Finance
Meal Prep vs Eating Out Cost Calculator
The annual cost of eating out vs cooking at home — the real number.
In this article
The real cost of eating out
Restaurant meals cost 3–5× more than equivalent home-cooked meals when you factor in food cost, markup, and tip. At 7 meals/week out at $18 average: $6,552/year. Replace those with $4 home meals: $1,456/year. Savings: $5,096.
⚡ CalcWolf Insight
Americans spend an average of $3,639/year eating out (2026 BLS data). Households that meal prep 3+ days/week report saving $2,400–4,000/year.
Frequently asked questions
How much money can you save by meal prepping?▾
Replacing 5 restaurant meals/week with home cooking saves the average person $2,000–4,000/year depending on local restaurant prices.
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