Residents of this Valley city spend the most on groceries

Going to the grocery store isn’t just a chore. With prices continually on the rise, it’s also become a rage bait machine. 

Phoenix’s prices fall squarely in the middle among the rankings for the top 100 largest U.S. cities’ grocery costs. However, one Valley municipality is more expensive than the rest. And it’s probably not the one you’re thinking of.

A new study from WalletHub analyzed the prices of 26 common grocery items in the nation’s largest cities to compare the total costs to the median household income. Using this metric, the study identified residents who are spending the greatest percentage of their income on groceries.

No Valley cities ranked among the top 30 for the most expensive grocery costs. The first Arizona spot on the list is the West Valley suburb of Glendale, home to the Arizona Cardinals and Westgate Entertainment District. With a population of nearly 250,000 people, it’s the fifth-largest municipality in Maricopa County, closely trailing Gilbert and Chandler.

Coming in at No. 38, Glendale households spend 2.15% of their monthly income on groceries, according to WalletHub. 

That percentage only tells shoppers part of the story. In Glendale, the median household income is $70,600, according to the U.S. Census, which means that, based on that percentage, residents spend only $117 a month on groceries. 

But if you’ve been to Safeway or Fry’s recently, spending just over $100 a month on groceries to feed an entire household may seem like a pipe dream. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2022 and 2023 data, the average Phoenix household spends approximately $5,220 per year, or $435 per month, at the grocery store. This makes up 56% of their yearly food budget and another $4,172 is spent on food away from home. This means more than 5% of Phoenix residents’ monthly budget is spent at the grocery store. And we are all acutely aware of how grocery prices have jumped since 2023.

Sure, everyone’s grocery list is different, and WalletHub’s study doesn’t specify which items it’s taking into account, but it’s likely that Glendale residents spend more than 2.15% of their monthly income on groceries. 

Still, eating out is even more expensive. Here’s how the rest of the Valley cities fare on WalletHub’s list, based on the percentage of monthly income spent on groceries. 

38. Glendale – 2.15%

54. Phoenix – 1.96%

57. Tempe – 1.94%

58. Mesa – 1.91%

90. Chandler – 1.45%

91. Scottsdale – 1.4%

96. Gilbert – 1.24%