Where are groceries most expensive?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes grocery average prices for four census regions — Northeast, Midwest, South and West — but not for individual metro areas, so regional is as granular as the official dollar data goes. To compare fairly, Basket Report ranks regions on a 11-item comparable basket of staples priced in all four regions.
On that basis the Northeast is the most expensive region at $58.60 (+4.6% versus the national average), while the South is the cheapest at $54.98 (-1.9% versus national). The gap reflects transport, local costs and which goods each region buys, not a different methodology.
Because each region reports a different subset of items on a bi-monthly cadence, the comparable basket is deliberately smaller than the headline 24-item national index, and its dollar figures are lower as a result — it is a like-for-like ranking, not the same number as the national basket.
Frequently asked
Which U.S. region has the most expensive groceries?
On the comparable 11-item basket, the Northeast is most expensive at $58.60 as of May 2026.
Does BLS publish grocery prices by city?
No. BLS average price (APU) grocery data exists only at the national level and the four census regions, not for individual metros.
Why are regional baskets cheaper than the national index?
The regional comparison uses a smaller like-for-like set of 11 items priced in every region, so its total is lower than the full 24-item national Basket Index by design.