Whether it’s a last-minute order during a rain delay or a pre-game ritual with friends, takeout and sports go hand in hand.
Millions of Americans reach for their phones to order foods such as pizza, burgers, or wings every time they settle in to watch the big game – but depending on where you live, those comfort foods could be costing you significantly more than you think.
To find out where in the country takeout is eating into fans’ wallets the most, Bovada Sportsbook has analyzed data from 750 takeout restaurants to calculate the average cost of a large cheese pizza, a cheeseburger, and a portion of eight wings across 50 US cities.
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The cost of a pizza across the US
Few foods are as synonymous with watching sports as pizza. It’s shareable, it scales for a crowd, and it arrives hot to your door. But while the idea of pizza is universal, the price of it is anything but. Across the cities in this study, the average cost of a large pizza ranges from a wallet-friendly $14.54 to a premium $25.72 – a gap of more than $11 on a single order, or 77%.
The 10 most expensive US cities for pizza:
| Rank | City | State | Average Cost |
| 1 | San Jose | California | $25.72 |
| 2 | San Francisco | California | $25.22 |
| 3 | New York City | New York | $24.95 |
| 4 | Portland | Oregon | $24.73 |
| 5 | Seattle | Washington | $23.84 |
| 6 | Los Angeles | California | $23.73 |
| 7 | Sacramento | California | $23.67 |
| 8 | Henderson | Nevada | $23.46 |
| 9 | Colorado Springs | Colorado | $23.06 |
| 10 | Kansas City | Missouri | $23.01 |
The 10 cheapest US cities for pizza:
| Rank | City | State | Average Cost |
| 1 | El Paso | Texas | $14.54 |
| 2 | Louisville | Kentucky | $15.13 |
| 3 | Albuquerque | New Mexico | $15.53 |
| 4 | Wichita | Kansas | $15.86 |
| 5 | San Diego | California | $16.09 |
| 6 | Jacksonville | Florida | $16.21 |
| 7 | Fort Worth | Texas | $16.40 |
| 8 | Dallas | Texas | $16.59 |
| 9 | Phoenix | Arizona | $16.79 |
| 10 | Baltimore | Maryland | $16.90 |
San Jose tops the rankings as the most expensive city in the study, with an average cost of $25.72 per large pizza. It sits at the heart of the Bay Area, where the cost of living runs high across the board, and food prices are no exception. San Francisco follows closely at $25.22, rounding out what amounts to a California coast premium – four of the top ten most expensive cities for pizza are in the Golden State alone.
New York City, perhaps the city most closely associated with American pizza culture, comes in third at $24.95. Given the city’s legendary status for the dish, the price point will surprise few, though it’s worth noting that New York City’s average is inflated by high pricing at iconic spots, some charging close to $30 a pie.
At the other end of the spectrum, El Paso is the most affordable city for a pizza order, averaging just $14.54. Texas features heavily throughout the cheaper half of the rankings – Fort Worth ($16.40) and Dallas ($16.59) both make the bottom ten, suggesting the Lone Star State consistently offers good value on a game day order. Louisville, Kentucky ($15.13) and Albuquerque, New Mexico ($15.53) also represent strong value, both sitting well under the $16 mark.
The cost of wings across the US
If one food has become the unofficial mascot of sports viewing, it’s chicken wings. Whether you’re watching the big game or betting on the outcome, a plate of wings is rarely far away. The data here shows large differences, with the cost of wings varying significantly across the country.
The 10 most expensive US cities for wings:
| Rank | City | State | Avg. Per Wing | Avg. Per Eight Wings |
| 1 | New York City | New York | $2.39 | $19.14 |
| 2 | San Francisco | California | $2.33 | $18.66 |
| 3 | Houston | Texas | $2.25 | $18.03 |
| 4 | Denver | Colorado | $2.21 | $17.66 |
| 5 | Miami | Florida | $2.16 | $17.25 |
| 6 | Colorado Springs | Colorado | $2.14 | $17.11 |
| 7 | Virginia Beach | Virginia | $2.12 | $17.00 |
| 8 | San Antonio | Texas | $2.05 | $16.43 |
| 9 | Los Angeles | California | $2.04 | $16.32 |
| 10 | Seattle | Washington | $2.02 | $16.20 |
The 10 cheapest US cities for wings:
| Rank | City | State | Avg. per wing | Avg. per 8 wings |
| 1 | Atlanta | Georgia | $1.44 | $11.53 |
| 2 | Louisville | Kentucky | $1.45 | $11.56 |
| 3 | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | $1.58 | $12.60 |
| 4 | Kansas City | Missouri | $1.58 | $12.65 |
| 5 | Tucson | Arizona | $1.59 | $12.70 |
| 6 | Portland | Oregon | $1.60 | $12.77 |
| 7 | El Paso | Texas | $1.62 | $12.95 |
| 8 | Detroit | Michigan | $1.63 | $13.01 |
| 9 | Nashville | Tennessee | $1.64 | $13.10 |
| 10 | Bakersfield | California | $1.71 | $13.69 |
New York City takes the crown, where eight chicken wings will set you back an average of $19.14 ($2.39 per wing). San Francisco, Houston, Denver, and Miami follow to complete the top five most expensive cities for wings.
Atlanta offers the best value for wings in the entire dataset at just $1.44 per wing, or $11.53 for eight. Louisville, Milwaukee, Kansas City, and Tucson follow, making up the five most affordable cities for wings.
The cost of a burger across the US
The burger is arguably the most American of all takeout foods, and, like pizza, it comes with a wide range of price tags depending on which city you’re ordering from. The data shows an average cost that swings from under $9 in the cheapest cities to over $17 at the top end.
The 10 most expensive cities for US burgers:
| Rank | City | State | Average Cost |
| 1 | New York City | New York | $17.27 |
| 2 | Minneapolis | Minnesota | $17.18 |
| 3 | San Diego | California | $16.44 |
| 4 | Boston | Massachusetts | $15.84 |
| 5 | Louisville | Kentucky | $15.52 |
| 6 | Phoenix | Arizona | $15.49 |
| 7 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | $15.33 |
| 8 | Houston | Texas | $14.73 |
| 9 | Baltimore | Maryland | $14.43 |
| 10 | Columbus | Ohio | $14.10 |
The 10 cheapest US cities for burgers:
| Rank | City | State | Average Cost |
| 1 | Oklahoma City | Oklahoma | $8.99 |
| 2 | Colorado Springs | Colorado | $9.65 |
| 3 | Chicago | Illinois | $9.70 |
| 4 | Austin | Texas | $9.74 |
| 5 | Memphis | Tennessee | $9.78 |
| 6 | Detroit | Michigan | $9.79 |
| 7 | Virginia Beach | Virginia | $9.82 |
| 8 | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | $10.45 |
| 9 | Fresno | California | $10.51 |
| 10 | Jacksonville | Florida | $10.51 |
New York City leads the burger rankings at $17.27, narrowly ahead of Minneapolis at $17.18. The Minnesota city is perhaps a more surprising name at the top but its high average is driven by a cluster of boutique burger joints pushing prices well past the $18 mark. Boston ($15.84) and Philadelphia ($15.33) represent the East Coast’s continued presence among the pricier cities, with both sitting in the top half of the most expensive list.
At the more affordable end, Oklahoma City stands clear as the best value burger city in the study at just $8.99 on average – nearly half the price of a New York City burger. Colorado Springs ($9.65) and Chicago ($9.70) follow. Chicago’s placing may raise an eyebrow given its size and cost of living; however, the city’s strong fast-casual food culture, with plenty of no-frills options, helps keep that average down.
With a packed 2026 sports calendar ahead and major international tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup, there’s no shortage of big moments to look forward to. If you plan to enjoy them from the comfort of your couch, you now know which cities serve up the most expensive (and most affordable) takeout to match the action!
Methodology
To determine the most and least expensive cities for takeout food across the US, Bovada analyzed the average cost of three popular game day foods, pizza, burgers, and wings, from a seedlist of the 50 most populated US cities.
Pizza: The average cost of a large cheese pizza was calculated using the menu prices of five pizza takeout restaurants in each city; an average was then calculated.
Burgers: The average cost of a cheeseburger was calculated using the menu prices of five burger takeout restaurants in each city; an average was then calculated.
Wings: The average cost of chicken wings was calculated using the menu prices of five takeout restaurants in each city, recording both the overall price and number of wings, before calculating the average cost per wing. The average price for a portion of eight wings was then calculated per city.
All prices were sourced from DoorDash menus and reflect the cost of the item at the time of data collection in April 2026. Prices do not include delivery fees, service charges, or tips.
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