Breastfeeding vs Formula Feeding Cost Calculator

Choosing how to feed your baby is personal and often shaped by health, convenience, support, and family circumstances. Money can be part of the decision too—especially when you look beyond the price of formula and include the supplies and time involved in breastfeeding. This calculator helps you estimate and compare the total cost of breastfeeding versus formula feeding over a set number of months, and (when possible) identify a break-even month where one option becomes cheaper than the other.

Important: This page is for informational budgeting only. It is not medical advice and it won’t tell you what you “should” do. The “value of time” input is optional and user-defined; it’s simply a way to quantify opportunity cost if that’s relevant for your household.

What you’ll get from the calculator

• Total formula cost over the chosen feeding period
• Total breastfeeding cost (upfront supplies + monthly supplies + optional time value)
• A simple side-by-side comparison to see which estimate is lower
• An optional break-even month estimate (when both totals are equal), if inputs allow it

How the calculator works (formulas)

The calculator converts your inputs into monthly costs and then multiplies by the number of months you plan to feed.

Formula feeding cost

First, compute the price per ounce of prepared formula powder/liquid based on your container:

Price per ounce = (formula price per container) ÷ (ounces per container)

Then estimate monthly ounces consumed using a 30‑day month:

Monthly ounces = (daily ounces consumed) × 30

Finally, total formula cost over M months:

C_F = (price per ounce) × (daily ounces × 30) × M

Breastfeeding cost (supplies + optional time)

Breastfeeding costs here include an upfront amount plus recurring monthly costs, and optionally a time cost.

• I = initial supplies cost (pump, bottles, lactation consult, etc.)
• S = monthly supplies cost (bags, pads, replacement parts, etc.)
• V = value of time per hour (optional)
• H = hours per day spent breastfeeding/pumping
• M = months of feeding

A simple model is:

Notes on interpretation:

• If you set V = 0, the model treats your time as a non-monetized factor (still real, just not priced).
• If breastfeeding time changes over months (very common), this calculator uses your single best average. For more accuracy, run a few scenarios (early months vs later months).

Interpreting the results

There isn’t one “right” answer—only a comparison based on what you choose to include.

• Formula total is lower: Your entered formula cost per ounce and intake make formula cheaper than the breastfeeding model you entered (including any monetized time).
• Breastfeeding total is lower: Upfront + monthly supplies (and optional time value) are estimated to be less than formula over the same period.
• Break-even month: If one option has higher upfront cost but lower monthly cost, the calculator can estimate when the totals match. If monthly costs are equal (or breastfeeding is always higher/lower), a break-even point may not exist.

Worked example (step-by-step)

Suppose you want to compare costs over 12 months.

• Formula price per container: $32
• Formula ounces per container: 40 oz
• Baby’s daily ounces: 25 oz/day
• Breastfeeding initial supplies: $300
• Breastfeeding monthly supplies: $40/month
• Time value: $20/hour
• Hours breastfeeding/pumping: 2.5 hours/day
• Months: 12

Formula:

• Price per ounce = 32 ÷ 40 = $0.80/oz
• Monthly ounces = 25 × 30 = 750 oz/month
• Monthly formula cost = 0.80 × 750 = $600/month
• 12-month formula total = 600 × 12 = $7,200

Breastfeeding:

• Monthly time cost = 20 × 2.5 × 30 = $1,500/month
• Monthly breastfeeding cost = supplies 40 + time 1,500 = $1,540/month
• 12-month breastfeeding total = initial 300 + (1,540 × 12) = $18,780

In this scenario, once time is monetized at $20/hour, breastfeeding appears more expensive. If you set time value to $0 (or use a smaller number reflecting your personal opportunity cost), the result can flip—so treat the time inputs as a sensitivity lever, not a verdict.

Common scenarios compared

Assumptions & limitations (read this)

• 30-day months: The calculator uses 30 days per month for simplicity.
• Stable intake: Baby’s ounces/day can change a lot with age, growth spurts, and solids. Use an average or rerun for different phases.
• Stable time spent: Breastfeeding/pumping time often decreases (or changes form) over time; this model uses one average.
• Out-of-pocket costs only (unless you choose otherwise): Insurance coverage, employer benefits, free samples, WIC/benefits, and regional pricing can significantly affect real cost.
• Does not include every possible expense: Examples include extra bottles for daycare, sterilizers, additional caregiver time, lactation therapy beyond your estimate, or medical costs. Include them in supplies if you want them reflected.
• Not a health comparison: This is a financial model and does not attempt to quantify health outcomes or emotional/quality-of-life factors.

Tips for better inputs

• Use your current formula brand’s container size and price, and update if you switch brands.
• If you’re unsure about time value, try three runs: $0/hour, a conservative estimate, and your true hourly wage.
• If you pump for daycare, include replacement parts and storage bags in monthly supplies, and reflect pumping time in hours/day.