How 3D print cost is calculated
Most people only count filament, but for anyone selling prints the other costs add up. This calculator combines all of them:
filament = grams ÷ 1000 × price per kg
electricity = watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh
wear = (printer price ÷ lifetime hours + maintenance/h) × hours
true cost = (filament + electricity + wear + labour) ÷ (1 − failure rate)
price = true cost × (1 + markup)
The failure-rate step spreads the cost of failed prints across the successful ones: at a 10% failure rate every good print has to pay for 1.11 prints' worth of material and time.
Typical numbers
| Item | Typical value |
|---|---|
| PLA / PETG price | $15–25 per kg |
| Bed-slinger power draw while printing | 80–150 W |
| Enclosed CoreXY (ABS, heated chamber) | 150–350 W |
| Printer lifetime before major rebuild | 3,000–10,000 h |
| Hobby failure rate | 3–10% |
FAQ
How much does it cost to 3D print something?
For a typical 50 g PLA print taking 4 hours, filament is about $1, electricity about $0.07 and printer wear roughly $0.40, so the true cost is around $1.50. Labour and markup are on top if you sell it.
How much electricity does a 3D printer use?
Most desktop FDM printers average 80–150 W while printing once the bed is up to temperature, so about 0.1 kWh per hour. Enclosed printers heating a chamber can use 2–3 times more.
How should I price 3D prints to sell?
Start from the true cost including failures, add your time for removing supports and packaging as labour, then apply a markup. Many sellers use 50–200% markup, or price by the gram plus a setup fee.
Why include a failure rate?
Failed prints still consume filament, power and machine hours. Dividing by (1 − failure rate) charges each successful print its fair share of the failures.
Recommended gear
- Plug-in power meter — Measures your printer’s real wattage for accurate cost estimates.
- PLA filament, 1 kg (1.75 mm) — The default for most prints; buy a known brand with tight diameter tolerance.
- Digital kitchen scale (0.1 g) — Weigh spools to see what is left; 0.1 g resolution is plenty.
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