How much does it cost to 3D print something?
Most small hobby 3D prints cost about $0.50–$5 in filament alone. A realistic all-in cost — adding machine wear, electricity, failed prints and your time — is roughly $3–$15 for a palm-sized part, and more for large or multi-colour prints.
What goes into the cost of a 3D print?
Filament is only the visible part. A complete cost adds:
- Material — grams used × filament price per kg.
- Machine time — printer wear/depreciation per hour.
- Electricity — usually small, see the electricity guide.
- Failure/waste — add 10–20% for prints that fail.
- Labour — slicing, supports removal, finishing.
- Markup — profit, see markup guide.
How do you calculate the material cost?
Material cost = (grams used ÷ 1000) × price per kg. Your slicer reports the grams for each print.
Example: a 50 g print in $22/kg PLA = (50 ÷ 1000) × 22 = $1.10 of filament.
Example: full cost of a 50 g PLA print
| Cost item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Filament (50 g @ $22/kg) | $1.10 |
| Electricity (~3 h @ 100 W) | $0.05 |
| Machine wear (~3 h) | $0.30 |
| Failure allowance (15%) | $0.22 |
| Cost before labour | $1.67 |
Add your labour and markup on top to get a selling price.