Source: Adam McCann, WalletHub Financial Writer
About 15.5 million U.S. adults are vegan or vegetarian. Unfortunately, it’s not the easiest lifestyle to adopt, as finding meatless options at restaurants and supermarkets can be a challenge. That’s beginning to change, though, as a growing number of venues have begun to offer vegetarian or vegan meals, including many fast-food chains.
One of the biggest concerns people express about vegetarian or vegan diets is the cost. However, with meat prices experiencing much larger year-over-year increases than those of fruits and vegetables, Americans may find working some vegetarian or vegan meals into their diet to be an attractive option.
Certain U.S. cities offer plentiful, inexpensive options for budget-conscious herbivores, while others lag behind. To determine the best and cheapest places for a plant-based diet, WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities across 17 key indicators of vegan- and vegetarian-friendliness. We examined each city based on such metrics as the cost of groceries for vegetarians, the share of restaurants serving meatless options and salad shops per capita.
Top 5 Cities
| Overall Rank |
City | Total Score | Affordability | Diversity, Accessibility & Quality | Vegetarian Lifestyle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland, OR | 61.38 | 29 | 6 | 8 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | 61.24 | 13 | 15 | 5 |
| 3 | Orlando, FL | 59.16 | 40 | 3 | 13 |
| 4 | San Diego, CA | 57.45 | 25 | 5 | 27 |
| 5 | Phoenix, AZ | 56.43 | 10 | 11 | 78 |
