10 Most Expensive US Cities To Feed a Family of 4
Written by
Nicole Spector
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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Any of us who does grocery shopping is well aware of the astronomical price of eggs. And unfortunately, eggs aren’t the only food staple getting more expensive. In 2025, overall food prices are elevating faster than the historical average rate of growth. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) predicted all foods to increase 3.4% in price.
The recipe website Inspired Taste studied grocery store prices across 50 U.S. cities to determine how much Americans spend on groceries to feed a family of four. These costs are for “essentials” only. These shoppers aren’t stocking up on stuff they don’t need or impulse buys, making these astronomical costs all the more shocking (or depressing).
Let’s look at the top 10 most expensive cities in the U.S. to feed a family of four, along with the cost of living as compared to the national average, sourced from Payscale.
10. Chicago
- Average monthly cost: $1,158.87
- Average yearly cost: $14,014.26
- Cost of living, as compared to the national average: 14% higher
9. Philadelphia
- Average monthly cost: $1,164.13
- Average yearly cost: $14,077.91
- Cost of living, as compared to the national average: 3% higher
8. Newark, New Jersey
- Average monthly cost: $1,181.55
- Average yearly cost: $14,288.51
- Cost of living, as compared to the national average: 15% higher
7. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Average monthly cost: $1,183.18
- Average yearly cost: $14,308.16
- Cost of living, as compared to the national average: 2% lower
6. Portland, Maine
- Average monthly cost: $1,191.38
- Average yearly cost: $14,407.38
- Cost of living, as compared to the national average: 11% higher
5. Seattle
- Average monthly cost: $1,191.73
- Average yearly cost: $14,411.59
- Cost of living, as compared to the national average: 46% higher
4. Atlanta
- Average monthly cost: $1,195.56
- Average yearly cost: $14,457.92
- Cost of living, as compared to the national average: 3% lower
3. New York City
- Average monthly cost: $1,277.53
- Average yearly cost: $15,449.15
- Cost of living, as compared to the national average: 130% higher
2. Boston
- Average monthly cost: $1,280.39
- Average yearly cost: $15,483.78
- Cost of living, as compared to the national average: 46% higher
1. Honolulu
- Average monthly cost: $1,510.89
- Average yearly cost: $18,271.19
- Cost of living, as compared to the national average: 219% higher
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