow your own vegetables and herbs
Is buying groceries cheaper than eating out?

Yes, purchasing groceries is generally more economical than dining out. On average, a meal prepared at home costs about $4 per person, compared to around $13 per person at a restaurant. For a family of four dining out every night would cost approximately $1,600 per month, whereas cooking at home could bring that down to just under $500.

Moreover, home-cooked meals often provide better nutrition, which can lead to long-term health savings.

Conclusion

In recent years, the landscape of grocery prices has changed dramatically due to various factors, including supply chain disruptions and inflation. As of 2026, Americans can expect to spend over $556 per person on groceries in Hawaii, with costs exceeding $400 in several of the most expensive states. While states like Hawaii and Alaska face high costs due to import reliance, other regions have their own unique challenges contributing to elevated prices.

Fortunately, some states still offer reasonable grocery prices. For example, New Hampshire boasts an average grocery cost of just $183, with Virginia, Nevada, Texas, South Dakota, Arkansas, Utah, Idaho, and Kansas all averaging under $300.

To manage your grocery expenses effectively, it’s essential to budget and plan meals accordingly. Implementing these strategies can potentially save you hundreds of dollars each month.

Author

Jack Flynn

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.

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