Here's The Average Cost Of A BBQ Cookout

It's hard to top summertime cookouts when it comes to casual, relaxing get-togethers with family and friends. Wearing shorts and flip-flops, smelling food cooking on the grill, laughing and talking with music playing, and sipping a cold beer — what could be better? But the laid-back vibe doesn't mean it'll be cheap. International food and agribusiness bank Rabobank released its annual BBQ Index, which showed that the average cost of a backyard barbecue in 2025 will top $100 for the first time.

This year the average cost is $103, up just over 4% from $99 last year, $97 in 2023, and 41% more than in 2018, when it was $73. Rabobank comes up with the average cost each year based on a cookout for 10 adults, with each person having one cheeseburger and one chicken sandwich, each with a slice of American cheese, lettuce, and tomato on a bun. They also get two handfuls of chips, two beers, one soda, and a few scoops of ice cream for dessert. 

The biggest increase from 2024 is for tomatoes, which cost nearly 17% more, followed by chicken, which is priced, on average, 15.7% higher. The next biggest rise in price after that is for ground beef, which moved up 6.4%. Meanwhile, burger buns had the largest price drop from last year, down a modest 2.7%, followed by cheese at 1.4% and lettuce, which fell by 1.2%.

There's no need to think twice about hosting a barbecue because of worries about spending too much. There are many options for what you can serve at a cookout without digging as deep, and getting creative gives you the bonus of enjoying something different than the usual.

One easy switch is to make burgers yourself instead of buying them premade, or go for turkey or homemade veggie burgers instead. Hot dogs are a cookout classic that can sub for burgers, as can sausages. For poultry, opt for chicken thighs or legs, which cost less than breast pieces, have more flavor, and don't dry out as quickly. Marinating affordable cuts of steak before grilling — like flank steak — helps keep them flavorful and juicy. 

Making kebabs with any meat or poultry you like and putting lots of vegetables in between each piece of protein is a good way to make your dollar go further. You can even go outside the box and cook meatloaf or meatballs on the grill – the starchy fillers stretch the ground meat, and the grill gives them a delicious smoky flavor. Cooking a pizza on the grill also won't cost much and can feed many people. 

Potato salad, pasta salad, and coleslaw are all traditional cookout sides that are filling and cheap to make. Grill a whole bunch of vegetables, especially starchy ones like corn on the cob dressed with butter and seasonings or halved potatoes stuffed with cheese, bacon, chili, or other toppings you like. Finally, you can grill watermelon for an impressive cookout side or dress up all kinds of grilled fruit with sweet and savory finishes.