Filament Cost Calculator

Another tool I built because I needed it myself

Enter your roll price, the grams your slicer reports, and optionally your printer power draw and print time. The calculator tells you the filament cost, electricity cost, and total. Works for PLA, PETG, and any filament type. Preset buttons for common rolls so you don't have to type everything manually.

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Features

Real-time cost calculation
Filament cost per print
Optional electricity cost estimate
Filament presets with real market prices
Deep-link from scale engine
No account, no cookies

Calculator

Presets:
$
g
g

Check your slicer's estimated filament usage

$

Optional — Electricity Cost

Bambu Lab A1 Mini ~60W, typical ~80-120W

US avg ~$0.12, EU ~$0.25

Check your slicer estimate

Filament Cost

$0.00

Electricity Cost

$0.00

Total Cost

$0.00

Grams per Dollar

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Disclaimer: This is an estimate

All values are approximations. Actual filament usage varies by purge tower, support material, raft, and slicer settings. Electricity cost depends on your local rate, printer efficiency, and whether the bed and nozzle reach full temperature for the entire print. This calculator is a planning aid only and has no legal or contractual value.

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Direct answer

How to estimate a print's cost

Divide the roll price by the roll weight to get your cost per gram, then multiply by the grams your slicer reports. A $19.99, 1000g roll comes to about $0.02/g, so a 10g miniature costs roughly $0.20 in filament. Add electricity if you want the full picture — the calculator handles both.

Filament Preset Price Per Gram

PresetBrandsRoll PricePer Gram
Budget PLAeSun, Sunlu$14.99 / 1000g$0.0150/g
Mid PLABambu Lab, Polymaker$19.99 / 1000g$0.0200/g
Premium PLABambu Lab$30.92 / 970g$0.0319/g
Budget PETGeSun, Sunlu$16.99 / 1000g$0.0170/g
Mid PETGBambu Lab$18.99 / 1000g$0.0190/g
Premium PETGPrusament$34.99 / 1000g$0.0350/g

These are the exact presets loaded into the calculator. A mid-range PLA roll at $0.02/g is the sweet spot for most tabletop printing.

How to get an accurate cost

  1. 1

    Read the grams from your slicer

    Chitubox, Lychee, and PrusaSlicer all estimate filament weight before you slice. Include the purge tower and supports — they're real material, so they belong in the number.

  2. 2

    Enter your roll price and weight

    The preset buttons load real market prices for you — or type your own. The cost per gram updates instantly so you can see the math behind the number.

  3. 3

    Add electricity only when it matters

    A short mini print at 60W costs cents. A 10-hour terrain print at 120W adds real money. Fill in the optional fields when you're planning something big.

Filament Cost FAQ

How much does one gram of filament cost?

Divide the roll price by the roll weight. A $19.99, 1000g roll of mid-range PLA costs about $0.020 per gram. A typical 32mm miniature uses 5-15g of PLA, so the filament for one mini usually costs well under $0.50.

Why is premium filament so much more expensive per gram?

Premium and specialty filaments — like Bambu Lab PLA-CF at roughly $0.032/g — cost more because of the additives, tighter tolerances, and finishing. For a single tabletop miniature the difference is only a few cents.

How many grams does a typical miniature print use?

Most 28-40mm miniatures use 5-15g of filament including supports, depending on size and infill. Vehicles and terrain can jump to 50-200g. Your slicer shows the exact estimate, so check the weight readout before you slice.

Should I include electricity in my cost estimate?

It depends on your rate and printer. A 60W printer running 3 hours at $0.15/kWh adds about $0.03. That is noise on a single mini but adds up on a long, high-wattage print, so the calculator gives you the option.

How do I find out how much filament a print uses?

Look at your slicer's estimated filament usage — Chitubox, Lychee, and PrusaSlicer all report grams before you slice. Add the purge tower and support material to that number, then enter it into the calculator.

Is PETG worth the extra cost over PLA?

For miniatures, PLA is usually the better value — it is cheaper and prints crisper detail, and the strength difference rarely matters on a tabletop model. PETG shines for terrain and functional parts that take abuse.