Protein Cost Calculator
Use this protein cost calculator to see what you really pay for protein in eggs, dal, chicken, milk or any food, using your own prices and labels.
Compare your protein costs
Foods (example prices and label values shown; replace them with your own)
How the protein cost calculator works
The protein cost calculator compares foods by the price of their protein rather than the price of the pack. For each food it works out how many grams of protein the pack contains, divides the price by that amount, and then shows the cost of the protein amount you choose:
protein in pack = protein per label amount × pack size ÷ label amount
cost of your protein amount = price ÷ protein in pack × grams you chose
Pack sizes and label amounts are converted exactly, so a 1 kg pack labelled “per 100 g”, a litre of milk labelled “per 100 mL” and a dozen eggs labelled “per egg” can all be compared on one list. Because every food is measured in the same unit, grams of protein, foods sold by weight, by volume and by count are ranked together. The calculator also shows how much of each food supplies that protein and, if you enter the calories, how much energy comes with it.
Worked example: eggs, chicken, dal and milk
These example prices and typical label values compare the cost of 20 g of protein:
| Food | Price and label | Cost of 20 g protein | Food needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red lentils (dry) | Rs 320 per kg; 24 g protein per 100 g | Rs 26.67 | 83.3 g dry |
| Eggs | Rs 360 per dozen; 6.3 g protein per egg | Rs 95.24 | 3.2 eggs |
| Chicken breast (raw) | Rs 1,100 per kg; 22.5 g protein per 100 g | Rs 97.78 | 88.9 g raw |
| Milk | Rs 220 per litre; 3.3 g protein per 100 mL | Rs 133.33 | 606.1 mL |
With these prices, lentils supply protein for less than a third of the cost of eggs or chicken. Your own result depends on what you pay, so treat the example as a demonstration, not a market price list.
Where do I find the protein numbers?
The protein figure comes from the food’s nutrition label. Most labels list protein per 100 g or 100 mL, and many also give it per serving or per piece. Enter the number exactly as printed, together with the amount it refers to: “6.3 g per 1 item” for an egg, “24 g per 100 g” for lentils or “3.3 g per 100 mL” for milk. Loose foods such as fresh chicken or eggs often have no label; reference databases such as USDA FoodData Central list typical values. The example figures on this page are typical values of that kind.
Match the label to the form you bought. Dry lentils are priced and labelled dry, and raw chicken raw. Cooking changes the weight of food through water, but not the protein you paid for, so mixing a raw price with a cooked protein value gives a wrong result. If you are unsure how to read the panel, our nutrition label portion calculator explains per 100 g and per serving values.
Why compare the cost per gram?
Comparing pack prices tells you which item is cheaper to buy, not which is cheaper to eat for protein. A litre of milk may cost less than a dozen eggs, yet supply less protein for the money. Cost per gram of protein puts foods with very different prices, pack sizes and protein contents on the same scale. That makes it easier to plan meals on a budget, decide between dal, eggs and meat in a given week, or check whether a protein snack or powder is good value.
For comparing the same food in different pack sizes, such as a 1 kg and a 5 kg bag of lentils, use the grocery unit price comparator. To cost a whole dish, try the recipe cost calculator.
What this comparison does not tell you
- Protein quality. Foods differ in their mix of amino acids and in how well their protein is digested. The calculator compares grams on the label only. Combining sources, such as dal with rice or roti, is a common way to balance plant proteins.
- The rest of the food. Fibre, fat, salt, vitamins, minerals and calories all differ. The calories column shows the energy that comes with your chosen protein when you enter it.
- Waste and bones. If you pay for bone, skin or shells that you do not eat, the edible protein is lower than the label for the edible part suggests. For a fair figure, use the weight you actually eat.
- Your daily needs. This is a budgeting tool, not a diet plan. For ideas on meals that include enough protein, see our high-protein diet plan.
Used alongside those points, the protein cost calculator is a quick way to stretch a food budget without guessing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Work out how much protein the whole pack contains, then divide the price by it. A 1 kg bag of lentils with 24 g of protein per 100 g holds 240 g of protein; at 320 a bag, each gram of protein costs 320 ÷ 240 = 1.33. Multiply by 20 to get the cost of 20 g of protein: 26.67. The protein cost calculator does this for every food on your list.
Use the form you bought and the label that describes it. Dry lentils, raw chicken and uncooked oats are sold, weighed and labelled before cooking, so enter their dry or raw protein values. Mixing a raw price with a cooked protein figure gives the wrong answer, because cooking changes weight but not the protein you paid for.
It depends entirely on what you pay. In our example prices eggs and chicken breast cost almost the same per 20 g of protein, while dry red lentils cost less than a third as much. Enter your local prices to get your own answer; prices change by shop, season and pack size.
Not necessarily. Cost per gram of protein is one useful fact for a food budget. Foods also differ in their other nutrients, fibre, fat, salt, calories and protein quality, and a varied diet usually combines several protein sources.
The US Recommended Dietary Allowance for healthy adults is 0.8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, so a 70 kg adult would need about 56 g. Needs can differ in pregnancy, older age, illness and heavy training, so ask a doctor or registered dietitian about your own target.