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Ranked: U.S. Cities With the Highest Cost of Groceries
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Key Takeaways
- Honolulu, HI has the most expensive grocery costs in the nation, with prices more than 20% higher than in New York City as of mid-year 2025.
- San Francisco, CA ranks in second, hovering just above New York, NY.
Grocery bills vary dramatically across the U.S., and some cities are feeling the pinch more than others.
Adding to the strain are record meat prices, driving up up food price inflation 3% compared to June of last year. Meanwhile, vegetable prices are spiking as farmers struggle with labor shortages amid rising deportations.
This visualization ranks the top 20 American cities with the highest cost of groceries, based on data from Numbeo.
America’s Top 20 Cities by Cost of Groceries
For the rankings, each city’s grocery index is compared against New York City, which is used as a baseline of 100:
| Rank | City | Groceries Index Mid-Year 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Honolulu, HI | 120.2 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | 100.1 |
| 3 | New York, NY | 100 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | 95.3 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | 90.5 |
| 6 | San Jose, CA | 89.8 |
| 7 | Washington, DC | 87.2 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | 85.7 |
| 9 | Pittsburgh, PA | 83.1 |
| 10 | Sacramento, CA | 81.8 |
| 11 | Los Angeles, CA | 81.7 |
| 12 | Minneapolis, MN | 81.1 |
| 13 | Chicago, IL | 80.4 |
| 14 | Atlanta, GA | 79.9 |
| 15 | Baltimore, MD | 77.7 |
| 16 | Charlotte, NC | 77.3 |
| 17 | Denver, CO | 77 |
| 18 | Spokane, WA | 76.5 |
| 19 | Miami, FL | 75.8 |
| 20 | Raleigh, NC | 74.9 |
Honolulu, Hawaii ranks far above all other U.S. cities with a groceries index of 120.2. That’s over 20% more than in New York City, the benchmark.
As an island state, Hawaii faces higher import and transportation costs, driving up the price of food staples. The state’s geographic isolation continues to make everyday goods, including groceries, particularly expensive.
Meanwhile, California and Washington state are well-represented in the top 20. San Francisco (100.1), San Jose (89.8), Sacramento (81.8), and Los Angeles (81.7) all make the list, as does Seattle (95.3) and Spokane (76.5).
These cities are known for higher costs of living in general, and groceries are no exception. Limited space for agriculture and strong demand from dense populations contribute to elevated food prices.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out this graphic on the top 10 states with the highest cost of living on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.