What are the expenses of the average American?
Robert Harper
Published Jan 25, 2026
Average Household Budget in the U.S.
| Expenditure Category | Annual Average Cost | % of Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Taxes | 7,432 | 12% |
| Utilities and Other Household Operational Costs | 7,068 | 11% |
| Food | 6,602 | 10% |
| Social Security Contributions, Personal Insurance and Pensions | 5,528 | 9% |
What are typical monthly expenses?
Necessities often include the following:
- Mortgage/rent.
- Homeowners or renters insurance.
- Property tax (if not already included in the mortgage payment).
- Auto insurance.
- Health insurance.
- Out-of-pocket medical costs.
- Life insurance.
- Electricity and natural gas.
What do middle class spend their money on?
The middle class spends most of its budget on core goods and services. Middle-income households spend more than half of their budget on core items such as housing, food, clothing, health and education.
What are US monthly expenses?
The estimated living cost for the US is around $10000 to $18000 per year, which averages around $1000 to $1500 per month….Cost of Living in USA for Students.
| Item | Monthly Costs |
|---|---|
| Home Internet | $15 |
| Cell phone | $50 |
| Restaurant meals | $75 |
| Entertainment | $100 |
What’s the average income of a middle class American?
According to a research study released in 2018, about 52% of US adults have middle-class income. This income ranges from around $48,500 to $145,500. What is considered middle-class in 2021?
What does a middle class budget look like?
The New York Times recently did just that by comparing and contrasting the budgets, line by line, of four families from around the U.S. All four households fit into that middle-class bracket, but their circumstances vary widely. On the lower end of the income scale, for instance, there’s a Sheboygan, Wis., family of four, including two toddlers.
How to find out if you are in the middle class?
Enter the location that best describes where you live, your household income and the number of people in your household. The calculator adjusts for the cost of living in your area. Based on your household income and the number of people in your household, you are in the tktk income tier, along with tktk% of adults in tktk.
What’s the average cost of living in the United States?
The annual cost of living for a single adult with no children is $28,474. That is the average across the United States, but that number can be very deceptive. People tend to underestimate the size of the United States.
