How to use the pet food cost per meal calculator
- Enter the bag price and size.
- Enter the grams in one meal and the meals per day.
- Press Calculate.
Worked example
A US$60 15 kg bag, fed as 150 g meals twice a day.
- Currency
- US dollar
- Price of one bag
- 60
- Bag size
- 15 kg
- Grams per meal
- 150
- Meals per day
- 2
- Per day
- $1.20
- Per month
- $37
- Price per kg
- $4.00
Food only: treats and extras are not included.
Example values are illustrative; this result is produced by the same calculator above.
How we calculate it
Sources: Pure arithmetic / unit conversion on user inputs (no external constant)
Understanding your result
To find the cost of a meal, work out the price per kilogram of the food (bag price divided by bag weight) and multiply by the weight of the meal in kilograms. A US$60 15 kg bag is US$4 per kg, so a 150 g meal costs US$0.60.
Two meals a day cost US$1.20, about US$36 a month. The calculator shows the cost per meal, per day, per month and the price per kilogram.
It is handy when you split food between pets, compare a scoop with a measured meal, or add up what wet, dry and treats each cost.
Common mistakes
- Using the wrong bag weight, for example including packaging.
- Forgetting that meal size changes as a pet grows or loses weight.
- Leaving out treats and toppers.
- Comparing foods by price per meal when the meals differ in calories.
- Entering a daily amount in the per-meal box.
Good to know
- Compare foods by calories as well as price using the Pet Food Price per 1,000 kcal Calculator.
- Use the Pet Meal Size Calculator to divide a daily amount into meals.
- Weigh a scoop to know what it holds.
Cost per bowl, per day and per month
Divide the bag price by the bag weight to get the price per kilogram, then multiply by the grams in a meal. A 60 bag of 15 kg is 4 a kilogram, so a 147 g meal costs about 0.59, and two meals a day cost about 1.18, or roughly 35 a month.
This is the cost of the main meals only. Treats, toppers and wet food on the side add to it. For comparing two foods fairly, use cost per 1,000 kcal rather than cost per kilogram, because foods differ in calories per gram.
Use the result to check a budget line, to compare a switch from one food to another and to see how much a change in portion size really matters.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find the grams per meal?
Use the Dog Food Calculator or Cat Food Calculator for the daily amount, then divide by the number of meals, or weigh your scoop.
Does it include treats?
No. Treats and extras are not included.
Can I compare two foods?
Run it for each food, or use the Pet Food Price per 1,000 kcal Calculator for a fairer comparison.
How do I find the price per kilogram?
Divide the bag price by the bag weight in kilograms. The calculator shows it for you.
Does it include wet food?
Yes, if you enter the price and weight of the wet food pack and the grams per meal.
Can I compare two foods?
Run it for each, or use the Pet Food Price per 1,000 kcal Calculator for a fairer comparison.
Sources
- Pure arithmetic / unit conversion on user inputs (no external constant)
Guides about this
Related calculators
- 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.
- Pet Meal Size CalculatorSplit a daily food amount into meals and see how many grams (and calories) go in each bowl.
- Pet Food Bag Duration CalculatorFind out how many days a bag of pet food will last at the amount you feed.
- Pet Food Price per 1,000 kcal CalculatorCompare two foods fairly by price per 1,000 calories instead of price per bag.
Estimates only. Every pet is different — confirm with your veterinarian.