Find the price per unit of any product.
Divides the total price by the quantity purchased.
Unit price: Price ÷ quantity
A unit price calculator tells you what one unit of something costs. You enter the total price, the quantity and the name of the unit, such as kg, litre, piece, metre or egg, and it divides price by quantity. The result lets you compare products that come in different sizes on the same footing.
Shopkeepers, home cooks and procurement staff all use unit prices, whether they notice or not. A 30-egg tray against a 6-egg box, a 5 kg bag of atta against a 10 kg bag, or a pack of 12 pens against a single pen are only comparable once each is reduced to a price per unit. Many packaged goods in India show a unit sale price on the label for this reason, but loose goods and offers often need you to work it out yourself.
1. Note the total price you pay for the pack, after any discount.
2. Note the quantity in the pack and pick one unit, such as pieces, kg or metres.
3. Divide: Unit price = Price ÷ Quantity.
4. Repeat for each option you want to compare, using the same unit for all of them.
5. Convert units first if needed, for example 500 g = 0.5 kg, before dividing.
6. The option with the lowest unit price is the cheapest per unit, though not always the best buy.
Unit price is a rate, rupees per unit, just like speed is kilometres per hour. Dividing total price by quantity gives the rate, and multiplying the rate by any other quantity tells you what that amount would cost. This is why unit price is the right tool for comparison: it removes pack size from the picture. Two packs can have very different sticker prices and still be the same deal if their rates match.
A price per 100 g cannot be compared with a price per kg without converting one of them. Multiply a per-100 g price by 10 to get a per-kg price. The same applies to counts: a price per dozen is 12 times a price per piece. The calculator divides whatever numbers you give it and labels the result with the unit you type, so it is up to you to enter the quantity in the unit you want.
Bulk packs usually have lower unit prices, but they only save money if you use the contents before they spoil. Fruit, milk and ready-to-eat foods lose value quickly. Quality also varies: a cheaper rice per kg may have more broken grains. Use the unit price to spot which pack is cheaper for the same product, then decide based on shelf life, storage space and your actual consumption.
Imran sees a tray of 30 eggs, which is 2.5 dozen, for ₹210 at his local kirana store and wants the price per dozen to compare with the ₹90 dozen box at the supermarket.
Answer: Price per dozen ₹84
Comparing a price per 100 g on one label with a price per kg on another without converting.
Using the MRP instead of the price actually paid after a discount or offer.
Dividing quantity by price, which gives units per rupee, and then reading the larger number as more expensive.
Ignoring 'free' items in a combo, which lower the real unit price.
Buying the largest pack for its unit price and throwing part of it away.
Comparing grocery pack sizes at supermarkets and kirana stores.
Checking whether a bulk or 'combo' offer really saves money.
Pricing items for resale in a small shop by working back from the wholesale pack.
Comparing quotes from suppliers that sell in different pack sizes.
Costing a recipe or a school project where materials come in odd quantities.
Why does unit price matter for shopping?
Bigger packs often look cheaper at first glance, but comparing the price per unit (per kg, per litre, per piece) shows which one is actually the better deal.