The State With The Highest Grocery Prices In 2026

Unless your grocery routine is akin to that of Kim Kardashian, who hasn't set foot in a supermarket in years, you're probably well aware that grocery prices have been on the rise across the country. However, if you're feeling bitter about ever-increasing supermarket costs, you might find some solace in comparing your grocery budget to average bills in the state with the highest grocery prices: Hawaii. Households in the Aloha State spend around $157 on groceries per week, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics via Visual Capitalist. That's roughly 33% higher than the U.S. average of $118.

Hawaii is closely followed by Alaska at $152 (grocery prices in rural Alaska are astonishing), with California trailing in a distant third at $127. On the other end of the spectrum, grocery prices in Hawaii are over 40% higher than in Arkansas, Iowa, and Oklahoma, where shoppers enjoy the lowest weekly grocery bills at just $111. Adding insult to injury for Rainbow State shoppers, Hawaii has also been hit with some of the steepest price hikes in the country, with an annual grocery cost increase of nearly 10%.

Unsurprisingly, one of the biggest factors contributing to Hawaii's sky-high grocery prices is transportation costs. A majority of the island's supermarket stock has to be shipped thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean, and that comes with a price tag. When you add in high operating costs and reduced competition, Hawaii's steep supermarket prices more than check out. This can lead to some serious sticker shock for mainland shoppers visiting the islands — for example, the average price of a dozen eggs in Hawaii is north of $9, while a gallon of milk can easily set you back nearly $8.

Although Hawaii's grocery prices are the highest in the country, the volcanic islands are not necessarily the least affordable state for American grocery shoppers. If you consider the percentage of the median household income that goes toward groceries, the state with the least affordable grocery prices is Mississippi, where, on average, over 10.5% of household income is spent on food at home (per U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics via Go Banking Rates). By this measure, Hawaii has the 22nd least affordable groceries in the U.S. at around 8.3%, while Massachusetts takes the affordability crown with just over 6% of average household income going toward groceries. In any case, if you do find yourself trying to stretch your grocery budget in Hawaii, make sure to snag a few cans of the Aloha State's beloved and affordable pantry staple.