Average Grocery Cost Per Month and How Much to Spend
The average cost of groceries is about $504 per month, but that number might not align with your supermarket receipts.
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It might be hard to figure out how much you should spend on groceries when food prices are so high. Grocery prices, classified by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as “food at home,” have increased 2.4% in the last year, according to an April report.
Below, we’ll share the average cost of groceries to provide context for how your spending compares with that of other households. Then we’ll give guidance on how to save on those groceries, particularly if food costs have been consuming more and more of your budget.
What is the average cost of groceries per month?
The average monthly cost of groceries is about $504, based on the latest data from the BLS, released in late 2024. The figure comes from the average annual cost of groceries for a household, which is $6,053.
Keep in mind these averages include both how much families spend on groceries (likely more) and how much single people living alone or with roommates spend (likely less). So if that $504 monthly figure feels off to you, that could be why.
» Learn why groceries are so expensive
How much should I spend on groceries each month?
Your grocery budget depends on many factors. Think about where you shop, what you buy, how many people you’re feeding and whether you shop online or in person.
Not sure where to start? Here are a few guidelines you can use to come up with a number.
Follow USDA food plans
The U.S. Department of Agriculture creates monthly food plans you can use as guidance for grocery spending. The plans estimate the average cost of nutritious, home-prepared meals and snacks by gender and age. The plans are broken into four spending levels: thrifty, low cost, moderate cost and liberal.
The March 2025 estimate for a family of four on a thrifty plan is about $996 per month. (The USDA defines this family as a male and female between ages 20 and 50, and two children, ages 6 to 8 and 9 to 11.).
These food plans can suggest a monthly grocery budget for your household, but they’re still estimates.
Create a grocery budget
The 50/30/20 budget can help you work out how much to spend on groceries based on your income and expenses. Following this framework, you spend about 50% of your monthly after-tax income on needs, 30% on wants and 20% on savings and debt repayment. (Consider this 50/30/20 split as an ideal to work toward, rather than a strict rule.)
Most groceries fall under the “needs” category, but not every item at the grocery store qualifies as a necessity. Buying an expensive steak for a special dinner would be a “want,” for example.
If your household’s monthly take-home pay is $6,600, here’s how you’d divide that among your expenses:
$3,300 for needs, like basic groceries, housing and transportation.
$1,980 for wants, like meals out, entertainment and travel.
$1,320 for savings and loan payments beyond the minimum.
How much of that $3,300 should go toward groceries depends on the monthly cost of your other essentials. Let’s say you pay $1,700 for housing and utilities, $200 in student loan payments and $550 for your car payment and insurance.
Those necessities add up to $2,450, leaving just $850 per month for vital groceries — a little less than the thrifty family plan mentioned above.
If that amount won’t cover everything you need, or if you want to plan for some treats, you can take additional money from your “wants” budget. Or try another budget system that may work better for your financial situation.
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If you’re struggling to fit food costs into your budget, look for ways to save money on groceries. Start with these simple strategies:
Look in your refrigerator and pantry before making a shopping list. Some grocery list apps, such as Out of Milk, have a pantry inventory feature to prevent you from buying duplicates.
Join store loyalty programs to earn rewards.
Explore ways to get coupons, through rewards programs, apps and other opportunities.
Your financial position, expenses and spending will presumably change throughout your life. Make sure to revisit your grocery budget every month and adjust as needed.
If you feel like careful budgeting and penny-pinching aren’t enough and you need help paying bills, look into resources such as food banks and government assistance programs.
