Which is cheaper, a 20 kg bag at 55 or a case of cans at 38? Without a common yardstick, you cannot tell. Price per kilogram does not work, because a kilogram of dry kibble contains roughly three to four times the calories of a kilogram of wet food. Price per bag does not work either, because bags and cans hold different amounts. What pets use is energy, so the fair comparison is the price of a fixed amount of energy: 1,000 kilocalories. This guide gives the formula, works through dog and cat examples across dry, wet, premium and budget foods, shows how to turn it into a cost per day and explains where price per 1,000 kcal does not tell the whole story. The Pet Food Price per 1,000 kcal Calculator does the sum for any food.
The formula
cost per 1,000 kcal = price per kg ÷ kcal per kg × 1,000
If you have the price of a pack and its weight, first find price per kg (price ÷ kg). If you have kcal per 100 g, multiply by 10 to get kcal per kg. If you have kcal per can, use price per can ÷ kcal per can × 1,000. Our guide to kcal per kg, per 100 g and per cup explains the unit conversions.
Worked examples for dry and wet food
| Food | Price | Weight | Price per kg | kcal per kg | Cost per 1,000 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry A | 55 | 15 kg | 3.67 | 3,500 | 1.05 |
| Dry B | 48 | 10 kg | 4.80 | 4,000 | 1.20 |
| Dry C (premium) | 36 | 4 kg | 9.00 | 4,100 | 2.20 |
| Wet D | 38 | 12 × 400 g | 7.92 | 950 | 8.33 |
| Wet E (pouch) | 0.70 | 85 g | 8.24 | 1,000 | 8.24 |
| Wet F (premium) | 1.50 | 85 g | 17.65 | 1,100 | 16.04 |
Dry A is the cheapest per 1,000 kcal, followed by Dry B. The premium dry food costs about twice as much. Wet foods cost about eight times as much as the cheapest dry, and the premium wet food about sixteen times. These are example prices, but the pattern, that wet food costs several times more per calorie than dry, is common.
Turning it into cost per day
cost per day = cost per 1,000 kcal × daily calories ÷ 1,000
| Pet and daily calories | Dry A | Dry C | Wet E | Wet F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neutered 10 kg dog, 630 kcal | 0.66 | 1.39 | 5.19 | 10.10 |
| Neutered 20 kg dog, 1,059 kcal | 1.11 | 2.33 | 8.72 | 16.99 |
| Neutered 4 kg cat, 238 kcal | 0.25 | 0.52 | 1.96 | 3.82 |
For a 20 kg dog on Dry A, the daily cost is 1.11, or about 34 a month. On Wet F alone, it would be 16.99 a day, or about 510 a month. The numbers explain why many owners use wet food as a topper or occasional meal, not as the only food. Our guide to how much dog food costs per month shows monthly tables.
Mixed feeding and blended cost
For a mix, compute each food’s share of calories and its cost, and add. A 20 kg dog on 75% Dry A and 25% Wet E: dry 794 kcal × 1.05 ÷ 1,000 = 0.83; wet 265 kcal × 8.24 ÷ 1,000 = 2.18; total 3.01 a day. That is 2.7 times the all-dry cost. Check the arithmetic with the Pet Food Cost per Meal Calculator, which prices a single meal.
Treats are expensive per calorie
The same formula shows how treats compare. A treat bag of 5.00 for 200 g at 360 kcal per 100 g has 720 kcal, so it costs 6.94 per 1,000 kcal, more than six times Dry A. A dental chew of 1.20 with 90 kcal costs 13.33 per 1,000 kcal. A 20 kg dog with 106 kcal of treats a day spends 0.74 to 1.41 a day on them, a significant part of the food bill. See low-calorie treats for ways to keep rewards cheap.
Where price per 1,000 kcal is not enough
The comparison is fair on energy but silent on quality. A cheaper food per 1,000 kcal might:
- Be unsuitable for your pet’s life stage or health.
- Be less digestible, so the pet needs more of it than the label suggests.
- Not be liked, and be wasted.
- Lack an adequate nutritional statement.
- Be reformulated without notice.
Treat the number as one input. A food that is complete and balanced, suitable for your pet and eaten with enjoyment has value beyond price. If your pet has a health condition that needs a special diet, price should not decide; follow your vet. WSAVA’s questions for manufacturers, covered in our guide to reading a dog food label, help you judge quality.
Bulk buying and subscriptions
A bigger bag or a subscription can lower the price per kilogram. Recompute cost per 1,000 kcal with the new price, include delivery fees and check that you can use the food while fresh. A 15 kg bag at 3.67 per kg only saves money for a 5 kg dog if the food is used within its freshness period, which it will not be. Our guide on how long a bag of dog food lasts helps with this.
Updating the numbers
Prices change, and so do formulas. Recompute every few months, and whenever a price or a bag size changes. If a maker reduces the pack size while keeping the price, the price per kg has risen. If energy density changes, the grams you feed change as well. A simple spreadsheet with your foods in rows and price, size, kcal per kg and cost per 1,000 kcal in columns keeps everything in one place.
| Food | Pack price | Pack kg | kcal per kg | Price per kg | Cost per 1,000 kcal | Date checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Common mistakes
- Comparing price per kg across wet and dry.
- Using the bag’s weight but not its energy.
- Forgetting delivery fees and discounts.
- Ignoring treats and chews.
- Choosing on price alone.
- Not rechecking when prices change.
- Using the wrong energy value.
Worked example: three households, three choices
Three households each need to feed a neutered 20 kg dog (1,059 kcal a day).
| Household | Food | Cost per 1,000 kcal | Cost a day | Cost a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Dry A, 1.05 | 1.05 | 1.11 | 33.4 |
| B | 75% Dry B and 25% Wet E | 0.75 × 1.20 + 0.25 × 8.24 = 2.96 | 3.13 | 94.0 |
| C | Dry C (premium) | 2.20 | 2.33 | 69.9 |
Household B, who adds a wet topper, pays nearly three times as much per month as household A and 35% more than household C on a premium dry food alone. Each household may have good reasons for its choice. The calculation does not tell them what to feed; it shows what each choice costs, so they decide with open eyes.
Price per 1,000 kcal for other pets and foods
The formula works for any food with a known energy. For horse feed, use price per kg and kcal per kg (or Mcal per kg ÷ 1 × 1,000). For fish and bird food, it is rarely worth the trouble, but it works. For home-prepared diets, add the ingredient costs for a batch, divide by the batch’s total calories and multiply by 1,000. This is useful if you cook for your pet, as it shows whether a home-made diet is cheaper or dearer than a commercial one. A veterinary nutritionist should check that a home-made diet is balanced.
Keeping a food price log
Track the price, pack size and energy of your regular foods and review quarterly. Price creep can be steady: a 3% rise every few months is 12% over a year. A log also helps you spot shrinkflation, where the pack gets smaller at the same price. Record the date, price, weight and calculate the cost per 1,000 kcal each time. Over a few years, the log is a record of food costs, which feeds into your pet budget.
Questions owners ask in more depth
Is it fair to compare dry and wet food this way? Yes for energy, but the foods differ in water, texture and uses. Some owners feed wet for hydration or palatability and accept the cost.
What if a food does not state kcal? Estimate from the analysis, as in calculating calories from the label, or ask the maker.
Should I include the cost of waste? If you throw away a lot, the real cost per 1,000 kcal eaten is higher. Divide the price by the fraction used.
How much difference should make me switch? A saving of a few percent is not worth a digestive upset; a saving of 30% or more may be, if the food is suitable.
Does a premium price reflect better nutrition? Not necessarily. Check the adequacy statement and the maker’s answers to WSAVA’s questions.
How do I factor in my vet’s diet? If your vet prescribes a diet, follow it, and use the calculation only to budget.
A spreadsheet recipe
If you like spreadsheets, set one up in four columns: price per pack, pack weight in kg, kcal per kg and cost per 1,000 kcal. In the cost column enter price ÷ weight ÷ kcal per kg × 1,000. Add a column for your pet’s daily calories and compute cost per day. Add rows for each food and treat. Sort by cost per 1,000 kcal to see the cheapest, and use conditional formatting to flag any that exceed your budget. Update the sheet when you buy. After a few months it also shows how much you spent on each food, which is useful when you review your pet budget.
| Column | Formula |
|---|---|
| A | Food name |
| B | Pack price |
| C | Pack weight (kg) |
| D | kcal per kg |
| E | =B/C |
| F | =E/D*1000 |
| G | Daily calories |
| H | =F*G/1000 |
Quick summary
- Cost per 1,000 kcal = price per kg ÷ kcal per kg × 1,000.
- Dry A at 3.67 per kg and 3,500 kcal/kg costs 1.05; wet E at 8.24 per kg and 1,000 kcal/kg costs 8.24.
- Cost per day = cost per 1,000 kcal × daily calories ÷ 1,000.
- Treats are often many times dearer per calorie than the main food.
- Price is one input; suitability and balance come first.
- Use the Pet Food Price per 1,000 kcal Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is price per 1,000 kcal?
The cost of food that supplies 1,000 kilocalories: price per kg ÷ kcal per kg × 1,000.
Why not compare price per kg?
Foods differ in water and energy density, so a kilogram of one food can supply several times the calories of another.
How do I get cost per day?
Cost per 1,000 kcal × daily calories ÷ 1,000.
Where do I find kcal per kg?
On the label or the maker's website. If missing, estimate from the analysis.
Is the cheapest per 1,000 kcal always best?
No. The food must be complete and balanced, suit your pet and be liked. Price is one factor.
How do I compare a can with a bag?
Convert the can to price per kg or compute price ÷ kcal per can × 1,000.
Does this work for treats?
Yes, and it shows how expensive treats can be per calorie.
Sources
- Pure arithmetic: cost per 1,000 kcal = price per kg ÷ kcal per kg × 1,000
- NRC (2006) Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats, National Academies Press
Related calculators
- Pet Food Price per 1,000 kcal CalculatorCompare two foods fairly by price per 1,000 calories instead of price per bag.
- Pet Food Cost per Meal CalculatorFind what each meal costs from the price of the bag and the grams you feed.
- Dog Food Cost CalculatorSee what it costs per day, month and year to feed your dog, from its calorie need and the price of the bag.
Keep reading
- How Much Does Dog Food Cost per Month?How to work out dog food cost per month from daily calories, food energy and price per kg: a table for 5 to 40 kg dogs at four price points.
- Wet vs Dry Cat Food: Calories, Water and CostWet and dry cat food compared on water, calories per gram, grams needed, cost per 1,000 kcal and storage, with a worked example and a mixed-feeding plan.
- How to Read a Dog Food Label: kcal and AnalysisHow to read a dog food label: the adequacy statement, kcal per kg or cup, guaranteed analysis versus dry matter, ingredient order and a step-by-step comparison.
- Pet Sitter vs Boarding: Cost ComparisonHow to compare boarding, drop-in visits and an overnight sitter: rate × nights, a 3 to 14 night table, extras, break-even rates and what price cannot tell you.