How Much Do I Need to Make to Eat Out Everyday? A Practical Financial Breakdown
If you want to eat out every day, you’ll need enough income to cover those higher costs—definitely more than cooking at home. On average, eating out runs about $40 to $70 per meal, depending on when and where you go.
To comfortably eat out three times a day without stressing about money, you should probably aim for at least $75,000 to $100,000 a year.
That kind of salary lets you handle daily expenses for all three meals, plus everything else life throws at you. Fast food is cheaper, sure, but who wants to live on burgers and fries every day?
Your own lifestyle and food preferences will really affect how much you need to earn. Eating out is super convenient, but wow, it adds up fast.
Calculating Your Daily Restaurant Budget
To figure out your daily eating out budget, look at what you typically spend on breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The type of restaurant matters, and so do taxes and tips.
These details make a huge difference when you’re planning your spending.
Average Cost of Eating Out by Meal Type
Meal prices really vary. Breakfast is usually the cheapest, somewhere between $10 and $20, depending on the spot.
Lunch is a bit more—think $15 to $30. Dinner, though, can get pricey, often $30 to $70 or even more.
If you plan it out:
- Breakfast: $15
- Lunch: $25
- Dinner: $50
That’s about $90 a day just for food. Of course, where you live and your taste in restaurants will change that number.
Comparing Fast Food vs. Sit-Down Restaurants
Fast food’s definitely easier on your wallet. You might spend $5 to $15 per meal at a fast food place, but a sit-down restaurant usually runs $20 to $70 each time.
Sure, fast food saves money, but you might get tired of it—and it’s not exactly the healthiest. Sit-down restaurants cost more, but you get better atmosphere and service.
Here’s a quick cheat sheet:
| Type | Average Cost per Meal | Daily Total (3 meals) |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food | $10 | $30 |
| Sit-Down | $40 | $120 |
Accounting for Taxes and Gratuities
Don’t forget about taxes and tips—they sneak up on you. Taxes usually add 5% to 10%, and tips are another 15% to 20% for sit-down meals.
Say you order a $50 dinner:
- $50 + 8% tax = $54
- $54 + 20% tip = $64.80 total
So, you’ll want to tack on roughly 20% extra to your meal costs to cover these. Otherwise, you might find yourself short at the end of the month.
Monthly Income Needed to Eat Out Everyday
Eating out every day means your food costs can swing a lot, depending on where you live and what you like to eat. Your monthly income should cover those meals, plus your regular bills and savings.
Factoring in Lifestyle and Location
City life gets expensive fast. In bigger cities, an average restaurant meal can easily cost $15 to $20 or more.
If you’re in a smaller town, you might get away with $10 to $12 per meal. Eating out three times a day could run you anywhere from $450 to $1,800 a month, just on food.
That number depends on whether you’re grabbing fast food or sitting down at fancier places. Don’t forget to add in rent, bills, and transportation when you’re figuring out what you need to earn.
Impact of Frequency and Meal Preferences
Eating out for every meal adds up. If you spend $15 per meal, three times a day, that’s $45 daily.
Over a 30-day month, you’re looking at $1,350 just for food. Maybe you go cheap on breakfast but splurge on dinner—$8 for breakfast, $12 for lunch, $20 for dinner—that’s still about $1,200 a month.
If you skip a meal now and then or pick cheaper spots, you can bring that total down. Sometimes, just mixing it up helps your wallet (and your sanity).
Budgeting for Occasional Upscale Dining
If you want to treat yourself to high-end meals once or twice a week, plan for an extra $50 to $100 per meal. That can tack on $200 to $400 (or more) to your monthly food spending.
Say you usually spend $40 per meal, but you add in two $80 dinners each week. Suddenly, your average meal cost jumps, and your total monthly food expenses can hit $1,650 or even higher.
Remember to include these upscale outings in your budget. Otherwise, they might throw off your finances more than you’d like.
If you eat out every day, your monthly food spending could land anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000 or more—it really depends on where you live, your habits, and what you like to eat. Adjust your income or spending if you want to keep up with this kind of lifestyle.
For more details, check out how much you might need to eat out every day here.
