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What average Americans spend on groceries every month in 22 major cities

Apr 25, 2019, 02:41 IST

Jessica Tyler/Business Insider

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  • It's easy to blow your budget on groceries.
  • Because of differences in cost of living, how much people spend on average varies across cities.
  • The average household grocery spend across major US cities ranges from $286 a month in Dallas to nearly $500 a month in Seattle.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

It's easy to get carried away at the grocery store. She who isn't tempted fill up a basket or cart with extra chips, produce, ice cream, or frozen meals "just in case" is a hero among us.

Buying in bulk, keeping an eye out for deals, or heading to the grocery store with a detailed meal plan can help reduce that grocery bill.

To find out what the average grocery budget looks like in various cities, we consulted the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Expenditure Surveys. The data covers the most recent period of 2016 to 2017 and reveals average annual expenditures for consumer units 22 major metros in the Northeast, South, West, and Midwest.

A consumer unit, as defined by BLS, is a household ranging in size from one individual to three or more people.

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The data show what Americans spend on "food at home," which includes dairy products, fruits and vegetables, meats, poultry, fish, eggs, cereals and bakery products, annually. We divided the total by 12 to get the monthly cost. The total spent on groceries for the average household ranges from $286 a month in Dallas to nearly $500 a month in Seattle.

Below, find out how much people spend, on average, on groceries in major US cities.

22. Dallas-Fort Worth

Average grocery spend: $286/month

Average total food spend: $547/month

21. Tampa

Average grocery spend: $301/month

Average total food spend: $524/month

20. Atlanta

Average grocery spend: $308/month

Average total food spend: $556/month

19. Phoenix

Average grocery spend: $328/month

Average total food spend: $571/month

18. St. Louis

Average grocery spend: $336/month

Average total food spend: $608/month

17. Detroit

Average grocery spend: $342/month

Average total food spend: $616/month

16. Miami

Average grocery spend: $343/month

Average total food spend: $586/month

15. New York

Average grocery spend: $357/month

Average total food spend: $640/month

14. Baltimore

Average grocery spend: $370/month

Average total food spend: $747/month

13. Los Angeles

Average grocery spend: $372/month

Average total food spend: $727/month

12 (TIE). Houston

Average grocery spend: $374/month

Average total food spend: $762/month

11 (TIE). San Francisco

Average grocery spend: $374/month

Average total food spend: $743/month

10. Chicago

Average grocery spend: $376/month

Average total food spend: $680/month

9. Washington, DC

Average grocery spend: $392/month

Average total food spend: $765/month

8. Minneapolis-St. Paul

Average grocery spend: $393/month

Average total food spend: $714/month

7. Philadelphia

Average grocery spend: $405/month

Average total food spend: $683/month

6. Denver

Average grocery spend: $421/month

Average total food spend: $737/month

5. Boston

Average grocery spend: $426/month

Average total food spend: $688/month

4. Anchorage

Average grocery spend: $440/month

Average total food spend: $692/month

3. Honolulu

Average grocery spend: $430/month

Average total food spend: $836/month

2. San Diego

Average grocery spend: $447/month

Average total food spend: $832/month

1. Seattle

Average grocery spend: $498/month

Average total food spend: $913/month

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