Depends on how much you drink and what you prefer to drink. Generally better liquor/beer/wine cost more, but not always. For comparison, I'll say a typical alcoholic might take the equivalent of 4 drinks a night. So, 4 beers, a bottle of wine, or a quarter of a bottle of liquor. The average cost is probably in the realm of $8-$12 dollars, although you could go lower or much higher. But for the sake of math, let's say $10 a night, so an alcoholic who drinks at home might spend about $250 a month. (Accounting for some sober days of regret). I think $250 is a lot to spend per month for sure. But markup on alcohol is anywhere between 200 and 500%, so someone who only drinks at a bar might be paying 4x as much to get drunk. So it's realistic that an alcoholic who drinks at bars would be spending $1000 a month. Which most people can't afford.