10 most expensive cities to buy groceries

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO BUY GROCERIES

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO BUY GROCERIES

10. Â LOS ANGELES

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO BUY GROCERIES

Despite being the second-largest city in the United States after New York, Los Angeles is relatively low on the list of costliest places to eat.

It came in at tenth place, with an estimated monthly grocery cost of $348.18 per person.

Los Angeles boasts a great diversity of ethnic food in its various neighborhoods—if you want to learn more about this, check out the documentary City of Gold. The home of Hollywood is well known for its authentic Mexican and Asian cuisine, along with classic “soul food.”

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO BUY GROCERIES

9. Â NEW ORLEANS

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO BUY GROCERIES

The next most expensive city after L.A. is the Big Easy, where a month’s worth of groceries costs about $355.51 per person. While the cost of groceries in New Orleans may be relatively high, it makes up for this in utility costs, which are relatively low.

New Orleans is famous for its Cajun cuisine. The food culture of New Orleans emerged from the blending of Creole and French influences in the region, leading to a distinctive taste of classic dishes like red beans and rice. Its position on the Gulf of Mexico lends itself well to dishes like jambalaya, made with fresh seafood.

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO BUY GROCERIES

8. Â MIAMI

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO BUY GROCERIES

Not too far from New Orleans is the next most expensive city on our list: Miami, Florida. With scenic views and legendary beach parties, Miami is a fun place to live. But to fuel your laid-back, beach bum lifestyle, you’ll need about $360.19 per month for groceries.

If you’re looking for local recipes in Miami, you may hear people refer to “Floribbean” food. This hybrid of “Floridian” and “Caribbean” accurately describes the tastes of Miami. Immigrants from the Caribbean and Latin America brought their authentic dishes to the mainland, where they were combined with American influences to create a distinctly “Floribbean” taste.

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO BUY GROCERIES

7. Â BOSTON

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO BUY GROCERIES

Trading the Gulf for the Atlantic, we travel to the East Coast to find our next most expensive city to cook in. Boston is a great place to work and play, and a moderately expensive place to eat. A month’s worth of groceries costs about $361.93.

As the only New England city on our list, Boston is an iconic example of East Coast cuisine. Its clam chowder is famous for a reason; Boston boasts some of the freshest and tastiest seafood in the country. In addition to the chowder, fish and chips are a must-try dish.

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO BUY GROCERIES

6. CHICAGO

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO BUY GROCERIES

The Windy City offers a wide variety of great eating options, but is most famous for its deep-dish pizza joints. When you’re not eating out, however, cooking your own food will cost you—a month’s worth of groceries in Chicago costs roughly 372.04.

Chicago’s most popular diners and dives reflect the tastes of the working class, who built the city from the ground up. Pizza and hot dogs are two staples, each boasting their own “Chicago style,” and are rarely emulated properly anywhere else.

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO BUY GROCERIES

5. PHILADELPHIA

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO BUY GROCERIES

With a monthly grocery cost almost identical to Chicago’s, the cost of living in Philadelphia is not much different. Expect to pay about $372.22 per person per month in the City of Brotherly Love.

It’s hard to think about Philadelphia food without picturing the Philly cheesesteak. This iconic sandwich was born in the 1930s, at the hot dog stand of the Olivieri brothers. When they decided to slap some sliced beef and melted cheese onto a hot dog bun, they likely had no idea that the sandwich would become a classic.

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO BUY GROCERIES

4. SEATTLE

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO BUY GROCERIES

We’re headed back to the West Coast as we approach the most expensive places to eat in the United States. Good seafood and other fresh staples don’t come cheap; residents of Seattle pay about $377.78 each month on groceries.

Seattle is known for many things: rain, mountains, and… flying fish? The Pike Place Fish Market is world famous for its quirky fish-handling technique, with grocers tossing fish back and forth.

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO BUY GROCERIES

3. WASHINGTON D.C.

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO BUY GROCERIES

The great seat of the United States is not only a city of great historic importance, but a blossoming community of food culture. Buying groceries in Washington, D.C. isn’t exactly cheap, with a month’s worth of groceries setting you back about $393.77.

One of the best parts of Washington, D.C. is the abundance of food trucks and the growing food truck culture. These restaurants on wheels can be seen all over the city, serving everything from lobster to milk and cookies.

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO BUY GROCERIES

2. MINNEAPOLIS

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO BUY GROCERIES

Coming in second place on our list of most expensive places to buy groceries is the larger of the “Twin Cities,� Minneapolis. This Midwestern oasis is a city on the rise, with prices to match. A month of groceries averages about $414.60.

Interestingly, Minneapolis is known for its love of traditional Nordic cuisine, often with a modern American twist. This flavor palate includes such rich and earthy ingredients as root vegetables, wild greens, venison, and dried mushrooms.

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO BUY GROCERIES

1. NEW YORK

10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO BUY GROCERIES

The reigning champion of expensive groceries will likely come as no surprise. Being the city with the highest population in the United States, New York has a cost of living to match. Coming out well ahead of any other city on the list, the cost of groceries in The Big Apple is about $440.37.

New York makes up for its high grocery costs with amazing cuisine that varies depending on where you are. Ever since its early days as the original “melting pot,” when ethnicities were immigrating to Ellis Island, the city has boasted delicious and authentic food from just about every culture you can imagine. Different neighborhoods are known for their certain flavors, and New Yorkers can virtually “eat around the world” just by traveling around the city.