Does eating out cost an average of $28 in Maine? | Fact brief

The average price to eat out is not $28 in any state, including Maine.

The telehealth company Top Nutrition Coaching compared the cost of eating out to the cost of eating in for the most populated city in each state. It found that in Maine, the cost of eating out at an inexpensive restaurant was $18. By contrast, the cost of eating in was $4.40: a difference of $13.60.

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Nationwide, the average cost to eat out was $16.28 versus $4.23 to eat in. That’s about four at-home meals for every one restaurant meal, both nationally and in Maine.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of “food away from home” rose by 3.6% nationwide between April 2025 and April 2026, while the cost of “food at home” increased 2.9%.