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The cost of maintaining a nutritious diet for a single adult can vary significantly depending on the region.
Using data from June 2023 from the Economic Policy Institute‘s family budget calculator, Reddit user TA-MajestyPalm created a map showcasing the monthly budget needed for a single adult to have a healthy, balanced diet in each US county.
This budget calculator is based on the USDA’s low-cost plan for a nutritious diet, which assumes that most food is purchased at a grocery store and prepared at home. The data represents single-person households, averaging for both males and females aged 19 to 50.
Generally, food costs are higher for deliveries to isolated, logistically challenging areas (such as Alaska, Hawaii, and remote parts of the mountain west) or dense, high-cost-of-living urban areas (like Manhattan and the Bay Area).
In six counties, the cost of eating well exceeds $500 a month: Leelanau County, Michigan ($735); Crook County, Oregon ($576); New York County ($555); Kalawao County, Hawaii ($516); Maui County, Hawaii ($516); and Wheeler County, Oregon ($507).
Rounding out the top ten most expensive counties are Teton County, Wyoming ($500); California’s Marin County ($490); Harney County, Oregon ($482); and Nevada County, California ($481).
