PETG vs PLA Cost: What the Price per Kilogram Doesn't Tell You
By Ryan Dacus · Published · Facts last checked October 16, 2026 · 5 min read
On the shelf, PETG and PLA look like they cost about the same. Typical published spool prices overlap almost completely: roughly $15–25/kg for PLA and $18–28/kg for PETG. So is PETG more expensive than PLA?
Per kilogram, a little. Per print, it depends on three things the spool price doesn't show: PETG is slightly denser, it runs a hotter bed, and it tends to fail more often while you're dialing it in. This guide puts numbers on each one, using example assumptions you can swap for your own.
All numbers below are labeled examples. They aren't measured prices or averages. Check your own spool, printer and electricity bill.
The quick comparison
| PLA | PETG | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical spool price (published range) | $15–25/kg | $18–28/kg |
| Density (approx.) | 1.24 g/cm³ | 1.27 g/cm³ |
| Nozzle / bed | 190–220 °C / 50–60 °C | 220–250 °C / 70–85 °C |
| Enclosure | Not needed | Optional |
| Typical early failure rate (dialing in) | Low once tuned (3–5% buffer is common) | Often 5–8% (stringing, adhesion) |
Ranges from the material presets in the free 3D print cost calculator. They're typical published ranges, not quotes.
Difference 1: the same model weighs more in PETG
Your slicer works in volume and converts it to grams using the material's density. PETG is about 2.4% denser than PLA (1.27 vs 1.24 g/cm³), so the same model in PETG weighs a bit more:
- A part that weighs 120 g in PLA weighs about 123 g in PETG (120 × 1.27 ÷ 1.24).
That's small, but it stacks with the price per kilogram. Always use the grams your slicer reports for the material you're actually printing. Don't reuse a PLA estimate for a PETG job.
Difference 2: a hotter bed draws more power
PETG usually prints with the bed around 70–85 °C, versus 50–60 °C for PLA. Holding a bed hotter takes more power, especially without an enclosure.
The real difference depends on your printer and room, so measure it with a plug-in power meter if you want an exact figure. For the example below, I've used the calculator's presets: 120 W for PLA and 150 W for PETG. At $0.16/kWh, that's about 2 cents vs 2.4 cents an hour. It's real, but it's tiny.
Difference 3: failed prints
This is where PETG usually costs more in practice. Stringing, too much or too little bed adhesion, and the habit of bonding too strongly to smooth PEI all show up as failed or rejected prints. That's especially true on a printer that's been tuned for PLA.
A failed print costs you its filament, power, machine time and some of your time. Spread across the prints that succeed, that's the failed-print buffer:
- Cost per good print = cost of one attempt ÷ (1 − failure rate)
The calculator's presets use 4% for PLA and 6% for PETG. Your own rate is what matters. Once PETG is dialed in on your machine, the gap can shrink to nothing.
Worked example: the same part in both materials
Assumptions (examples, not averages):
- A part that weighs 120 g in PLA, so about 123 g in PETG
- PLA at $20/kg, PETG at $22/kg (1 kg spools)
- 6-hour print in both materials
- 120 W (PLA) vs 150 W (PETG), electricity at $0.16/kWh
- $600 printer over an expected 5,000 hours
- 10 minutes of hands-on time at $20/hour
- 4% (PLA) vs 6% (PETG) failure rate
| Line | PLA | PETG |
|---|---|---|
| Material | $2.40 | $2.71 |
| Electricity | $0.12 | $0.14 |
| Printer wear | $0.72 | $0.72 |
| Labor | $3.33 | $3.33 |
| Failed-print buffer | $0.27 | $0.44 |
| Estimated cost per print | $6.84 | $7.34 |
With these assumptions, PETG costs about $0.50 more per print, or roughly 7%. Only about $0.31 of that is filament. The rest is the higher failure rate and a little extra power.
If PETG prints slower on your machine, for example to control stringing, add that time. In this example, half an hour more adds about $0.07 in wear and power, plus a slightly bigger failure buffer.
So which is cheaper?
- For a decorative part that works in either material, PLA is usually cheaper per print, mostly because it fails less while you're learning it.
- For a functional part that needs heat or water resistance, comparing costs is the wrong question. A PLA part that softens in a hot car isn't cheaper if you have to replace it. PLA softens around 55–60 °C. PETG holds up better to heat and moisture.
- Material is rarely the biggest line. In both columns above, your 10 minutes of hands-on time costs more than the filament. Choose the material for the part, then cut cost with fewer failures and fuller plates.
Before you compare, check the file
A wrong volume gives you a wrong gram count, and that gives you a wrong cost. If a model is inside out, or holds separate shells that disagree about which side is solid, the volume your software reports can be meaningless. The free STL repair tool checks STL, 3MF and OBJ files in your browser, fixes the defects with one correct answer, and names the rest. Then slice it in the material you're actually using.
Compare your own spools
👉 Open the free 3D print cost calculator → It has presets for PLA, PETG and 13 other materials. Enter your own grams, spool price, print time, power draw, failure rate and hands-on time, and get an estimated cost per print with each line broken out. No install and no account. It's an estimate, and it leaves out packaging, shipping, marketplace fees and tax.
Check the file first with the free STL repair tool →.
Choosing materials for products, not just parts? MeshNomics helps makers evaluate production costs alongside model interest and commercial-use permissions, with machine and material comparisons on Operator. Start a 30-day Operator trial, no card →. Founding accounts created by Dec 31, 2026 (Pacific) get Operator at $9.99/mo for their first 12 paid months, then $19.99.
Related: How Much Does It Cost to Run a 3D Printer per Hour?
FAQ
Is PETG more expensive than PLA? Per kilogram, slightly, though published spool price ranges overlap. Per print, PETG often costs a bit more because it's denser, uses a hotter bed and fails more often until it's tuned. In the worked example above, the difference was about $0.50 on a $6.84 print. Your numbers will differ.
What is PETG's cost per gram? Divide the spool price by its weight in grams. At an example $22 per 1 kg spool, that's 2.2 cents per gram. At $20/kg, PLA is 2 cents per gram.
Does PETG use more electricity than PLA? Usually a little, because of the hotter bed and nozzle. The difference per hour is measured in fractions of a cent to a few cents, depending on your printer and electricity price. A power meter gives you the real figure.
Can I use the same slicer weight for PLA and PETG? No. The slicer converts volume to grams using the material's density, so switch the filament profile before reading the weight.
Next: How to Price 3D Prints · PLA vs PETG side-by-side cost table