Where the numbers come from
The four levels are the U.S. Department of Agriculture's food plans for September 2026: what a nutritious diet costs per person, by age and sex, with the USDA's adjustment for household size. Thrifty is the tightest healthy budget and the basis for SNAP; low-cost and moderate-cost sit in the middle; liberal allows pricier choices.
For other countries, the U.S. cost is converted with the World Bank's 2021 price comparison for food, then moved forward with each country's own food inflation to June 2026 (FAO food price indices). That reflects what the same groceries cost locally, not just today's exchange rate. Expect it to be off by several percent for your town and the shops you use.
The plans assume every meal and snack is made at home. Meals you eat out are taken off in proportion, so a household that eats 7 of its 21 weekly meals out gets two thirds of the budget.
The Thrifty plan was re-costed in 2021 with its own basket, while the other three still use 2007 baskets updated for inflation. That is why, for children aged 2 to 5, Thrifty can come out slightly above low-cost.
Making the budget stick
A number only helps if you can see where the money goes. Our guides cover setting a grocery budget from your own spending, a weekly routine for shopping on a budget and a cheap grocery list built around meals.
Sources
- USDA, Cost of Food at Home, September 2026: Thrifty, Low-cost, Moderate-cost and Liberal
- USDA, Thrifty Food Plan, 2021, Table 1 (food group shares)
- World Bank, International Comparison Program 2021, food and non-alcoholic beverages
- FAO, FAOSTAT consumer price indices, food, to June 2026
- USDA, SNAP maximum allotments, FY2027