Tools / Tea cost calculator

Price per brewed session

Tea cost-per-cup calculator

Turn package price into sessions, infusions, package duration, monthly spending, and an optional side-by-side tea comparison.

How much does loose-leaf tea cost per cup?

Divide package weight by leaf used per session, then divide price by those sessions. If you resteep, cost per infusion is lower; this calculator shows both so a multi-infusion tea is not compared unfairly with a one-cup bag.

Tea-specific dose starting pointsA-vs-B package comparisonFind exact tea packages

Price your tea habit

Prefilled from the middle of Nilgiri’s Western range.

$0.54 per session · $0.18 per infusion
33 full sessions per package100 infusions per package6.7 weeks per package$11.70 estimated monthly cost

Annual estimate at this frequency: $140.40. Shipping, tax, waste, and equipment are not included.

Read the Nilgiri guideSee Nilgiri buying picks

How the result is calculated

Tea cost formulas

sessions = package grams ÷ grams per session; cost per session = price ÷ sessions; cost per infusion = cost per session ÷ infusions consumed

Monthly and annual estimates multiply cost per session by the entered weekly frequency. The calculator compares leaf cost in the selected currency symbol; it does not convert currencies or add shipping, tax, water, energy, milk, sweetener, equipment, or wasted leaf.

Worked example: a $20, 100 g package

  1. At 5 g per session, 100 ÷ 5 = 20 full sessions.
  2. $20 ÷ 20 = $1.00 of leaf per session.
  3. If four infusions are actually consumed, $1.00 ÷ 4 = $0.25 per infusion.
  4. At five sessions weekly, the package lasts four weeks and annual leaf spending is about $260.

From result to decision

How to interpret the result

Result patterns, what they mean, and the next useful action
ResultWhat it meansWhat to do next
Lower package price, higher doseA cheaper bag can still cost more per session if it requires substantially more leaf.Compare using the dose you really brew, not package price alone.
Higher session cost, many infusionsA premium gongfu tea may provide a competitive cost per consumed infusion.Count only infusions you normally finish.
Bag lasts less than expectedFrequency, leaf dose, sharing, or waste may be higher than assumed.Weigh several real sessions and use their average dose.

Inputs explained

Variables and definitions

Package price
The amount actually paid in one currency, preferably including unavoidable delivery charges when comparing sellers.
Net weight
Tea weight only, excluding packaging.
Leaf per session
Dry grams used for one pot, mug, gaiwan, or whisked serving.
Infusions consumed
Separate cups or decants actually drunk from the same leaf.
Sessions per week
Frequency used only to estimate package duration, monthly cost, and annual cost.

Exceptions that matter

Edge cases and common mistakes

  • Tea bags can be compared by converting bag count and grams per bag into total package grams when that information is available.
  • Shared pots are one leaf session even when poured into several cups; choose whether per-session or per-serving cost answers the intended question.
  • Subscription discounts, coupons, shipping thresholds, tax, and changing prices can alter the real purchase cost.
  • A resteep has value only when it is actually consumed; do not divide by a theoretical maximum infusion count.

Direct answers

Frequently asked questions

Is loose-leaf tea cheaper than tea bags?

Sometimes, but package price alone cannot answer it. Compare actual grams used, sessions produced, and infusions consumed.

How do I calculate tea cost per cup?

Divide package grams by grams used per session, divide price by that session count, then divide by cups or infusions actually consumed.

Should shipping be included?

Include unavoidable shipping when comparing the amount you really pay; the calculator otherwise treats the entered package price as the full leaf cost.

How many cups does 100 g of tea make?

At 5 g per session it makes 20 sessions. Total cups depend on how many infusions or servings you actually drink from each session.

Why compare cost per session and per infusion?

One-pot drinkers usually care about session cost, while resteeped teas can be compared more fairly using each consumed infusion.

Trace the method

Sources and calculation basis

Method and source review updated .

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