Weekly grocery budget calculator
Tell it who's eating and it shows what a healthy week of groceries costs for your household, using the USDA's food plans in the US and the University of Otago's food costs in New Zealand. Two adults and two children aged 6 to 11 come to $236 a week on the USDA Thrifty plan; in New Zealand, two adults and children aged 10 and 4 come to NZ$295 a week on Otago's basic diet.
Who's eating
| Level | Week | Month | Use |
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How it works
It adds up the weekly cost for each person you pick, then applies the household-size rule of the source it's using. A month is the week times 4.333, the USDA's own conversion, so it can differ by a dollar or two from the USDA's published monthly figures.
- United States. USDA food plans for August 2026, at four levels from Thrifty to Liberal, for people in a four-person household. The USDA adds 20% for one person, 10% for two and 5% for three, and takes off 5% for five or six and 10% for seven or more.
- New Zealand. University of Otago estimated food costs, the national average from 16 supermarkets in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, at February 2025 prices, on its basic, moderate and liberal diets. Otago prices family-size packs and shelf prices without specials. Its prices are from February 2025, and Stats NZ measured grocery food prices up 1.7% in the year to August 2026 alone, so expect today's costs to be higher.
The weekly grocery budget guide has the full tables and what's behind them.
Questions
Where do these numbers come from?
In the US, from the USDA's food plans for August 2026, published in September 2026. In New Zealand, from the University of Otago's estimated food costs, with prices collected in February 2025. Both cost a nutritious diet bought at the supermarket and cooked at home.
Which level should I pick?
The one closest to how you shop now. Thrifty (US) and Basic (NZ) are the lowest-cost healthy diets each source prices; for the US family of four, the four levels run from $236 to $387 a week. Try one for a week or two and adjust.
Why does one person cost more per head than a family?
The USDA's figures are for people in four-person households, and it adds 20% for one person and 10% for two. Otago prices family-size packs, which it notes are usually cheaper than smaller ones, and says costs for one to three people are probably underestimated; it doesn't adjust for household size.
Does it include household items?
No. These are food costs only. Cleaning products, toiletries and pet food come on top.
Plan the week to it
Subtotal takes a budget like this and plans the week's meals to it, pricing the week with estimates at first and then with the shelf prices you scan in your own store. In the store it keeps a running total against the budget as you scan.
Sources
- USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, Cost of Food Reports, August 2026: Thrifty Food Plan and the Low-cost, Moderate and Liberal plans, issued September 2026.
- University of Otago, Department of Human Nutrition, Information Package for Users of the New Zealand Estimated Food Costs 2025, Table 3.
- Stats NZ, Selected price indexes: August 2026.