Top 5 cheapest
Where goods cost least
- #1ArkansasIndex 93.6 | $370/mo
- #2IowaIndex 93.7 | $384/mo
- #3LouisianaIndex 93.7 | $385/mo
- #4OhioIndex 93.7 | $391/mo
- #5OklahomaIndex 93.8 | $378/mo
Grocery Costs by State 2026
What food actually costs across the 50 states, benchmarked to the USDA moderate-cost food plan. Average monthly grocery bills run from about $370 in the cheapest states to $599 in Hawaii, whose BEA goods parity (111.6) is the highest in the country. Plus: which states still tax groceries.
All 50 states
Grocery costs ranked by BEA goods parity
| State | BEA goods parity | Avg monthly (single) | Avg monthly (family of 4) | Grocery sales tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | 93.6 | $370 | $1,110 | 0% state - State grocery tax eliminated January 2026; local rates still apply |
| Iowa | 93.7 | $384 | $1,152 | Exempt |
| Louisiana | 93.7 | $385 | $1,155 | Exempt |
| Ohio | 93.7 | $391 | $1,173 | Exempt |
| Oklahoma | 93.8 | $378 | $1,134 | 0% state - Eliminated state tax 2024 |
| Kansas | 94.0 | $376 | $1,128 | 0% state - Eliminated state tax 2025 |
| Nebraska | 94.1 | $387 | $1,161 | Exempt |
| Wisconsin | 94.3 | $395 | $1,185 | Exempt |
| Arizona | 95.4 | $387 | $1,161 | Exempt |
| Wyoming | 95.4 | $399 | $1,197 | Exempt |
| Indiana | 95.5 | $382 | $1,146 | Exempt |
| South Dakota | 95.5 | $397 | $1,191 | 4.2% state - Full state sales tax applies (4.2% through June 2027) |
| North Dakota | 95.7 | $402 | $1,206 | Exempt |
| Kentucky | 96.0 | $374 | $1,122 | Exempt |
| Michigan | 96.0 | $381 | $1,143 | Exempt |
| Montana | 96.0 | $391 | $1,173 | Exempt |
| New Mexico | 96.1 | $387 | $1,161 | Exempt |
| Delaware | 96.2 | $418 | $1,254 | Exempt |
| Mississippi | 96.2 | $373 | $1,119 | 5% state - Cut from 7% to 5% July 2025 (HB 1) |
| Tennessee | 96.2 | $377 | $1,131 | 4% state - Reduced rate |
| Idaho | 96.3 | $375 | $1,125 | 6% state - Credit available to offset |
| Missouri | 96.3 | $380 | $1,140 | 1.225% state - Reduced rate |
| Nevada | 96.3 | $405 | $1,215 | Exempt |
| South Carolina | 96.3 | $392 | $1,176 | Exempt |
| Alabama | 96.4 | $386 | $1,158 | 2% state - Cut to 2% September 2025; local rates still apply |
| Utah | 96.4 | $388 | $1,164 | 1.75% state - Reduced rate, plus local |
| West Virginia | 96.5 | $375 | $1,125 | Exempt |
| North Carolina | 96.6 | $385 | $1,155 | Exempt |
| Maine | 97.2 | $420 | $1,260 | Exempt |
| Rhode Island | 97.2 | $415 | $1,245 | Exempt |
| Connecticut | 97.3 | $425 | $1,275 | Exempt |
| Vermont | 97.3 | $424 | $1,272 | Exempt |
| Florida | 98.1 | $407 | $1,221 | Exempt |
| Texas | 98.1 | $374 | $1,122 | Exempt |
| New Hampshire | 98.6 | $411 | $1,233 | Exempt |
| Colorado | 98.7 | $398 | $1,194 | Exempt |
| Massachusetts | 98.8 | $431 | $1,293 | Exempt |
| Georgia | 98.9 | $383 | $1,149 | Exempt |
| Pennsylvania | 99.4 | $408 | $1,224 | Exempt |
| Virginia | 100.4 | $399 | $1,197 | 1% state - Reduced state rate, plus local |
| Minnesota | 100.5 | $400 | $1,200 | Exempt |
| Maryland | 102.5 | $419 | $1,257 | Exempt |
| Illinois | 103.8 | $397 | $1,191 | 0% state - State 1% eliminated January 2026; most municipalities adopted a local 1% |
| Washington | 104.4 | $415 | $1,245 | Exempt |
| Oregon | 105.3 | $407 | $1,221 | Exempt |
| California | 106.1 | $421 | $1,263 | Exempt |
| Alaska | 106.3 | $518 | $1,554 | Exempt |
| New Jersey | 107.1 | $420 | $1,260 | Exempt |
| New York | 107.3 | $425 | $1,275 | Exempt |
| Hawaii | 111.6 | $599 | $1,797 | 4% state - GET applies to all goods |
Goods parity: US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by State (table SARPP), 2024 reference year, released 19 February 2026, US = 99.6. BEA publishes no grocery-only parity, so the ranking here is by the broader goods parity, which also carries apparel, medical goods and other goods. Monthly grocery figures and the grocery sales-tax column come from USDA Food Plans (moderate cost) and state revenue departments and are not part of the BEA series.
Top 5 most expensive
Where goods cost most
- #1HawaiiIndex 111.6 | $599/mo
- #2New YorkIndex 107.3 | $425/mo
- #3New JerseyIndex 107.1 | $420/mo
- #4AlaskaIndex 106.3 | $518/mo
- #5CaliforniaIndex 106.1 | $421/mo
Frequently Asked
Grocery costs, answered
Why are groceries so expensive in Hawaii?
Geography. Hawaii imports an estimated 85-90% of its food. Shipping containers, refrigeration, and the lack of competitive distribution networks combine to push prices up well above mainland levels. BEA does not publish a grocery-only price parity. Its goods parity, which carries food alongside apparel, medical goods and other goods, reads 111.6 for Hawaii against a US reading of 99.6, the highest of any state.
Which states tax groceries?
Fewer each year. Idaho (6%, with an offsetting credit), Mississippi (5% since July 2025), South Dakota (4.2%), Tennessee (4%), and Hawaii (4% GET) lead the states still taxing groceries at the state level. Alabama cut its rate to 2% in September 2025. Kansas (2025), Oklahoma (2024), Arkansas (January 2026) and Illinois (January 2026) all eliminated their state-level grocery tax; local rates may still apply.
What's the cheapest state for groceries?
On the only federal measure that covers food, the BEA goods parity, it is Arkansas at 93.6 against a US reading of 99.6. That parity is broader than a shopping basket: it carries apparel, medical goods and other goods too, and BEA publishes no grocery-only figure. The Plains and Mid-South dominate this list because they sit close to grain belts and major beef/poultry production. Iowa, Louisiana, Ohio, Oklahoma round out the top 5.
How much do groceries cost per month?
USDA's 'moderate-cost food plan' for 2026 averages around $385/month for a single adult and $1,150/month for a family of four. Cheap states run 5-10% below those numbers; Hawaii runs 35-50% above. The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks grocery spending in its Consumer Expenditure Survey.
Do I save money by buying generic in cheaper states?
Yes, but the savings are smaller in absolute terms. The price gap between brand-name and generic is roughly constant across states - around 30%. So in Hawaii where a name-brand product costs $8, generic is $5.60. In Mississippi the same products are $5.20 and $3.65. The percentage save is the same; the dollar save is bigger where prices are higher to start.