CostGuide

Events & Creative

Catering cost in the US

Nationally, Catering runs about $40 per person. In the lowest-cost cities in this guide it is closer to $31, and in the highest-cost cities about $57.

Typical cost

Most people pay about

$40

per person

On the low end
$18
On the high end
$85

Estimated from national price data. Not a quote.

What moves the price

  1. Menu
  2. Service style
  3. Staffing
  4. Rentals
  5. Bar

Ways to pay less

  1. Choose buffet
  2. Limit passed apps
  3. BYO alcohol where legal
  4. Cut guest count
  5. Ask about leftover policy

Lowest-cost cities for Catering

PlaceTypicalRange
National typical$40
$18 to $85
Brownsville, TX$31
$14 to $67
Jackson, MS$32
$15 to $68
Laredo, TX$32
$15 to $68
McAllen, TX$32
$15 to $68
Shreveport, LA$32
$15 to $68
Amarillo, TX$33
$15 to $70
El Paso, TX$33
$15 to $70
Lubbock, TX$33
$15 to $70

Highest-cost cities for Catering

PlaceTypicalRange
National typical$40
$18 to $85
Honolulu, HI$57
$26 to $121
San Francisco, CA$56
$25 to $119
New York, NY$56
$25 to $119
San Jose, CA$55
$25 to $117
Sunnyvale, CA$55
$25 to $116
Santa Barbara, CA$54
$24 to $114
Cambridge, MA$54
$24 to $114
Fremont, CA$53
$24 to $112

Catering in every city

Typical estimate for each city. Open one for the full range.

District of Columbia
Mississippi
New Hampshire
North Dakota
Rhode Island
South Dakota

Questions people ask

Catering: what does it cost?

Across the US, Catering typically costs about $40 per person, with most prices between $18 and $85.

Where is Catering cheapest?

Among the 250 cities in this guide, the lowest estimates are in Brownsville, TX, Jackson, MS, Laredo, TX, at about $31.

Is this a quote?

No. These figures are estimates built from national price data and each city's cost of living. A local pro will price your actual job.