New Mexico has ranked as the eighth-highest state for grocery bills in the U.S., according to a Visual Capitalist analysis mapping how much Americans spend on groceries across all states. Despite New Mexico’s relatively low cost of living compared to more expensive states like California, residents still face elevated food costs, with households spending approximately $286 per week—or around $1,144 a month—on groceries.
Nationally, grocery prices have surged significantly, with costs for “food at home” rising by 20% since August 2020, marking the steepest inflation since the 1970s, as per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. American households spend about $270 weekly on groceries, translating to $1,080 monthly, based on data sourced from the Census Bureau. Yet, the burden of food costs varies significantly from state to state.
Hawaii and Alaska top the list for the highest grocery expenditures, each surpassing $300 per week. The primary driver for these elevated costs is shipping; both states rely heavily on imports due to insufficient local food production, significantly inflating prices. Meanwhile, in high-cost states like California, residents spend roughly $298 per week on groceries, making it the third most expensive state for food shopping.
Interestingly, despite New Mexico’s lower overall living expenses compared to states like California or Washington, its residents still face substantial grocery bills. This puts the state among the top ten in terms of food costs, a situation that poses a considerable financial strain.
The analysis indicates that states like Mississippi, Arizona, and New Mexico, which are typically characterized by lower general living costs, still experience high food prices, reflecting a disproportionate burden on residents’ budgets.
The Midwest, in contrast, enjoys some of the lowest grocery prices in the nation, largely thanks to regional economies tied to farming and food production, which help stabilize costs. New Mexico’s position in the rankings highlights the complexity of food pricing trends in the U.S., where even regions with lower general living expenses can struggle with high grocery costs due to factors like transportation, supply chains, and inflationary pressures.
For further insights on food costs and how they impact different regions, visit the Visual Capitalist’s website to explore detailed data-driven charts.
Thank you! I have a kid with a special diet, we spend approximately $500 a week on food, four years ago it was $300, this doesn’t include any meat. While the government says food price are up 10% this is why there is no trust for DC or SF.
A hundred bucks doesn’t buy much these days.
The cost of living in NM has always been high; those that think it is low need to go to the midwest; costs here, even 10 years ago have been pretty high considering the low wages. There has never been a balance. Just go to craigslist, people selling stuff you can buy cheaper brand new. The poverty mindset here is astronomical.
You could triple the prices of food here in NM and people will STILL vote for democrats. That’s how stupid the people here are. Keep smoking those herbs, New Mexicans. Stay stupid.
Most of LOST Cruces, DUMB(duke)City and SUCKER-FE are the Real disasters for the state of NM. These are the areas that all the F-ya fornians are moving into. Until the spread of the cockroachafornia and Steve Pearce are stopped NM is and will always be in a sad and bad situation.
Much of NM is rural and small town markets tend to charge more along with higher transport costs. It’s pretty sad New Mexicans can’t figure what high fuel costs means to every step of production and delivery. Could it lousy education and demo run systems, government SNAP?