Grocery Budget Calculator
Estimate a monthly grocery budget for your household from the official USDA Food Plans (Thrifty to Liberal), adjusted for household size.
How much should a household spend on groceries? The USDA answers that every month with its Food Plans, which price a healthy diet cooked at home at four cost levels, from Thrifty to Liberal. This calculator adds up the official cost for each person in your home by age and sex, applies the USDA household-size adjustment, and compares all four levels so you can pick a realistic target.
How to use this tool
- Choose the budget level you want to aim for.
- Enter how many people of each age group live and eat at home.
- Optionally enter what you spend now to see how it compares.
- Read the monthly, weekly and yearly budget, and the comparison table for the other levels.
Formula
Budget = (sum of each person's USDA monthly cost) × household-size factor
USDA costs are for people in 4-person households. Factors: 1 person +20%, 2 people +10%, 3 people +5%, 4 people no change, 5–6 people −5%, 7 or more −10%.
Example
A family of four with a man and a woman aged 20–50 and children aged 6–8 and 9–11 on the Moderate-cost plan adds up to $398.40 + $336.40 + $304.70 + $349.70 = $1,389.20 a month (about $16,670 a year). The same family on the Thrifty plan needs about $1,023.90, within rounding of USDA's official $1,024 reference-family figure.
Frequently asked questions
Which USDA plan should I use?
The Thrifty plan is the basis for maximum SNAP benefits and is the tightest budget. Many households fall between the Low-cost and Moderate-cost plans; the Liberal plan allows more expensive foods.
Do these budgets include eating out?
No. Every plan assumes all meals and snacks are prepared at home, so restaurant meals, takeout and non-food items like cleaning supplies are extra.
Why does a single person get a higher amount per person?
Small households lose bulk-buying savings and waste more food, so USDA suggests adding 20% for one person and 10% for two. Large households get a discount.
How often do the numbers change?
USDA updates the costs monthly for food price inflation. This page uses the September 2026 report; prices in Alaska and Hawaii are higher than the U.S. average.
Sources
Last updated: 2026