Cost Per Serving Calculator
Calculate the cost per serving for any recipe.
Results
Knowing your cost per serving helps you budget for meal prep, compare homemade vs takeout costs and plan weekly menus. Most home-cooked meals cost $1-4 per serving compared to $8-15 for restaurant equivalents. Enter your total ingredient cost and serving count to see exactly what each portion costs.
Explore all our cooking cost calculator tools, or browse the full cooking hub.
Frequently asked questions
Divide total ingredient cost by the number of servings. A recipe that costs $12 in ingredients and makes 4 servings costs $3 per serving.
A good target is $2-4 per serving for home-cooked meals. Rice and bean dishes can be under $1, while meat-heavy meals are typically $3-5.
Home cooking is typically 3-5x cheaper than eating out. A restaurant meal at $15 per person can often be made at home for $3-5 per serving.
For accuracy, include small amounts for pantry staples. A rough estimate is to add $0.10-0.25 per serving for oil, spices and seasonings.
Divide the bulk price by total weight or volume, then multiply by the amount your recipe uses. For example, a 5 lb bag of flour at $5 is $1/lb.