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How much does printer ink cost?

Measured the way that matters — per page, not per cartridge — printer ink runs from about $0.010 at the cheapest to a $0.063 median per page across the cartridges we track, a 6× spread for the same printed page. A cheap-looking cartridge with a low page yield can cost more per page than a pricier high-yield one — which is why cost per page is the only fair comparison.

How we measure. Cost per page is the live cartridge price divided by its rated page yield, re-checked continuously on Amazon US. The “most expensive liquid” framing below is widely-documented general knowledge, not our measurement — we track cost per page, not per millilitre.

Cheapest printer ink right now

Live from the catalog, ranked by real cost per page — cheapest first.

Why ink feels so expensive

By volume, the ink in a small cartridge can cost more per millilitre than fine perfume or vintage champagne. It is not an accident: printer makers sell the hardware cheaply and earn their margin on ink and toner. That business model is exactly why cost per page is the number to watch — it cuts through “XL” naming and cartridge marketing to show what a print really costs.

How to pay less per page

  • • Buy high-yield (“XL”) cartridges — almost always a lower cost per page than standard.
  • • Compare cost per page, never cartridge price alone.
  • • Consider compatible or remanufactured cartridges for everyday documents.
  • • Print a lot? A laser or refillable ink-tank printer has a dramatically lower cost per page.
  • • Use draft / grayscale for anything that doesn’t need full quality.

See the live rankings

Cheapest printer ink by real cost per pageOpen Laser vs inkjet — the real cost per pageRead

Frequently asked

How much does printer ink cost per page?▾

Across the ink cartridges we track, cost per page runs from about $0.010 at the cheapest to a $0.063 median — roughly a 6× spread for printing the same page. Cost per page (cartridge price ÷ its page yield) is the only fair way to compare, because a cheap-looking cartridge with a low page yield can cost far more per page than a pricier high-yield one.

Why is printer ink so expensive?▾

By volume, printer ink is one of the most expensive liquids most households buy — the ink in a small cartridge can work out to more per millilitre than fine perfume or vintage champagne. Manufacturers famously sell printers cheaply and make their margin on the ink and toner. That business model is exactly why the number to watch is cost per page: it cuts through cartridge marketing and the "XL" naming to show what a print actually costs.

How do I lower my printer ink cost?▾

Buy high-yield ("XL") cartridges — they almost always cost less per page than standard ones. Compare cost per page, not cartridge price. Consider a compatible or remanufactured cartridge for everyday printing. If you print a lot, a laser printer or an ink-tank (refillable) model has a dramatically lower cost per page than standard cartridges. And print in draft/grayscale for anything that does not need full quality.

Is expensive printer ink worth it?▾

For everyday documents, no — the 6× spread we track is between cartridges doing the same job, so the cheapest cost-per-page option prints your page just as well. Pay up only for pigment inks on photo prints or where fade resistance matters. For text and school work, the lowest cost per page wins.