Cost Per Serving Calculator
Enter a recipe's total cost and number of servings to calculate the cost per serving — useful for meal planning, budgeting, or comparing the true cost of cooking at home versus eating out.
How the Cost Per Serving formula works
A simple division:
Cost per serving = Total recipe cost / Number of servings
Step-by-step calculation
- Add up the cost of every ingredient used in the recipe.
- Divide by the number of servings the recipe makes.
Worked example
A recipe costing $18 total in ingredients, making 6 servings: Cost per serving = 18/6 = $3.00.
Frequently asked questions
Should I include pantry staples I already own, like salt or oil?
It's a judgment call — including only ingredients you specifically bought for the recipe gives a more accurate 'marginal cost' view, while including a prorated cost for staples gives a fuller picture of true meal cost. Either approach is valid depending on what you're trying to measure.
How does this compare to eating out?
Home-cooked meals are very often cheaper per serving than restaurant meals, though the comparison depends heavily on the specific recipe, ingredient prices, and portion sizes — this calculator gives you the home-cooked half of that comparison.