How to Calculate Printer Cost Per Page
When choosing a printer, the ongoing ink or toner cost often matters more than the purchase price. An inkjet printer may seem affordable upfront, but high cartridge costs can make it more expensive in the long run. Calculating the cost per page gives you a clear picture of your true printing expenses.
Cost Per Page Formula
Divide the cartridge price by the page yield to get the cost per printed page.
Cost Per Page = Cartridge Price ($) ÷ Page Yield (pages)
For example, a $25 cartridge with a yield of 250 pages costs $0.10 per page. Printing 1,000 pages would cost $100.
What Is Page Yield?
Page yield is the number of pages a cartridge can print, as stated by the manufacturer. It is measured under ISO/IEC standards (ISO 24711 for inkjet, ISO 19752 for laser) at 5% page coverage on letter-size paper. Printing text-heavy or image-heavy documents may reduce the actual yield.
Inkjet vs. Laser Cost Comparison
Inkjet printers typically cost more per page due to smaller cartridge yields. Laser printers have higher toner cartridge prices but yield thousands of pages, resulting in a much lower cost per page. If you print more than 200 pages per month, a laser printer is usually the more economical choice.
Tips to Reduce Printing Costs
- High-yield cartridges have a lower cost per page than standard ones.
- Draft mode reduces ink usage by 20–30% for everyday documents.
- Print in black and white unless color is necessary to conserve color ink.
- Manufacturer refill programs can cut cartridge costs significantly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Page yield is listed on the cartridge box or the manufacturer's website. It is measured under ISO/IEC standards at 5% page coverage on letter-size paper.
Laser printers typically have a lower cost per page because toner cartridges yield more pages. If you print over 200 pages per month, laser is usually more economical.
Yes. Color and black cartridges have different prices and yields. Calculate each separately and combine based on how often you print in color versus black and white.