Unit Price Calculator

unit price = package price / (size x number in the pack). The only trap is units. A shelf label may price one brand per ounce and the next per 100 count, and the two cannot be compared as printed. Convert both to the same unit first, which is what the size field here is for: enter every option in one unit and the comparison is honest. For a multipack, the size is the size of one item and the count is how many are in the box. A 12 pack of 12 ounce cans is size 12, count 12, which is 144 ounces.

How do I work out the price per ounce?

Divide the price by the number of ounces. A $4.29 jar holding 18 ounces is 4.29 / 18, which is 23.8 cents an ounce. Keep three or four decimal places while comparing, because rounding to cents can make two different prices look the same.

Is the bigger package always cheaper per unit?

No. It usually is, but the exceptions are common enough to be worth checking, especially when the small size is on promotion or the large size is a premium format. Stores also know that shoppers assume bigger is cheaper.

How do I compare a multipack against a single item?

Multiply the size of one item by the number in the pack, then divide the pack price by that total. A 12 pack of 12 ounce cans holds 144 ounces, so a $7.99 pack is 5.5 cents an ounce.

What is a unit price on a shelf label?

The price per standard measure, printed in small type beside the shelf price. Many US states require it. It is genuinely useful, but stores are allowed to choose the measure, so neighboring products are sometimes priced in units that cannot be compared.

Is buying in bulk worth it?

Only if you use it before it spoils and you have somewhere to keep it. A lower unit price on food you throw away is a higher price on the food you actually ate. Count the waste as part of the cost.