Global Food Cost Per Person Per day

The Average food cost per person per day, 2020 food prices: $4.55

This reflects the amount it would cost to buy the daily food consumed at retail market prices.

Where This Figure Comes From

Let’s start with a cost per gram, serving, and calorie for various foods.  The figures below are from the National Institute of Health article.

The Cost Of US Foods As Related To Their Nutritive Value.

Published in Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Nov; 92(5): 1181–1188.  Published online 2010 Aug 18. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2010.29300

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Major USDA food groups	No. of foods	Energy density	Water content	Serving size (RACC)	Price per 100 g	Price per serving	Energy cost
		kcal/100 g	g/100 g	g	$/100 g	$/serving	$/100 kcal
Milk and milk products	134	182 ± 112	66 ± 17	112 ± 89	0.40 ± 0.31	0.26 ± 0.17	0.23 ± 0.13
Meat, poultry, and fish	196	224 ± 98	60 ± 14	89 ± 51	0.80 ± 0.44	0.63 ± 0.38	0.41 ± 0.31
Eggs	8	171 ± 74	72 ± 10	65 ± 28	0.32 ± 0.16	0.24 ± 0.21	0.22 ± 0.14
Dry beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds	62	330 ± 217	40 ± 33	76 ± 62	0.50 ± 0.47	0.26 ± 0.22	0.18 ± 0.17
Grain products	435	337 ± 110	24 ± 23	63 ± 53	0.47 ± 0.3	0.23 ± 0.20	0.14 ± 0.10
Fruit	93	67 ± 56	82 ± 15	157 ± 77	0.28 ± 0.22	0.40 ± 0.33	0.54 ± 0.48
Vegetables	257	83 ± 80	80 ± 17	102 ± 59	0.33 ± 0.26	0.29 ± 0.33	0.68 ± 0.69
Fats, oils, and salad dressings	51	390 ± 226	47 ± 23	22 ± 9	0.37 ± 0.18	0.09 ± 0.08	0.17 ± 0.19
Sugars, sweets, and beverages	151	242 ± 190	45 ± 39	119 ± 102	0.40 ± 0.41	0.23 ± 0.18	0.22 ± 0.21

They show global costs based on averages (the first figure) and high and lows (plus or minus the second figure on the chart).

Food cost per person per day:

The sections below go over information for different age groups, sexes, and levels of activity for different people.  It shows an age and sex adjusted average of 2,194 Kcal per day as the daily requirement per average person.  Using this information we can calculate the low, high, and average cost of food, per person per day, globally.  Then, using nutritional averages for ratios of foods, we can calculate the average food cost per person per day.

This figure works out to $4.55 per person per day.  This figure is based on people buying their food at market prices.  It is important to note that many people in many parts of the world raise their own food, so their actual cost will be lower than this. In other words, we would expect the actual average food cost, per person per day, to be less than $4.55. Let’s look at where this figure comes from:

Per the table, grain costs per 100 Kcal are between $.04 and $0.24, with an average of $0.14,  This leads to an average cost to feed a person per day with grains at:

1. Lowest cost (using grains at $0.04 per 100 Kcal):

   - 2,194 Kcal = 21.94 units of 100 Kcal

   - 21.94 × $0.04 = $0.88 per person per day

2. Highest cost (using grains at $0.24 per 100 Kcal):

   - 2,194 Kcal = 21.94 units of 100 Kcal

   - 21.94 × $0.24 = $5.27 per person per day

3. Average cost (using the mean grain price of $0.14 per 100 Kcal):

   - 2,194 Kcal = 21.94 units of 100 Kcal

   - 21.94 × $0.14 = $3.07 per person per day

The recalculated food cost per person per day for 2,194 Kcal, based solely on grain prices, is:

- Lowest: $0.88

- Highest: $5.27

- Average: $3.07

The same calculations for meats are:

1. Lowest cost (using meats at $0.41 - $0.31 = $0.10 per 100 Kcal):

   - 2,194 Kcal = 21.94 units of 100 Kcal

   - 21.94 × $0.10 = $2.19 per person per day

2. Highest cost (using meats at $0.41 + $0.31 = $0.72 per 100 Kcal):

   - 2,194 Kcal = 21.94 units of 100 Kcal

   - 21.94 × $0.72 = $15.80 per person per day

3. Average cost (using the mean meat price of $0.41 per 100 Kcal):

   - 2,194 Kcal = 21.94 units of 100 Kcal

   - 21.94 × $0.41 = $9.00 per person per day

So, the recalculated food cost per person per day for 2,194 Kcal, based solely on meat prices, is:

- Lowest: $2.19

- Highest: $15.80

- Average: $9.00

Together

A common global dietary pattern might look something like this:

1. Grains and other plant-based foods (including fruits, vegetables, legumes): about 75-80% of caloric intake

2. Animal-based foods (including meat, dairy, eggs): about 20-25% of caloric intake

For simplicity, let's use a 75/25 split between grains (representing all plant-based foods) and meats (representing all animal-based foods).

So for our 2,194 Kcal daily requirement:

- Grains (and other plant-based): 75% = 1,645.5 Kcal

- Meats (and other animal-based): 25% = 548.5 Kcal

Now, let's calculate the cost using the average prices we determined earlier:

- Grains: $0.14 per 100 Kcal

- Meats: $0.41 per 100 Kcal

Cost calculation:

1. Grains: (1,645.5 / 100) × $0.14 = $2.30

2. Meats: (548.5 / 100) × $0.41 = $2.25

Total daily food cost: $2.30 + $2.25 = $4.55 per person per day

This mixed diet approach gives us a more realistic estimate of global food costs, falling between our previous all-grain and all-meat calculations.

This would be about the rough price for food per day per person if people bought their food in markets with standard markup rates over wholesale and had to pay global prices.

We would expect the actual price per day to always be lower than these numbers for the following reasons:

1. Local price differences: If local prices are lower than world prices, no food will be imported and food will be sold for lower than world market prices.  In many areas, local food prices may be cheaper than global market rates, which would reduce the average daily food cost.

2. Self-production of food: When people grow their own food, they can significantly reduce their daily food costs, as they don't have to pay retail prices or account for transportation and middleman costs.

3. The $4.55 figure assumes "standard markup rates over wholesale," but in reality, there may be areas with lower markup rates or more competitive pricing.

4. Government subsidies, food assistance programs, or other interventions in some regions could further lower the actual cost for many individuals.

These factors combined suggest that the actual average daily food cost per person is likely to be below the $4.55 figure.

Details and Figures

Calories

There is no difference between calories listed on food labels and kcal (kilocalories). The term "calorie" on food labels is used colloquially to mean kilocalorie.

To clarify:

1. A calorie (with a lowercase 'c') is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius.

2. A kilocalorie (kcal) is 1000 calories.

3. The "Calorie" (with a capital 'C') used in nutrition is equivalent to 1 kcal.

When you see "calories" on food labels, it's referring to kilocalories (kcal). This practice can be confusing, as it's not technically correct, but it has become standard in food labeling and nutritional contexts.

For example, if a food label says "100 calories," it actually means 100 kilocalories or 100,000 small calories.

This convention is used in many countries, including the United States. Some countries, particularly in Europe, may list energy content in both kcal and kilojoules (kJ) on their food labels.

Nutritional Requirements

Here's a breakdown of estimated daily caloric needs:

Adult Males (19-30 years):

- Sedentary: 2400-2600 kcal

- Moderately active: 2600-2800 kcal

- Active: 2800-3000 kcal

Adult Males (31-50 years):

- Sedentary: 2200-2400 kcal

- Moderately active: 2400-2600 kcal

- Active: 2600-2800 kcal

Adult Females (19-30 years):

- Sedentary: 1800-2000 kcal

- Moderately active: 2000-2200 kcal

- Active: 2400 kcal

Adult Females (31-50 years):

- Sedentary: 1800 kcal

- Moderately active: 2000 kcal

- Active: 2200 kcal

Children:

- 2-3 years: 1000-1400 kcal

- 4-8 years: 1200-2000 kcal

- 9-13 years (boys): 1600-2600 kcal

- 9-13 years (girls): 1400-2200 kcal

- 14-18 years (boys): 2000-3200 kcal

- 14-18 years (girls): 1800-2400 kcal

These ranges account for different activity levels. The lower end is for sedentary individuals, while the higher end is for more active individuals.

Breakdown by age and sex

Certainly. I can provide you with an approximate breakdown of the global population by age and sex. Please note that these figures are estimates and can change over time due to various demographic factors. As of my last update in April 2024, here's a general overview:

Age Distribution:

1. 0-14 years: 25.3%

2. 15-24 years: 15.2%

3. 25-54 years: 40.7%

4. 55-64 years: 9.6%

5. 65 years and over: 9.2%

Sex Distribution:

1. Male: 50.4%

2. Female: 49.6%

total food consumption by sex and age group, table:

Age Group	Sex	% of Population	Number (millions)	Avg. kcal/person/day	Total 100s Kcal/day (billions)
0-14	Male	12.75%	1,020	1,900	193.80
	Female	12.55%	1,004	1,700	170.68
15-24	Male	7.66%	613	2,600	159.38
	Female	7.54%	603	2,200	132.66
25-54	Male	20.51%	1,641	2,600	426.66
	Female	20.19%	1,615	2,200	355.30
55-64	Male	4.84%	387	2,400	92.88
	Female	4.76%	381	2,000	76.20
65+	Male	4.64%	371	2,200	81.62
	Female	4.56%	365	1,800	65.70
Total		100%	8,000	-	1,754.88

Notes:

1. Numbers are rounded for simplicity.

2. The average kcal/person/day is estimated based on moderate activity levels and adjusted for sex differences.

3. The total 100s Kcal/day (billions) is calculated by multiplying the number of people by the average kcal per person, then dividing by 100.

4. The total at the bottom represents the sum of all groups.

Summary

1,754.88 billion units of 100 Kcal = 175.488 billion Kcal total per day

175.488 billion Kcal / 8 billion people ≈ 2,194 Kcal per person per day

This average of about 2,194 Kcal per person per day is much more reasonable and aligns with global nutritional estimates.