USDA Grocery Costs by Family Size
Every month the USDA prices what a healthy diet costs at home, for every age, at four budget levels. This page turns those official tables into the numbers families actually ask for: what should a family of two, or five, or seven spend on groceries?
Monthly grocery cost by family size
| Family size | Thrifty | Low-Cost | Moderate | Liberal | Moderate / week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family of 2 | $630 | $652 | $808 | $1,007 | $186 |
| Family of 3 | $782 | $805 | $988 | $1,226 | $228 |
| Family of 4 | $1,024 | $1,126 | $1,388 | $1,679 | $321 |
| Family of 5 | $1,151 | $1,239 | $1,529 | $1,849 | $353 |
| Family of 6 | $1,364 | $1,495 | $1,835 | $2,230 | $424 |
| Family of 7 | $1,586 | $1,707 | $2,101 | $2,539 | $485 |
Each family page shows the assumed mix of ages, the person-by-person build-up, and the weekly figures. Family of four is the USDA reference family; other sizes use stated example compositions (a couple plus children of typical ages).
The official person-by-person table
USDA prices food per person, by age and sex, for people in four-person households. Every family figure on this site is built from this table plus the size adjustment below, exactly the way USDA prescribes. Monthly cost per person, August 2026:
| Person | Thrifty | Low-Cost | Moderate | Liberal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child, 1 year | $114.20 | $165.10 | $185.80 | $226.00 |
| Child, 2 to 3 years | $172.60 | $173.50 | $207.10 | $252.30 |
| Child, 4 to 5 years | $188.30 | $178.80 | $221.40 | $267.60 |
| Child, 6 to 8 years | $209.20 | $262.00 | $304.50 | $356.30 |
| Child, 9 to 11 years | $241.90 | $270.90 | $349.50 | $407.40 |
| Female, 12 to 13 years | $224.00 | $269.30 | $321.50 | $400.90 |
| Female, 14 to 19 years | $260.00 | $270.60 | $323.10 | $399.30 |
| Female, 20 to 50 years | $253.70 | $275.70 | $336.10 | $428.80 |
| Female, 51 to 70 years | $236.30 | $268.70 | $331.00 | $399.20 |
| Female, 71 years and over | $260.50 | $268.10 | $329.80 | $394.10 |
| Male, 12 to 13 years | $258.50 | $316.70 | $392.40 | $460.50 |
| Male, 14 to 19 years | $326.20 | $322.30 | $403.30 | $473.70 |
| Male, 20 to 50 years | $318.90 | $317.20 | $398.10 | $486.20 |
| Male, 51 to 70 years | $281.20 | $299.00 | $375.00 | $448.80 |
| Male, 71 years and over | $268.20 | $295.90 | $363.70 | $447.70 |
The size adjustment
After adding up the people, USDA adjusts the total: 1 person, add 20%. 2 people, add 10%. 3 people, add 5%. 4 people, no adjustment. 5 or 6 people, subtract 5%. 7 or more people, subtract 10%. Monthly figures are weekly figures times 4.333, the USDA convention.
Put it to work
Compare your real spending in the grocery budget calculator, see the maximum SNAP benefits by household size built from the thrifty plan, or fold groceries into a full plan with the family budget planner. For the habits that move the number, read our grocery budget playbook.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a family spend on groceries per month?
The USDA prices a healthy diet at four levels every month. In August 2026, a family of four runs from $1,024 a month on the thrifty plan to $1,679 on the liberal plan. Find your family size above for your figures.
What are the four USDA food plans?
Thrifty is the bare-bones nutritious minimum and the basis for SNAP benefits. Low-cost adds a little variety. Moderate-cost is where most middle-income families land. Liberal includes premium and convenience foods. All four assume meals are made at home.
Why does family size change the cost per person?
USDA adjusts for economies of scale: add 20% for one person, 10% for two, 5% for three, nothing for four, subtract 5% for five or six people, and 10% for seven or more. Bigger households share staples and waste less per person.
How current are these figures?
These are the USDA's August 2026 costs, the latest monthly report when this page was built. USDA updates the numbers every month for food price inflation, and we refresh this page as new reports land.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, USDA Food Plans monthly cost of food report, August 2026, retrieved 2026-10-13. Figures are national averages for food prepared and eaten at home. USDA updates these costs every month for food price inflation. Alaska and Hawaii have higher USDA thrifty figures (Anchorage $1,295 and Hawaii $1,556 a month for the reference family in the same report); the family pages here use the national tables.