Family grocery budget · 2026
How much should a family of four budget for groceries?
Canada's Food Price Report 2026 (released December 4, 2025) estimates that a family of four (a man and a woman aged 31 to 50, a boy aged 14 to 18 and a girl aged 9 to 13) will spend up to $17,571.79 on food in 2026 if they make every meal at home: about $1,464 a month or $338 a week. It is a national estimate, the high end of the report's forecast range.
Where you shop changes that. In the 12 cities we could compare (prices from October 28, 2026 to October 31, 2026), our 50-item example basket cost from 0% (Moncton) to 21% (Montreal) less at the cheapest chain than at the middle chain.
How much less the cheapest chain cost, by city
Our 50-item example basket at the cheapest chain and at the middle chain (prices from October 28, 2026 to October 31, 2026), and what the same gap would be on the report's $338 week for a family of four.
| City | Lowest basket | Middle chain | Less than the middle | Same gap on a family week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montreal | Maxi, $253.53 | $321.79 | 21% | about $72 |
| Toronto | No Frills, $235.60 | $294.17 | 20% | about $67 |
| Saskatoon | Superstore, $266.02 | $322.49 | 18% | about $59 |
| Vancouver | No Frills, $269.08 | $311.81 | 14% | about $46 |
| Edmonton | Superstore, $265.98 | $310.92 | 14% | about $49 |
| Calgary | No Frills, $272.78 | $312.44 | 13% | about $43 |
| Ottawa | No Frills, $235.81 | $271.71 | 13% | about $45 |
| Winnipeg | No Frills, $269.37 | $303.55 | 11% | about $38 |
| Halifax | No Frills, $273.67 | $300.90 | 9% | about $31 |
| Charlottetown | No Frills, $275.56 | $296.17 | 7% | about $24 |
| Quebec City | Maxi, $252.52 | $268.70 | 6% | about $20 |
| Moncton | Giant Tiger and No Frills (too close to call), from $281.74 | $282.53 | 0% | about $1 |
| Victoria | Fewer than three chains compared | |||
| Regina | Fewer than three chains compared | |||
| Fredericton | Fewer than three chains compared | |||
| St. John's | Not enough prices to compare | |||
The report's estimate for other households
Predicted food spending in 2026 for example households, every meal made at home (Canada's Food Price Report 2026, Table 8).
| Household | A year | A month | A week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Man (31 to 50), woman (31 to 50), boy (14 to 18), girl (9 to 13) | $17,571.79 | $1,464 | $338 |
| Two women (31 to 50), girl (14 to 18), boy (9 to 13) | $16,521.88 | $1,377 | $318 |
| Woman (19 to 30), boy (3 to 8), child (1 to 3) | $9,985.87 | $832 | $192 |
| Man (51 to 70), woman (51 to 70) | $8,319.24 | $693 | $160 |
| Man (19 to 30), pregnant woman (19 to 30) | $9,415.69 | $785 | $181 |
| Woman (70+), man (31 to 50), woman (31 to 50), girl (9 to 13), boy (4 to 8), baby (6 to 11 months) | $22,982.64 | $1,915 | $442 |
How these figures are made
The budget amount is the report's: it assumes 5% food waste, every meal made at home and no delivery or online-order fees, and it does not cover special diets. GroceryPulse prices only part of a complete nutritious basket, so we do not total a budget ourselves. Our gap compares one week's totals for our 50-item example basket: the cheapest chain against the middle chain among those with a comparable basket (at least 48 of the 50 items). Metro and Food Basics are never named or counted, because their websites can show another store's prices, and a city where one of them is among the lowest has no gap. Applying the gap to the budget is an illustration: your items, package sizes and stores can give a different gap.
Questions about grocery budgets
How much should a family of four budget for groceries in Canada?
Canada's Food Price Report 2026 (released December 4, 2025) estimates that a family of four (a man and a woman aged 31 to 50, a boy aged 14 to 18 and a girl aged 9 to 13) will spend up to $17,571.79 on food in 2026 if they make every meal at home: about $1,464 a month or $338 a week. It is a national estimate, the high end of the report's forecast range. Where you shop changes that. In the 12 cities we could compare (prices from October 28, 2026 to October 31, 2026), our 50-item example basket cost from 0% (Moncton) to 21% (Montreal) less at the cheapest chain than at the middle chain.
How much should a family of four budget for groceries in Vancouver?
Canada's Food Price Report 2026 puts a family of four's grocery spending at up to $17,571.79 for the year (about $338 a week), with every meal made at home. That is a national estimate, not one for Vancouver. In Vancouver (prices from October 28, 2026 to October 31, 2026), our 50-item example basket cost $269.08 at No Frills, the lowest of 7 chains, against $311.81 at the middle chain: 14% less. The same gap on a $338 week would be about $46.
How much should a family of four budget for groceries in Calgary?
Canada's Food Price Report 2026 puts a family of four's grocery spending at up to $17,571.79 for the year (about $338 a week), with every meal made at home. That is a national estimate, not one for Calgary. In Calgary (prices from October 28, 2026 to October 31, 2026), our 50-item example basket cost $272.78 at No Frills, the lowest of 7 chains, against $312.44 at the middle chain: 13% less. The same gap on a $338 week would be about $43.
How much should a family of four budget for groceries in Edmonton?
Canada's Food Price Report 2026 puts a family of four's grocery spending at up to $17,571.79 for the year (about $338 a week), with every meal made at home. That is a national estimate, not one for Edmonton. In Edmonton (prices from October 28, 2026 to October 31, 2026), our 50-item example basket cost $265.98 at Superstore, the lowest of 7 chains, against $310.92 at the middle chain: 14% less. The same gap on a $338 week would be about $49.
How much should a family of four budget for groceries in Saskatoon?
Canada's Food Price Report 2026 puts a family of four's grocery spending at up to $17,571.79 for the year (about $338 a week), with every meal made at home. That is a national estimate, not one for Saskatoon. In Saskatoon (prices from October 28, 2026 to October 31, 2026), our 50-item example basket cost $266.02 at Superstore, the lowest of 6 chains, against $322.49 at the middle chain: 18% less. The same gap on a $338 week would be about $59.
How much should a family of four budget for groceries in Winnipeg?
Canada's Food Price Report 2026 puts a family of four's grocery spending at up to $17,571.79 for the year (about $338 a week), with every meal made at home. That is a national estimate, not one for Winnipeg. In Winnipeg (prices from October 28, 2026 to October 31, 2026), our 50-item example basket cost $269.37 at No Frills, the lowest of 7 chains, against $303.55 at the middle chain: 11% less. The same gap on a $338 week would be about $38.
How much should a family of four budget for groceries in Toronto?
Canada's Food Price Report 2026 puts a family of four's grocery spending at up to $17,571.79 for the year (about $338 a week), with every meal made at home. That is a national estimate, not one for Toronto. In Toronto (prices from October 28, 2026 to October 31, 2026), our 50-item example basket cost $235.60 at No Frills, the lowest of 7 chains, against $294.17 at the middle chain: 20% less. The same gap on a $338 week would be about $67.
How much should a family of four budget for groceries in Ottawa?
Canada's Food Price Report 2026 puts a family of four's grocery spending at up to $17,571.79 for the year (about $338 a week), with every meal made at home. That is a national estimate, not one for Ottawa. In Ottawa (prices from October 28, 2026 to October 31, 2026), our 50-item example basket cost $235.81 at No Frills, the lowest of 6 chains, against $271.71 at the middle chain: 13% less. The same gap on a $338 week would be about $45.
How much should a family of four budget for groceries in Montreal?
Canada's Food Price Report 2026 puts a family of four's grocery spending at up to $17,571.79 for the year (about $338 a week), with every meal made at home. That is a national estimate, not one for Montreal. In Montreal (prices from October 28, 2026 to October 31, 2026), our 50-item example basket cost $253.53 at Maxi, the lowest of 5 chains, against $321.79 at the middle chain: 21% less. The same gap on a $338 week would be about $72.
How much should a family of four budget for groceries in Quebec City?
Canada's Food Price Report 2026 puts a family of four's grocery spending at up to $17,571.79 for the year (about $338 a week), with every meal made at home. That is a national estimate, not one for Quebec City. In Quebec City (prices from October 28, 2026 to October 31, 2026), our 50-item example basket cost $252.52 at Maxi, the lowest of 3 chains, against $268.70 at the middle chain: 6% less. The same gap on a $338 week would be about $20.
How much should a family of four budget for groceries in Moncton?
Canada's Food Price Report 2026 puts a family of four's grocery spending at up to $17,571.79 for the year (about $338 a week), with every meal made at home. That is a national estimate, not one for Moncton. In Moncton (prices from October 28, 2026 to October 31, 2026), our 50-item example basket cost $281.74 at Giant Tiger and No Frills (too close to call), about the same as at the middle chain ($282.53).
How much should a family of four budget for groceries in Halifax?
Canada's Food Price Report 2026 puts a family of four's grocery spending at up to $17,571.79 for the year (about $338 a week), with every meal made at home. That is a national estimate, not one for Halifax. In Halifax (prices from October 28, 2026 to October 31, 2026), our 50-item example basket cost $273.67 at No Frills, the lowest of 5 chains, against $300.90 at the middle chain: 9% less. The same gap on a $338 week would be about $31.
How much should a family of four budget for groceries in Charlottetown?
Canada's Food Price Report 2026 puts a family of four's grocery spending at up to $17,571.79 for the year (about $338 a week), with every meal made at home. That is a national estimate, not one for Charlottetown. In Charlottetown (prices from October 28, 2026 to October 31, 2026), our 50-item example basket cost $275.56 at No Frills, the lowest of 6 chains, against $296.17 at the middle chain: 7% less. The same gap on a $338 week would be about $24.