While the Northeast of America is often associated with high costs of living, many Western states have higher average grocery costs, according to new data shared by the infographics and data company Visual Capitalist.
The data shows that more of the states with the highest weekly grocery bills per average household are situated in the West, and that those with the lowest-costing grocery bills are situated mostly in the South.
Why It Matters
The costs of groceries have been a key point of contention over the past year, as many Americans are struggling to cover high costs of living following years of inflation and President Donald Trump vowed to make lowering the cost of food a major part of his administration’s efforts.
Read More on News
However, while some groceries have gone down in cost, which was brought to public attention over the Thanksgiving holiday period, the overall cost of food increased by 3.1 percent between December 2024 and December 2025, according to a recent Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Meats, poultry, fish and eggs have increased in cost by 3.9 percent, while cereals and bakery products have increased in cost by 1.5 percent and fruits and vegetables have increased in cost by 0.5 percent, per the report.
What To Know
The state with the highest average weekly grocery bills was Hawaii, where the average resident will spend $157 a week on supermarket trips.
Alaska was ranked the second highest, having an average weekly grocery bill cost of $152, followed by California ($127), Washington ($126) and Vermont ($124).
“Hawaii has the highest because they have to import a lot of their food from the mainland U.S.,” Harry Kaiser, a professor of applied economics and management at Cornell University, told Newsweek, which he said was the same for Alaska.
As an example, he said that Hawaii imports between 90 and 95 percent of its beverage milk, cheese, and dairy products.
Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, Wyoming, South Dakota, Colorado and Arizona also had higher average weekly grocery bill costs, as did Florida, New York, Maryland, New Jersey and Massachusetts.
“Hawaii, Alaska, and many Western states tend to have higher grocery bills largely because of transportation and supply‑chain costs,” David Ortega, a professor of food economics and policy at Michigan State University, told Newsweek.
He added that these states are “geographically further from major distribution hubs, so food must travel farther, often by air or sea, which raises costs.”
“In parts of the West, higher labor and commercial rent costs, along with limited competition in rural areas also contribute to elevated grocery expenses,” Ortega said.
A notable portion of the Midwest and South of the country all had average weekly grocery bills that were lower than the country’s average cost of $119.
Arkansas, Iowa and Oklahoma had the lowest average weekly grocery bill costs at $111, followed by Texas, Kansas, and Mississippi ($112), and North Dakota, Missouri, Tennessee, Louisiana, West Virginia and Pennsylvania ($113).
Kaiser said the main reason why the South has lower grocery bills is due to “its significantly lower labor costs.”
“A secondary reason is it can grow a lot of its own food and does not rely significantly on imports from other regions of the country,” he added.
Ortega also said that many Southern states have lower grocery bills “in part because they are closer to major agricultural production regions and food‑processing facilities.”
“Shorter supply chains help reduce transportation costs, and the overall cost of living is generally lower, which helps keep retail food prices down,” he added. “For example, households in these states tend to have lower average incomes, and we also see a strong presence of discount and value-oriented grocery chains.”
A number of states have also seen particularly high increases in grocery bill costs. South Dakota’s average grocery bills went up by 12.6 percent in 2025, compared with the year prior, while Hawaii saw a 9.6 percent increase and Montana saw a 9.5 percent increase. Alaska and Washington also saw an 8.8 percent annual increase in grocery costs.
Visual Capitalist gathered its data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the grocery cost index. The data obtained ran up until July 8, 2025.
What People Are Saying
Harry Kaiser, a professor of applied economics and management at Cornell University, told Newsweek: “One reason why grocery bills vary across the country is that food is expensive to transport. Food tends to be bulky and needs refrigeration, and that makes for higher transport costs. A second reason is labor is a major cost for grocery stores and labor costs vary by region, e.g., the south has lower while the north has higher labor costs.”
David Ortega, a professor of food economics and policy at Michigan State University, told Newsweek: “The variation in grocery bills across states reflects differences in transportation costs, labor markets, housing and commercial real‑estate prices, state regulations, and the degree of retail competition. This year, I expect these trends to continue. States with high transportation and labor costs will likely remain at the top of the food price distribution.”
Update 1/29/26, 8:47 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from David Ortega.
In a polarized era, the center is dismissed as bland. At Newsweek, ours is different: The Courageous Center—it’s not “both sides,” it’s sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you.
When you become a Newsweek Member, you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations. Help keep the center courageous. Join today.
Dining and Cooking