The Super Bowl is more than just a game; it’s a day for millions of Americans to come together to laugh at over-the-top commercials, enjoy a halftime show from the comfort of their couch, savor their favorite comfort foods, and, of course, cheer on their team.
But given inflation growth, the cost of celebrating the Superbowl is higher than ever this year.
With 6 in 10 Americans planning to either host or attend a Super Bowl party and inflation causing food costs to continue to rise, how much money will hosts across the country have to fork over to keep their guests fed?
To find out, we started with the 50 largest U.S. metro areas and examined the different prices of essential game-day foods and drinks —pizza, chips, beer, chicken, cheese, potatoes, and soda. We focused on a simple menu to calculate what hosting means for consumers’ wallets, leaving out extras like elaborate ingredients (looking at you avocado), decorations, or merchandise.
Only taking into account the most basic of Super Bowl party essentials — by our calculations the estimated hosting costs are $25 higher than last year’s reported total party spending of $189, a whopping 13% increase in party costs.
Here’s what else we found:
Big Takeaways:
- Super Bowl party costs are up in 2025, with the average host spending $215 just on food and drink — $25 more than last year.
- The South is home to 6 of the 10 cities spending the highest percentage of their income on Super Bowl food, with Miami, Tampa, and Atlanta taking the top spots.
- San Jose, Salt Lake City, and Washington D.C. residents spend the smallest proportion of their income on Super Bowl hosting essentials.
- Seattle food costs add up to the highest grocery bill, and in the city that parties the hardest, local hosts spending almost $300 on their Super Bowl Sunday essentials ($293).
- Indianapolis locals are spending the least, about with their parties costing $178.
Southern Hospitality Costs More: Metros Spending the Largest Share of Income on Game-Day Essentials
Residents in the South are dedicating the highest percentage of their weekly income to Super Bowl celebrations, with 6 of the top 10 cities coming from the region.
Miami, Tampa, and Atlanta take the top spots, with residents in these metros devoting a larger share of their weekly earnings to food and drink than anywhere else in the country.
Even smaller metros like Birmingham and Memphis prioritize their spreads despite tighter budgets.
In a city known for its parties, Miami residents dedicate nearly 17% of their weekly earnings ($238.22) to game-day hosting essentials, and a lot more than that if you add in paper goods, decorations, and a Costco run. Chips alone in Miami cost a steep $7.94 per bag! And you know they aren't only going to buy one bag.
Tampa follows closely behind, with spending 16.6% of the average weekly earnings, amounting to about $227.95. Atlanta takes the third spot, where residents spend 15.9% of their weekly income, which actually adds up to a total sum higher than in Miami or Tampa: $263.66. Atlanta is the only city where a pint of domestic beer exceeds $3, at $3.62 on average.
Beyond the top three, smaller Southern metros like Louisville, KY (15.85%), Birmingham, AL (14.75%), and Memphis, TN (14.84%) further illustrate the region’s dedication to game-day gatherings, despite more modest overall grocery bills.
Meanwhile, California metros like Los Angeles ($281.09) and Fresno ($216.35) round out the list, where the high costs reflect elevated living expenses.
Big Wallets, Smaller Bite: Where Super Bowl Hosting Takes the Smallest Slice of Weekly Earnings
In metros with higher median household incomes, Super Bowl party spending has a smaller impact on budgets.
These are the 10 cities that dedicate the lowest percentages of their weekly earnings to hosting, thanks to higher salaries that make the cost of game-day essentials easier to manage.
San Jose, CA, for example, has one of the highest annual median household incomes on the list at $157,444, making its $280.83 Super Bowl grocery bill just 9.28% of weekly earnings. Spending about the same ($280), San Francisco hosting households allocate 10.90% of their weekly budgets. In the Bay Area, elevated incomes help balance the region’s notoriously high grocery costs.
On the East Coast, Washington, DC residents spend about 10.53% of their weekly earnings on game day celebrations—a relatively modest figure given its high median income of $123,896. The average party grocery bill in the nation’s capital totals $250.96. In nearby Boston, residents spend slightly more at 11.17% of their weekly budgets, but with a smaller overall cost of $241.66.
In Austin, TX (10.88%) and Raleigh, NC (10.88%), grocery bills pack about the same punch but residents are paying much less at the register $204.25 and $200.99, respectively. The Midwest also makes a showing, with Minneapolis, MN residents dedicating 11.49% of their weekly earnings—one of the highest percentages on the list ($216.99).
Whether on the West Coast, East Coast, or in the heart of the Midwest, higher-income metros typically see spending on food and drinks for their celebrations represent a lower percentage of weekly income, but game-day grocery receipts remain substantial.
Where Super Bowl Hosts Pay the Overall Most and Least for Game Day Groceries
Regardless of where you are, game-day essentials are more or less the same. But the cost of groceries varies.
Naturally, cities in high-income, higher-cost-of-living regions pay the most in total dollars, while others dedicate a greater percentage of their weekly budgets to game-day essentials.
Here’s where party day essentials will cost the most and least dollars.
Cities Where Partygoers Are Spending the Most
Dominated by West Coast and East Coast metros where high grocery prices and incomes make the costs significant, these cities are paying the most for hosting their Super Bowl party, as much as $292.88 in Seattle.
With the highest spend of any city surveyed, the city’s well-known for their foodie culture, which might explain the willingness to indulge for the big game. They’re also paying the most for a pizza - almost $30 a pie!
Notorious for luxury living, it’s no surprise that L.A. ranks high on the list of Super Bowl spenders. At $281, L.A. residents are dishing out serious cash for their party items. Maybe they’re hosting with more than just chips and dip!
Tied with LA, San Jose spends an estimated $281 on their Super Bowl eats. As the heart of Silicon Valley and the home to many high-income residents, it’s not too shocking that residents are willing to spend generously on their Super Bowl parties - it’s less than 10% of their weekly earnings.
Cities Where Partygoers Are Spending the Least
These cities, primarily in the Midwest and smaller metros, are where resident's grocery bills in pure dollars are the smallest, all falling under $190 for game day necessities.
Indianapolis takes the title for the most budget-friendly Super Bowl parties, with just $178 spent on food and drinks. This makes sense when you consider that the cost of beer in Indianapolis ($1.74) is on average over a dollar less than that in top-spending city, Seattle! They also have one of the least-expensive pizza costs among the cities we examined, with a pie costing about $15.
Similar to Indianapolis, Virginia Beach residents are opting for simpler Super Bowl parties, with just $179 being spent on food.
Despite being a football town known for passionate fans, Buffalo ranks among the lowest spenders on Super Bowl party food. At $181, it seems Buffalo residents are cost-conscious. Buffalo wings may be a Superbowl food must, but they don’t need to break the budget to make it into the spread. Buffalo also has the least expensive chips in the nation, with a bag at $5.30.
The Economic Impact of Super Bowl Spending
All this spending doesn’t just fuel game-day activities; it brings economic benefits to cities nationwide, generating an estimated $17.3 billion last year alone.
The ripple effect of Super Bowl spending drives revenue for local small businesses, grocery stores, and restaurants. In fact, it may even outpace spending for Valentine’s Day, proving that Americans prioritize Super Bowl Sunday as one of the year’s most celebrated events.
While hosting costs vary widely—Seattle residents, for example, spend 64.61% more on average ($293) than those in Indianapolis ($178)—the enthusiasm for game-day celebrations remains consistent across regions.
So which city benefits the most economically from Super Bowl spend? It’s New York, with over a whopping $292 million generated for the metropolitan area. Los Angeles comes in second, generating almost $212 million from game day revenue. And rounding out the top three is Chicago, with game day spend generating almost $134 million for the city.
From grocery and retail sales to restaurant and catering, small business sales of merchandise or custom treats - the impact of Super Bowl spending is far reaching, and that’s even before you take into account the entertainment itself! Retailers note a spike in TV sales ahead of Super Bowl, and with local businesses often spending on promotional advertising - cities are raking in game day revenue.
Regardless of location, Americans are investing heavily to ensure their guests are well-fed and entertained, making Super Bowl parties a boon for local economies nationwide.
Super Bowl Spending Reflects America’s Love for the Big Game
Super Bowl Sunday is a unifying event where Americans invest heavily in food, drinks, and entertainment.
The festivities give a meaningful boost to local economies nationwide, with small businesses, grocery stores, and restaurants reaping the rewards of game-day spending.
While this spending is great news for local communities, rising costs may put additional pressure on consumers navigating tighter budgets. Even so, the Super Bowl remains a celebration that Americans are willing to splurge on, cementing its place as one of the most anticipated and unifying events of the year.
Methodology
To estimate Super Bowl hosting costs, we analyzed the 50 most populous U.S. metro areas using data from multiple sources.
This methodology captures the essential costs of a Super Bowl party, excluding extras like decorations, merchandise, or major entertainment expenses. It focuses on the core food and drink items that define game-day hosting.
Income Data:
Median incomes were sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS). Weekly budgets were calculated by dividing annual income by 52.
Super Bowl Party Essentials:
Grocery costs for food and drink essentials were sourced from:
- Numbeo - potatoes, bread, cheese, chicken, beer
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) - Consumer Price Index - chips, soft drinks
- Slice of the Union - pizza
Party and Portion Estimates:
Party size estimates were based on research from Treehugger, averaging 17 attendees.
Portion sizes were calculated using data on food and drink consumption:
- Alcohol consumption: Gallup Poll
- Soda consumption: CDC
- Food portions: Party by Me, The Pioneer Woman, and Inch Calculator
Regional Adjustments for Pizza, Chips, and Soda:
For costs that weren’t detailed by metro, we derived an adjusted cost by metro based on the MARPP regional price parities.
- Pizza: Data available for state-level was adjusted by metro price parities.
- Chips and soda: Data available for regional and national level, respectively, was adjusted by metro price parities.
