See how you stack up against the average US household on expenses and if you're on track with your spending

Sarah Li-Cain, AFC

Sat, Mar 29, 2025, 7:30 AM 4 min read

Although your monthly expenses will vary depending on where you live and your lifestyle, it’s still helpful to look at certain pieces of data.

Seeing where you stand compared to the average American household can help you gauge whether you need to rein in your spending or you’re doing just fine.

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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American household spent $77,280 — or $6,400 per month in 2023. Today, the figure could be higher due to inflation.

Let’s break down the average monthly expenditure by demographics.

The average of $6,400 a month doesn’t take into account household size.

Using the same data from 2023, a single person spent an average $4,641 a month, while married couples with no children spent $7,390. Meanwhile, the average four-person household (with two kids) spent $8,450 to $9,817, depending on the children’s ages.

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Your location has a big impact on how much you spend. Overall, rural living is cheaper. The statistics show that rural American households spent an average $73,967 in 2023, $4,089 less than their urban American peers, who spent $78,056 on average.

One exception is the cost of transportation. Those in urban areas with easy access to public transit spent less on transportation ($12,911 in 2023) than the average $14,295 rural households spent.

Remember, these are all averages. Your spending could be higher because of the cost of goods and services where you live. But the big-picture data can help you set realistic spending goals.

Say you live in downtown Philadelphia and have $6,500 in monthly expenses. That’s what the average American household spends in an urban area, so your expenditures are reasonable, even if it seems tough to make ends meet.

But if you’re spending way more than comparable households of similar size and location, look more closely at where your money is going.

Housing costs are big. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data show the average American spent $2,120 on housing, $1,098 on transportation and $832 on food in 2023.