The Cost of a Summer Cookout in Every State
- Hosting a summer cookout for 8 people costs an average of $83.08 in 2026, or $69.42 without beer.
- Hawaii ($112.69) and Alaska ($93.24) are the two priciest states, reflecting the higher cost of transporting goods to non-contiguous states.
- On the mainland, Tennessee hosts the priciest cookout at $89.66.
- New Hampshire is the least expensive state at $77.53, thanks to no sales tax on any item in the basket, including alcohol.
- Ground beef is the single most expensive item nationally, but beer prices vary the most by state, and alcohol taxes can significantly shift a state's ranking.
- The same cookout costs 45% more in Hawaii than in New Hampshire, a $35.16 gap between the most and least expensive states.
Methodology
The ConsumerAffairs Research Team priced a standardized basket of 16 common cookout items at Walmart Supercenters across the country to determine the cost of hosting a summer cookout in every state. The basket is designed to serve eight people and includes ground beef, American cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, hamburger buns, hot dogs, hot dog buns, ketchup, mustard, potato chips, watermelon, beer, soda, bottled water, ice and popsicles.
Store locations were selected using the most populous city in each state based on U.S. Census Bureau population estimates. Prices were collected through Walmart.com using the store pickup option to capture location-specific pricing. All prices reflect the standard listed price at the time of data collection, excluding temporary sales or promotions. Tax figures were taken directly from Walmart's estimated tax at checkout rather than applying a state-level rate, as grocery and alcohol taxes vary significantly by state, county and city.
In some states, certain items were unavailable at the primary Walmart location and were sourced from the nearest comparable retailer to maintain consistency.
Questions?
For questions about the data or if you'd like to set up an interview, please contact jrodriguez@consumeraffairs.com.