Cheapest Cities to Start a Bar in 2026
Startup costs for a bar vary by up to $1,077,479 depending on location. Here are the 20 most affordable cities to launch.
💡 Key Finding: Starting a bar in Brownsville costs an estimated $266,521, compared to $1,344,000 in San Francisco — a savings of $1,077,479.
20 Cheapest Cities to Open a Bar
| # | City | Avg Startup Cost | Low End | High End | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brownsville, TX | $266,521 | $61,078 | $471,963 | -44% |
| 2 | Jackson, MS | $270,720 | $62,040 | $479,400 | -44% |
| 3 | San Juan, PR | $274,248 | $62,848 | $485,647 | -43% |
| 4 | Mobile, AL | $275,808 | $63,206 | $488,410 | -43% |
| 5 | Green Bay, WI | $283,968 | $65,076 | $502,860 | -41% |
| 6 | Jefferson City, MO | $289,584 | $66,363 | $512,805 | -40% |
| 7 | McAllen, TX | $289,968 | $66,451 | $513,485 | -40% |
| 8 | Abilene, TX | $294,672 | $67,529 | $521,815 | -39% |
| 9 | St. Joseph, MO | $295,369 | $67,689 | $523,048 | -38% |
| 10 | Buffalo, NY | $295,465 | $67,711 | $523,218 | -38% |
| 11 | Pueblo, CO | $297,097 | $68,085 | $526,108 | -38% |
| 12 | South Bend, IN | $298,441 | $68,393 | $528,488 | -38% |
| 13 | Lakeland, FL | $317,712 | $72,809 | $562,615 | -34% |
| 14 | Akron, OH | $321,144 | $73,595 | $568,692 | -33% |
| 15 | Macon, GA | $322,560 | $73,920 | $571,200 | -33% |
| 16 | Laramie, WY | $326,184 | $74,750 | $577,617 | -32% |
| 17 | Warner Robins, GA | $329,545 | $75,521 | $583,568 | -31% |
| 18 | Lexington, KY | $334,368 | $76,626 | $592,110 | -30% |
| 19 | Kalamazoo, MI | $336,985 | $77,226 | $596,743 | -30% |
| 20 | Pittsburgh, PA | $337,248 | $77,286 | $597,210 | -30% |
Most Expensive Cities to Start a Bar
| City | Avg Startup Cost | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $1,344,000 | +180% |
| Vail, CO | $1,317,120 | +174% |
| Telluride, CO | $1,273,200 | +165% |
| Aspen, CO | $1,241,400 | +159% |
| San Jose, CA | $1,223,424 | +155% |
| Sunnyvale, CA | $1,220,809 | +154% |
| Oakland, CA | $1,082,640 | +126% |
| New York, NY | $1,082,352 | +125% |
| Martha's Vineyard, MA | $1,058,640 | +121% |
| Cambridge, MA | $1,027,728 | +114% |