The Cost of Feeding a Family of Four Around the World

Ever head to the checkout line at the local grocery store and think that the bill is higher than you expected? MoveHub calculated the typical weekly essentials shop of the average family in the UK around the globe to see exactly how expensive feeding a family of four can be.

British families with high grocery bills might want to consider moving to the US, Saudi Arabia, or Singapore where the same store items mean you’re spending less of your salary.

Calculating the cost of feeding a family of four

The data is based on a weekly shop equal to the UK average (British families spend around 12% of their salaries on grocery staples), calculated by Office of National Statistics in 2013, and adjusted for inflation. The prices used represent local costs in each country based on purchasing the same items.

This – and the fact that certain items may be more expensive in other countries – is why some countries have a weekly shop that exceeds 100% of the Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, in other words, per person.

The food costs data comes via Numbeo, and some items are a lot more expensive in certain countries, i.e. beef, dairy, and fresh produce. Without getting into the differences in dietary preferences and restrictions, the average weekly shop in the UK consists of essentials like bread, rice, fruit, vegetables, meats, and dairy products.

The most expensive items across the board on this essential grocery list are meat and dairy; families looking to cut these foods out of their diets will have a lower grocery bill.

Cost of feeding expats versus residents

These numbers won’t necessarily represent the costs that local residents might incur in feeding their family, however. As the prices on Numbeo are typically entered by expats, the costs are indicative of the prices an expat would spend relative to the purchasing power of the local residents.

While it costs around 12% of the average family of four’s earnings in the UK to pay for groceries, the same food items may cost at least 50% of a family’s salary in other countries.