3DPrintCalcs
Print Cost Calculator — Total Cost per Print
Calculate total print cost including material, electricity and machine wear.
How We Calculate This
Formula
- Material cost = Filament weight x (Spool price / Spool weight)
- Electricity cost = (Wattage x Hours / 1000) x Rate per kWh
- Wear cost = Print hours x Hourly wear rate
- Total cost = Material + Electricity + Wear
All costs are user-entered, so results reflect your actual prices and equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
A small PLA print (20-50g) typically costs 50p to £2 in material, plus 10-30p in electricity for a 2-4 hour print. Machine wear adds another 50p-£2 depending on your printer value. For the full breakdown with worked examples and commercial comparisons, see how much does 3D printing cost.
Divide your printer purchase price by its expected lifespan in hours. For example, a £300 printer lasting 3000 hours costs 10p/hour. Add a buffer for replacement parts (nozzles, belts, etc.).
Yes. A realistic failure rate of 5-10% should be factored into your per-print cost, especially if quoting for customers. Use our Material Waste Calculator for this.
Related Calculators
Print Failure Cost Calculator
Calculate the true cost of print failures including wasted material, electricity and time.
Order Pricing Calculator
Calculate a fair price for customer print orders including markup.
Nozzle Wear Calculator
Calculate nozzle replacement timing based on material type, hours and abrasiveness.
Electricity Cost Calculator
Estimate the electricity cost of a print based on wattage and duration.
Time vs Quality Calculator
Compare print time at different layer heights and speed settings.
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Last updated: February 2026
All calculations are estimates. Always verify settings with test prints before committing to final prints.