How to save money on meat despite rising prices Tags: HOUSTON – Dining out or eating at home, no one can escape the higher price of meat these days. It’s not just beef, chicken and pork also costs significantly more now than they did this same time last year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says we are paying about a dollar more per pound for ribeye than this same time last year. And it’s not over. The price of beef, chicken, and pork are all expected to rise even higher this year. Why are meat prices higher? The cost for crops like corn and soybean that ranchers use to feed their cattle and farmers use to feed chickens are up.