You have to know where to go, what to buy, and what to cook. I've been a vegan for a number of years now and I could live off $60/mo if I wanted to. The main p

You have to know where to go, what to buy, and what to cook. I've been a vegan for a number of years now and I could live off $60/mo if I wanted to. The main point is convenience. If you don't want the effort of preparing food then it costs a lot more. Simple staples like lentals, rice, etc supplemented with vegetables is a crazy cheap way to eat. In SF districts like the mission it's easy to get cheap fresh fruit and vegetables. A lot of it is supply and demand. If you shop at Safeway they have an expectation about your spending and price accordingly. If you are trying save every penny shop where other people who have no money shop. That probably means neighborhoods you might avoid otherwise.