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Unit Price Calculator
The bigger pack is not always the better deal. Enter the price and quantity of two or three items to see the price per unit of each, which one is cheapest, and by what percent. Use any unit you like — ounces, grams, sheets, loads — as long as it is the same for every item.
- Cheaper per unit than the next best by
- 14.18%
- Item A price per unit
- $0.291
- Item B price per unit
- $0.250
- Item C price per unit
- —
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Your recent calculations
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Formula
How to use it
- Enter the price and quantity of the first item.
- Enter the price and quantity of the second item, in the same unit.
- Add a third item if you are comparing three sizes; leave it at 0 otherwise.
- Read which item has the lowest price per unit and how much cheaper it is.
Worked examples
A 12 oz box for $3.49 against a 24 oz box for $5.99
- Item A price per unit
- $0.291
- Item B price per unit
- $0.250
- Best value
- Item B
- Cheaper per unit than the next best by
- 14.18%
Three jars: 16 oz for $4.00, 28 oz for $6.30 and 48 oz for $9.60
- Item A price per unit
- $0.250
- Item B price per unit
- $0.225
- Item C price per unit
- $0.200
- Best value
- Item C
- Cheaper per unit than the next best by
- 11.11%
Compare the same unit
Convert before you compare. A 2-liter bottle is 67.6 fl oz; a pound is 16 oz; a kilogram is 1,000 g or 2.2 lb. For paper goods, compare by sheet or by square foot rather than by roll, because roll sizes differ. For laundry products, compare by load.
Many US stores print a unit price on the shelf tag, but the units are not always consistent from one tag to the next — one may be per ounce and its neighbor per count.
When the cheapest unit price is not the best buy
A lower unit price only saves money if you use it all. Food that spoils, a product you have not tried, or a size that will not fit in the cupboard can make the smaller pack the better choice. Sale prices and coupons also often apply to one size only, so re-check when there is a promotion.
Questions people ask
How do I calculate unit price?
Divide the price by the quantity. A 64 oz bottle for $4.99 costs $4.99 ÷ 64 = about 7.8 cents per ounce.
Is buying in bulk always cheaper?
No. Larger sizes usually have a lower unit price, but not always — stores sometimes price a mid-size or sale item lower per unit. Checking takes a few seconds.
Which is cheaper: 12 oz for $3.49 or 24 oz for $5.99?
The 24 oz pack. It costs 25.0 cents per ounce against 29.1 cents, about 14% less per ounce.