4 Expenses the Middle Class Might Have Trouble Affording in 2026
- - 4 Expenses the Middle Class Might Have Trouble Affording in 2026
Laura BogartFebruary 8, 2026 at 9:00 PM
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Middle-class consumers don’t need clickbait headlines to know the economy feels uncertain. As they enter 2026, many feel the squeeze not only when buying everyday items like groceries but also when considering larger purchases like homes and travel. Many products, services and lifestyle experiences that were once hallmarks of middle-class life now feel increasingly out of reach.
Average shoppers aren’t the only ones noticing. Experts are sounding the alarm about what middle-class households may struggle to afford in 2026.
1. Eating Out
Dining out used to be a staple of middle-class life, not a luxury. Remember those nights when your parents were too tired to cook and you ended up at Olive Garden or even McDonald’s? Those were good times. However, according to Melanie Musson, a finance expert at Quote.com, those times may be a-changin’ for middle-class families.
“Fast food prices are almost as high as those at a sit-down restaurant," she said. "But by the time you pay the tip at a sit-down restaurant, middle-class diners can’t afford to eat out.”
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There’s data to back her up. Analysis from McKinsey's Restaurant Outlook found that the price of dining out rose about 6% from early 2024 through late 2025, outpacing grocery inflation. McKinsey's analysis also shared data points from the U.S. Consumer Price Index showing that rising labor, rent and ingredient costs helped drive a 6% increase in the expense of “food away from home.”
2. Homeownership
A home with a white picket fence and a perfect yard used to be the defining image of middle-class success. Now, Musson says many people in the middle class might find the door to homeownership slammed in their faces because of higher repair and maintenance costs — even with slight reprieves in the housing market and decreasing interest rates.
When Clever Offers, a platform owned by Clever Real Estate, researched trends among millennial homebuyers — or at least prospective buyers — it found that “97% of millennials say they have at least one barrier to homeownership, with the top barriers being financial in nature: homes are too expensive (46%), interest rates are too high (40%), and saving for a down payment (34%).”
With at least one generational cohort feeling locked out of homeownership, many may worry that a middle-class income simply won’t support this part of the American dream.
3. Travel — Especially International Travel
Travel was once a predictable part of middle-class life, with many families planning at least one trip a year. However, Brett Daniel, founder of Daniel Safe Money Retirement Solutions, says travel could be out of reach for middle-class families in 2026.
“Affordability is shifting for many families when it comes to travel. An annual vacation could start to feel like a luxury rather than a routine part of middle-class life,” he said. “With the increasingly high costs of transportation, lodging and food, many households may be forced to cut back on how often they travel or may not be able to travel at all.”
This shift was noticeable even at the end of 2025, when YouGov reported on the decline in international travel among average Americans. The report shared that “cost pressures are reshaping how Americans plan and experience international trips. Travelers most often report rising prices for transport, dining and accommodations, prompting many to rethink how frequently they travel and how they manage their budgets.”
Notably, the YouGov report found that higher-income Americans remain more likely to travel abroad, “highlighting the role income plays in determining who can travel overseas.”
4. Frequent Technology Upgrades
Keeping up with the Joneses can feel like a middle-class pastime, particularly when it comes to the latest technologies. But Daniel thinks technology upgrades may become unaffordable for middle-class people in 2026.
“While it has become standard to replace an old cellphone or laptop, those replacements may now require careful budgeting and using older devices for a little while longer,” he said.
In a report about consumer trends within the technology sector for 2026, Paul Gagon, vice president and technology industry advisor for Circana, noted a widening gap in consumer electronics spending by income level. Higher-income buyers are driving growth in tech purchases, while middle- and lower-income buyers are cutting back or extending the life of devices.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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Source: “AOL Money”
