How Much Money The Average American Spends On Groceries Each Month

When people think about bills, their minds typically go to rent, utilities, and other typical home spending. However, what they often underestimate is the most important bill of all: food. This exclusion could be because it's harder predict a fixed amount with food — prices can go up or down depending on the quality, variety, and of course, quantity purchased. Others might even forgo the grocery route altogether and choose services like Uber Eats or DoorDash, or even just eating out.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) published a July 2025 report that the median weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers was $1,196 in the Q2 2025. That brings the median monthly income to around $5,175. Meanwhile, inflation and rising distributor fees have quietly turned grocery shopping into one of the most painful parts of the monthly budget for many Americans. In recent years, food prices have risen steadily — with grocery spending up 6% between 2022 to 2023, according to BLS data – while tariffs continue to cause more financial uncertainty in 2025. Per Q4 2024 BLS data, Americans spent an average of over $6,000 on groceries in 2023, which calculates to $504 per month. That's more than 10% of the monthly income for someone earning the national median. As prices continue to increase, chances are this percentage will only continue to grow.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) July 2025 food plans, a moderate-to-liberal-cost grocery plan for a single adult ranges from roughly $300 to $450 per month, depending on age and gender. For a family of four, following a moderate-cost USDA food plan, monthly grocery spending would rise to around $1,337.60, depending on the ages of the children — a 3.4% increase from $1,293 in the same month in 2023. Even the low-cost (thrifty) plan would cost a family of four $994 a month.

Using the USDA's food plan as a guide, a single adult, earning the national median monthly income of $5,175, should plan on spending roughly 7-9% of their income on groceries. Meanwhile a family of four earning the national median household income, which was $80,610 via the Census Bureau's 2024 report, should plan on spending as much as 20% of their income on food every month. However, while these USDA figures offer a structured benchmark, they're ultimately falling short of what most people are actually spending. The BLS has found that the average American is spending $504 on groceries monthly, but the USDA suggests that a single adult should be spending $400 instead — a 22% difference. Even worse, this is before factoring in things like regional price differences, dietary needs, bad grocery shopping strategies, and food waste.