Here’s where you’ll find the most expensive groceries in America, according to Rent.com

Hero Images/Getty

• A new report published this month by Rent.com identifies the 10 most expensive cities and counties to buy groceries in the US.
• The analysis uses data from the Council for Community and Economic Research’s Cost of Living Index to compare price and spend on common grocery items like milk, eggs, coffee, and sugar.
• The most expensive areas to buy groceries are in coastal cities in states like New York and California. 
• Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

When it comes to maintaining a monthly budget, food spending can quickly add up, but even more so depending on where you live. 

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the average American spends 9.9% of their disposable personal income on food — 5.2% of which consists of grocery spend and 4.7% on restaurants and meals away from home. However, the cost of groceries varies widely across the US and skews significantly higher in coastal cities, according to a new report by Rent.com.

Read more: Here’s what the average person spends on groceries annually in every state

Specifically, the report examines data from the Council for Community and Economic Research’s Cost of Living Index and compares costs on common grocery list items like milk, eggs, coffee, and sugar. It then ranks all 257 cities and counties in the report based on grocery affordability.

Here are the top 10 most costly locations for groceries, ranked from least to most expensive by total percentage above the national average:

10. Mount Vernon-Skagit County, Washington — 21.5% above national average

Wolfgang Kaehler/Getty Images

9. Seattle, Washington — 28.6% above national average

Shutterstock

8. Queens, New York — 28.6% above national average

Melpomene/Shutterstock

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

See Also:

• I tried the ‘best doughnut chain in America’ and found simplicity is what makes it stand out
• A secret internal memo reportedly outlined Amazon’s plans for a new grocery-store chain that could thrive in areas where Whole Foods struggles
• The rise and fall of Victoria’s Secret, America’s most famous lingerie retailer

SEE ALSO: My girlfriend and I spend less than $150 a month on groceries and eat at home 5 nights a week — here’s exactly what we buy

Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Bethany Biron)