PLA print cost calculator
PLA (polylactic acid) is the default filament for most 3D printers: cheap, easy to print and available in every color. Drop an STL below to see exactly how many grams and meters of PLA your part needs and what it costs.
- File
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- Size (X × Y × Z)
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- Volume
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- Surface area
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- Triangles
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- Mesh check
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- Build volume
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Cost estimate
| Cost | How | Amount | Share |
|---|
Printer, time & electricity
Labor, failures & markup
PLA at a glance
| Density | 1.24 g/cm³ |
|---|---|
| Typical price | $15.00–$28.00 per kg (calculator default $20.00) |
| Cost per gram | $0.02 at $20.00/kg |
| Meters per kg | 335 m (1.75 mm) · 126 m (2.85 mm) |
| Nozzle | 190–220 °C |
| Bed | 50–65 °C |
| Enclosure | Not needed |
What common prints cost in PLA
Estimated with 15% infill, 1.2 mm walls and 5% waste on a fast bed slinger, including electricity, machine wear and a 10% failure buffer:
| Model | Weight | Filament | Time | Material | Total cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 mm calibration cube | 4.7 g | 1.59 m | 12 min | $0.09 | $0.15 |
| 50 mm sphere | 23.2 g | 7.78 m | 37 min | $0.46 | $0.66 |
| 70 mm twisted planter (sample) | 52.7 g | 17.68 m | 1 h 17 min | $1.05 | $1.47 |
| 50 mm ring (torus) | 7.2 g | 2.40 m | 16 min | $0.14 | $0.22 |
| 100 × 100 × 3 mm plate | 34.0 g | 11.40 m | 52 min | $0.68 | $0.95 |
PLA has a density of about 1.24 g/cm³, so every cubic centimetre of solid plastic weighs 1.24 grams. Because most parts are printed with sparse infill, a typical print uses only 30–60% of its solid volume in plastic — which is why the calculator estimates walls and infill separately instead of simply multiplying the volume by the density.
At a typical street price of $15–28 per kilogram, PLA costs around 2 cents per gram. Material is usually the largest single cost of a PLA print on a modern printer, but on long prints the machine time and the cost of failed prints can match it, so the calculator includes both.
PLA softens at around 55–60 °C, so it is a poor choice for parts that live in a hot car, near a motor or in a dishwasher. If heat or impact matters, compare the cost of the same STL in PETG or ASA — the price difference is usually smaller than people expect.
Best for
- Prototypes, figurines and desk accessories
- Cosplay props and indoor decor
- Fit tests before printing in a tougher material
Compare materials side by side in PLA vs PETG vs ABS vs TPU vs resin, or convert PLA weight to length with the PLA filament length calculator.
FAQ
What is the density of PLA?
About 1.24 g/cm³, so 1 cm³ of solid PLA weighs 1.24 g. Exact values vary a little by brand and additives.
How many meters are in a 1 kg spool of PLA?
About 335 m of 1.75 mm PLA, or 126 m of 2.85 mm filament.
How much does PLA cost per gram?
At $20.00 per kg, PLA costs $0.02 per gram (typical range $15.00–$28.00 per kg). A 53 g print uses about $1.05 of material.