How long is 1 kg of ABS filament?

ABS grams ↔ meters converter

How much ABS is left on my spool?

ABS length and weight at a glance

Filament	Cross-section	Per kg	1 m weighs	1 g is
1.75 mm	2.405 mm²	399.8 m	2.50 g	40.0 cm
2.85 mm	6.379 mm²	150.7 m	6.63 g	15.1 cm

Which density this page uses

ABS datasheets typically list 1.04–1.07 g/cm³; we use 1.04 g/cm³. Its low density is the reason a kilogram of ABS goes further than a kilogram of PLA or PETG. Every number on this page is computed from 1.04 g/cm³; if your spool lists a different density, choose the closest material or scale the result: length is inversely proportional to density, so a material 3% denser gives 3% fewer meters per kilogram.

Length of common ABS spool sizes

Net weight	1.75 mm	2.85 mm
500 g	200 m	75 m
750 g	300 m	113 m
1 kg	400 m	151 m
2 kg	800 m	301 m
3 kg	1,199 m	452 m
5 kg	1,999 m	754 m

Net weight is the filament only — the empty spool comes on top. Not every brand sells every size in ABS; the table simply converts the weight on the label.

ABS cost per meter and per gram

Spool price	Per gram	Per m (1.75)	Per m (2.85)	10 m (1.75)
$15.00 / kg	1.5¢	3.8¢	10.0¢	$0.38
$20.00 / kg	2.0¢	5.0¢	13.3¢	$0.50
$25.00 / kg	2.5¢	6.3¢	16.6¢	$0.63
$35.00 / kg	3.5¢	8.8¢	23.2¢	$0.88

Material only. A full print also pays for electricity, machine wear and failed prints — see 3D printing cost per gram for worked examples, or drop an STL into the ABS print cost calculator.

How diameter tolerance changes the length

Filament is sold by weight, so a spool that runs slightly thick holds fewer meters, and one that runs thin holds more. Length scales with 1 ÷ diameter², so small diameter errors matter roughly twice as much in length:

Tolerance	Diameter	1 kg is	Length change
1.75 ± 0.02 mm	1.73–1.77 mm	391–409 m	−2.2% / +2.3%
1.75 ± 0.05 mm	1.70–1.80 mm	378–424 m	−5.5% / +6.0%
2.85 ± 0.05 mm	2.80–2.90 mm	146–156 m	−3.4% / +3.6%

Good filament is typically specified at ±0.02–0.03 mm and budget filament at ±0.05 mm. Your slicer assumes the nominal diameter, so a consistently thick spool also over-extrudes by the same percentage; if you measure an average diameter well away from nominal, enter it in the slicer's filament settings.

ABS compared with other filaments

Filament	g/cm³	1 kg, 1.75 mm	vs ABS
PLA	1.24	335 m	−16%
PETG	1.27	327 m	−18%
ABS	1.04	400 m	—
TPU	1.21	344 m	−14%
ASA	1.07	389 m	−3%
Nylon (PA)	1.14	365 m	−9%

About ABS spools

ABS is about 16% less dense than PLA, so the same kilogram holds roughly a fifth more filament and prints more parts. That partly offsets the extra cost of printing ABS: it needs an enclosure, a hot bed and good ventilation, and warped first attempts waste material.

When you compare ABS and PLA prices, compare cost per meter rather than cost per kilogram — at the same spool price ABS is the cheaper material per part.

The formula, worked for ABS

length = mass ÷ (density × π × (diameter ÷ 2)²)

1,000 g ÷ 1.04 g/cm³ = 961.5 cm³ = 961,538 mm³ of plastic. A 1.75 mm filament has a cross-section of π × 0.875² = 2.405 mm², so the length is 961,538 ÷ 2.405 = 399,761 mm, or 399.8 m. With 2.85 mm filament (6.379 mm²) it is 150.7 m.

Read how much filament a print uses to estimate the grams a model needs, or go back to the filament length calculator for every material.

FAQ

How long is 1 kg of ABS filament?

About 400 m of 1.75 mm ABS or 151 m of 2.85 mm filament, at a density of 1.04 g/cm³.

How much does 1 meter of ABS filament weigh?

About 2.50 g for 1.75 mm and 6.63 g for 2.85 mm, so 10 m of 1.75 mm ABS is about 25.0 g.

How many meters are on a 500 g or 5 kg spool of ABS?

A 500 g spool of 1.75 mm ABS holds about 200 m; a 5 kg spool about 1,999 m. In 2.85 mm the same spools hold about 75 m and 754 m.

What does ABS filament cost per meter?

At $20.00 per kg, 1.75 mm ABS costs 5.0¢ per meter and 2.0¢ per gram; 2.85 mm costs 13.3¢ per meter.