How Much Do Diapers Cost?
When planning to have a baby, the cost of everyday items like diapers is important to take into account. Most babies are in diapers for two to three years, so this cost, as you can imagine, will be with you for a while.
How much do diapers cost?
An average size box of diapers will cost between $15 and $25. Because each box usually contains between 60-100 diapers, this price per diaper is about $0.15 to $0.40. The smaller the size of diaper (newborn or sizes 1-5), the more diapers will fit in the package so the more you get for your money; however, as the child gets older, and therefore is in larger sized diapers, he or she will need to be changed less often, so things even out somewhat.
An economy-size box of diapers will usually contain between 200 and 280 diapers and will cost around $45-$50. This works out to a unit price of $0.16-$0.25. Costco, for example, sells an economy pack of Huggies brand diapers for $43.99.
For the first year, it is estimated that a baby will use an average of 5 diapers per day. This is a total of approximately 1825 diapers, which is a yearly cost of about $460.
When a baby is 2-3 years old, he or she will only use 3 or 4 diapers a day. This is a total of approximately 1278 diapers, which is a yearly cost of about $320.
For example, a box of Pampers Skin Dry Diapers that contains 192 can retail for $47 to $57. Another brand such as the Huggies Snug and Dry Diapers retails for $33 to $42.
Size | How Long | Changes/Day | Cost per Change | Price |
Newborn (up to 8 pounds) | 2 to 4 weeks | 12 to 15 | ~ $0.40 |
|
Size 1 (8 to 14 pounds) | 10 to 12 weeks | 10 to 14 | ~ $0.25 |
|
Size 2 (12 to 28 pounds) | 12 to 15 weeks | 10 to 14 | ~ $0.25 |
|
Size 3 (16 to 28 pounds) | 12 to 15 weeks | 7 to 10 | ~ $0.30 |
|
Size 4 (23 to 38 pounds) | 12 to 15 weeks | 5 to 8 | ~ $0.35 |
|
Size 5 (More than 28 pounds) | 22 to 25 weeks | 5 to 8 | ~ $0.35 |
|
Brands and the costs
| Brand | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Huggies Little Snugglers | $25 to $35 per 124 count |
| Huggies Newborn Diapers | $25 to $32 per 84 count |
| Huggies Preemie Diapers | $25 to $34 to 124 count |
| Huggies Pull Ups | $19 to $25 per 54 count |
| Huggies Pure and Natural | $20 to $30 per 70 count |
| Hypoallergenic Diapers | $25 to $35 per 108 count |
| Kirkland Diapers | $33 to $44 per 120 count |
What are the extra costs?
About half the time a diaper needs to be changed, wipes will need to be used. These must be purchased separately. Boxes of baby wipes can start at $5 depending on the quantity needed.
Due to the nature of diapers, it’s highly ideal that a special trash can is purchased to help contain the smells. A popular seller, such as the Diaper Genie, can cost $40.
Waterproof diapers that are designed for the beach and pool can cost extra. These packs often come with 8 to 12 diapers, and they will cost $7 to $20 per pack.
Tips to know:
If considering cloth diapers, be sure to factor in the washing expenses as well as a pick-up service if one is selected. These services can cost anywhere from $40 to $60 per week.
Children are going to react to different diapers. Each child is going to be different so make sure that you find one that doesn’t cause daily rashes or leaks. There is material out there that can cause breakouts.
All diaper sizes aren’t created equally. A size three with one brand may be different with another. Always check the packaging to know what weight they recommend.
On average, it’s best to budget at least 6 to 10 diapers per day for your child. This will wildly vary depending on your child’s age and how often they go to the bathroom throughout the day.
Follow the recommended size chart issued by the brand. Follow this because it will give you the opportunity to pick out a brand that will give your baby a snug fit.
Since your baby/toddler will need diapers for the first two+ years of their life, consider purchasing in bulk. While they can outgrow sizes, you can always set them aside if you have plans for a child in the near future.
Diaper size chart, according to Huggies:
- Newborn: up to 10 pounds
- Size 1: up to 14 pounds
- Size 2: 12 to 18 pounds
- Size 3: 16 to 28 pounds
- Size 4: 22 to 37 pounds
- Size 5: Over 27 pounds
- Size 6: Over 35 pounds
Top brands to consider:
- Earth’s Best
- Huggies
- Luvs
- Pampers
How can I save money on the cost of diapers?
Almost all brands of diapers have coupons available. Some brands such as Pampers even have rewards systems for frequent users.
Store brand diapers are usually the cheapest way to go; however, sometimes the quality is not the best and the diapers leak. Try different brands to see which ones work for you.
Sites such as Diapers.com give new customers more than 20% off their first purchase.
Consider using services such as Amazon’s Subscribe and Save service. This service will automatically ship you the diapers, depending on how often you want them. When you sign up for this service, you can save up to 20% on each purchase.
Before heading to the local store, check for either brand or store coupons. Diaper coupons are fairly easy to find online.
You will notice a large difference between some brands. While it may be tempting to save a few extra dollars, you will quickly find that the cheaper ones can leak and cause a lot of problems.
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Average Reported Cost: $250
How much did you spend?
- Ella (Tucson , Arizona) paid $ and said:
How is it possible that the average use of diapers a day, for the first year is 5. When the first 3/4 of their 1st year is 3x that and the last 1/4 of their 1st year is 5-7 diapers a day. The math just doesn’t add up. My daughter is 7 1/2 months and we use about 7-10 diapers a day, depending on weather she is at daycare. At daycare they change her every 2 hours! We use cloth diapers at home and on the weekends. I work 3 days a week. We have a wash routine, no diaper service. This has saved use tons! Plus, we plan on using these same cloth diapers for our future children. We do however, use disposables for overnight use and at daycare. Daycare puts in her cloth for her last diaper change. Hope this helps!
Was it worth it? No
- Jessica (Brick, New Jersey) paid $500 and said:
I try to stock up on diapers and wipes when they go on sale. They are just so expensive to buy full price when you are literally throwing it in the garbage. I have never been interested in cloth diapering because I don’t want to clean up the mess afterwards. There was one part of this article that mentioned that babies in their first year only use 5 diapers a day, but I know that my newborn used 10 diapers a day for weeks. My daughter is currently 16 months and only uses 3-4 diapers a day now. You may want to check/correct that fact.
Was it worth it? Yes
