Grocery Prices — September 2026
U.S. grocery shelf prices rose 0.36% in September 2026, according to the GroceryChop Price Index, which tracked 29,519 prices across 1,704 stores and 25 grocery banners.
The biggest category move: nonalcoholic beverages up 3.79% on the month.
National, by category
Month-over-month change is matched-sample: the same items at the same stores in both months.
| Category (BLS food-at-home) | MoM | Index | Basket cost | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All food at home | +0.36% | 100.4 | $3.79 | 29,519 prices (94,654 readings) · 1,704 stores |
| Meats, poultry, fish & eggs | −1.16% | 98.8 | $5.27 | 11,197 prices (30,036 readings) · 1,316 stores |
| Dairy & related products | +1.42% | 101.4 | $3.24 | 6,218 prices (26,626 readings) · 966 stores |
| Fruits & vegetables | −2.43% | 97.6 | $1.89 | 709 prices (1,815 readings) · 226 stores |
| Cereals & bakery products | +2.03% | 102.0 | $2.97 | 2,526 prices (7,523 readings) · 342 stores |
| Nonalcoholic beverages | +3.79% | 103.8 | $7.49 | 7,808 prices (21,146 readings) · 1,704 stores |
| Other food at home | +0.65% | 100.6 | $2.49 | 1,061 prices (7,508 readings) · 402 stores |
“—” means the figure didn't meet our publication thresholds and is withheld rather than estimated.
By metro — all groceries
| Metro | MoM | Basket cost | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAlive prices & deals → | — | $4.66 | 444 prices (744 readings) · 29 stores · 4 banners |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CAlive prices & deals → | — | $4.35 | 462 prices (951 readings) · 25 stores · 5 banners |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAlive prices & deals → | +1.82% | $4.15 | 1,707 prices (2,780 readings) · 130 stores · 8 banners |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CAlive prices & deals → | +6.79% | $4.14 | 806 prices (1,574 readings) · 46 stores · 9 banners |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | — | $4.08 | 456 prices (830 readings) · 31 stores · 5 banners |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GAlive prices & deals → | +2.36% | $3.95 | 1,162 prices (4,234 readings) · 61 stores · 6 banners |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, INlive prices & deals → | — | $3.94 | 2,406 prices (13,761 readings) · 31 stores · 6 banners |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TXlive prices & deals → | +2.28% | $3.93 | 887 prices (2,027 readings) · 46 stores · 7 banners |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXlive prices & deals → | +2.19% | $3.79 | 1,553 prices (4,928 readings) · 66 stores · 7 banners |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WIlive prices & deals → | +1.43% | $3.78 | 950 prices (2,569 readings) · 66 stores · 7 banners |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | — | $3.67 | 511 prices (797 readings) · 31 stores · 5 banners |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZlive prices & deals → | +4.60% | $3.63 | 919 prices (3,037 readings) · 62 stores · 7 banners |
How this compares to official CPI
The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes the official food-at-home CPI for September 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, September 2026. grocerychop.com/price-index/vs-cpi/2026-09
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.