Grocery Prices — August 2026
The GroceryChop Price Index for August 2026 is based on 20,443 shelf-price observations across 1,451 U.S. grocery stores. No month-over-month change is published for August 2026: from this month the item median is taken over distinct prices rather than every reading, so the month is not comparable with the one before it and the index restarts at 100.
National, by category
Every month-over-month cell is empty this month, and not because the sample was thin — see the note below the table.
| Category (BLS food-at-home) | MoM | Index | Basket cost | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All food at home | — | 100.0 | $3.62 | 20,443 prices (55,949 readings) · 1,451 stores |
| Meats, poultry, fish & eggs | — | 100.0 | $4.45 | 8,512 prices (18,310 readings) · 1,023 stores |
| Dairy & related products | — | 100.0 | $3.11 | 4,385 prices (12,720 readings) · 765 stores |
| Fruits & vegetables | — | 100.0 | $1.90 | 402 prices (1,552 readings) · 181 stores |
| Cereals & bakery products | — | 100.0 | $2.79 | 1,957 prices (7,849 readings) · 248 stores |
| Nonalcoholic beverages | — | 100.0 | $8.00 | 4,512 prices (13,266 readings) · 1,451 stores |
| Other food at home | — | 100.0 | $2.49 | 675 prices (2,252 readings) · 263 stores |
Every “—” in the month-over-month column is deliberate. No month-over-month change is published for August 2026: from this month the item median is taken over distinct prices rather than every reading, so the month is not comparable with the one before it and the index restarts at 100. Sample thresholds are not the reason. Elsewhere, “—” means the figure didn't meet our publication thresholds and is withheld rather than estimated.
By metro — all groceries
| Metro | MoM | Basket cost | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAlive prices & deals → | — | $4.05 | 441 prices (3,200 readings) · 16 stores · 4 banners |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WIlive prices & deals → | — | $4.04 | 768 prices (1,437 readings) · 60 stores · 6 banners |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | — | $4.01 | 474 prices (1,053 readings) · 21 stores · 5 banners |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GAlive prices & deals → | — | $3.89 | 492 prices (873 readings) · 42 stores · 5 banners |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TXlive prices & deals → | — | $3.84 | 544 prices (1,018 readings) · 45 stores · 6 banners |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, INlive prices & deals → | — | $3.79 | 487 prices (1,857 readings) · 21 stores · 6 banners |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAlive prices & deals → | — | $3.77 | 1,134 prices (2,065 readings) · 121 stores · 7 banners |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXlive prices & deals → | — | $3.74 | 899 prices (1,974 readings) · 59 stores · 7 banners |
| Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TNlive prices & deals → | — | $3.68 | 421 prices (880 readings) · 23 stores · 4 banners |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CAlive prices & deals → | — | $3.67 | 661 prices (1,270 readings) · 35 stores · 8 banners |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZlive prices & deals → | — | $3.43 | 543 prices (1,442 readings) · 39 stores · 6 banners |
How this compares to official CPI
The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes the official food-at-home CPI for August 2026 on its scheduled CPI release date, typically mid-month. Our figures come from observed shelf prices rather than a survey, use our own store panel, and are not seasonally adjusted — so the two series measure related but not identical things. We publish our number first; compare responsibly.
Cite or reuse this release
Suggested citation (free to use with attribution, CC BY 4.0):
GroceryChop Price Index, August 2026. grocerychop.com/price-index/vs-cpi/2026-08
About GroceryChop
The GroceryChop Price Index is built from the live price data behind GroceryChop, a free tool that compares a full shopping list across every grocery store near you and finds the cheapest basket. Shoppers can compare prices, browse today's deals, or get the app.