Price per Use Calculator
Find out what something really costs each time you use it.
Good to know. A 200 coat worn 100 times costs 2 a wear. A 40 one worn twice costs 20.
How it works
In plain words
Add up everything the item costs you over its life, take off what you can sell it for, and divide by the number of times you will use it.
The formula
total cost = price + running costs − resale value uses = times per period × periods per year × years cost per use = total cost ÷ uses
Worked example
Boots for 180, worn 3 times a week for 3 years: that is 468 wears, so each wear costs 180 ÷ 468 = 0.38.
Sources
No outside data or rates: this is plain arithmetic.
5 automated tests check its answers on every change.
About the price per use calculator
The price tag tells you what something costs today. Cost per use tells you what it costs you, which is often a better way to judge value. A 180 pair of boots worn three times a week for three years costs under 40 cents a wear. A 40 pair worn a handful of times before it falls apart can be far more expensive per use.
The same thinking works for all sorts of decisions. Is the gym membership worth it if you only go twice a month? Does a coffee machine pay for itself compared with buying coffee out? Is it better to buy a drill or borrow one?
For an honest answer, be realistic about how often you will really use it. Most people overestimate. Include running costs such as coffee pods, subscriptions or repairs, and subtract anything you can get back by selling it at the end.
Cost per use is not the whole story, of course. A cheaper item might be perfectly good enough, and something you love using has value that no calculator can measure. But when two options are close, this number is a useful tie-breaker.
Questions people ask
How do I calculate cost per use?
Divide the total cost of owning something by the number of times you use it. 180 over 468 uses is about 0.38 per use.
Should I include running costs?
Yes, if there are any. Things like refills, repairs and subscriptions are part of what the item really costs you.
What about resale value?
If you can sell the item afterwards, subtract what you expect to get. That lowers the real cost.