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The 20 U.S. Cities With the Most Expensive Groceries
By Jake Beardslee · August 22, 2025
The 20 U.S. Cities With the Most Expensive Groceries
For many Americans, the grocery store has become one of the toughest places to stretch a paycheck. Rising food prices, transportation costs, and supply chain issues have combined to push grocery bills higher across the country. According to data compiled by Visual Capitalist using Numbeo’s grocery index, some cities stand out as significantly more expensive than others.The analysis shows grocery prices are up 2.4% compared to last year, with staples like meat and vegetables leading the surge. Labor shortages and higher shipping costs have added further pressure. In some cities, shoppers now pay nearly double the national average for everyday items like eggs or milk.
Below are the 20 U.S. cities where groceries are the priciest, based on Visual Capitalist’s rankings. Maria Lin Kim / Unsplash
1. Honolulu, Hawaii – 120.2
Honolulu ranks as the most expensive grocery market in the country. Hawaii’s geographic isolation means most goods must be shipped in, raising prices significantly. Residents can pay as much as $8.64 for a gallon of milk and $7.48 for a dozen eggs, according to Visual Capitalist. Alexandra Nelson / Unsplash
2. San Francisco, California – 100.1
San Francisco places second. The study notes that high real estate costs in the Bay Area add to already steep grocery prices, which are about 44% higher than the U.S. average. Anthony DeMarino / Unsplash
3. New York, New York – 100.0
New York takes third place. Grocery bills in the nation’s largest city are among the highest, reflecting its spot near the top of the index. Emiliano Bar / Unsplash
4. Seattle, Washington – 95.3
Seattle ranks fourth, where the grocery index puts the city well above the national average. Toan Chu / Unsplash
5. Boston, Massachusetts – 90.5
Boston is fifth on the list, with grocery prices placing it among the most expensive U.S. cities for food shopping. Gabriele Girelli / Unsplash
6. San Jose, California – 89.8
San Jose follows closely behind, marking the second California city in the top 10. Todd Herbert / Unsplash
7. Washington, D.C. – 87.2
The nation’s capital comes in seventh on the list. Andy He / Unsplash
8. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – 85.7
Philadelphia ranks eighth, with grocery costs that remain higher than the national average. Mike Conway / Unsplash
9. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – 83.1
Pittsburgh also makes the list, placing ninth. Yuhan Du / Unsplash
10. Sacramento, California – 81.8
California’s capital lands in tenth place with elevated grocery costs. Josh Hild / Unsplash
11. Los Angeles, California – 81.7
Los Angeles comes in just behind Sacramento, making it the fourth California city in the top 20. Cedric Letsch / Unsplash
12. Minneapolis, Minnesota – 81.1
Minneapolis ranks twelfth, showing that Midwestern cities are not immune from higher prices. Nicole Geri / Unsplash
13. Chicago, Illinois – 80.4
Chicago appears in thirteenth place on the index. Ricky Beron / Unsplash
14. Atlanta, Georgia – 79.9
Atlanta ranks fourteenth, reflecting higher-than-average grocery costs in the South. Ibuki Tsubo / Unsplash
15. Baltimore, Maryland – 77.7
Baltimore follows, with prices placing it fifteenth overall. Ricky Beron / Unsplash
16. Charlotte, North Carolina – 77.3
Charlotte comes in sixteenth, one of two North Carolina cities in the top 20. Leiada Krözjhen / Unsplash
17. Denver, Colorado – 77.0
Denver is seventeenth on the list. Bill Griepenstroh / Unsplash
18. Spokane, Washington – 76.5
Spokane ranks eighteenth, making it the second Washington city to appear. Spicypepper999, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
19. Miami, Florida – 75.8
Miami places nineteenth, with grocery prices above the U.S. average. Denys Kostyuchenko / Unsplash