Period Products Cost Calculator
Find out how much you spend on period products each month, year and over a decade — and how much you could save by switching to a reusable alternative like a menstrual cup or period underwear.
years
Total spending on disposable period products per year
- 1
Cost per unit
6.5 ÷ 20 = 0.325 - 2
Cost per cycle
0.325 × 20 = 6.5 - 3
Annual cost
6.5 × 12 = 78
How does this calculator work?
Annual period product cost = (pack price ÷ pack size) × units per cycle × cycles per year. Using 20 tampons at €6.50/20-pack over 12 cycles costs about €78/year or €780 over a decade. A reusable menstrual cup (€35, 10-year life) cuts that to about €35 — a saving of over €700.
Formula
How this is calculated
The calculator first finds the unit price of each disposable product by dividing the pack price by the number of items in the pack. It then multiplies by the number of products used per cycle and by the number of periods per year to get an annual spend. Monthly, 5-year and 10-year totals scale linearly from there.
For a reusable alternative (menstrual cup, reusable pads, period underwear), enter the purchase cost and expected lifespan. The savings calculation replaces disposable spending with the cost of replacing the reusable product: replacements needed = ⌈years ÷ lifespan⌉. A quality silicone menstrual cup typically lasts up to 10 years with proper care; period underwear lasts roughly 2–5 years depending on brand and washing. These are estimates — actual figures vary by product and individual.
All costs are in your local currency as entered. Product prices, pack sizes, and usage patterns vary widely by country, brand, and flow. The comparison with reusable products does not account for water and detergent costs for washing reusables, which are small but not zero.
Frequently asked questions
Most sources suggest 15–25 items per cycle, depending on flow and product absorbency. A heavier flow may require 25–30. The default of 20 is a common mid-range estimate — adjust it to match your actual usage for accurate results.
A menstrual cup typically costs €15–€50 and lasts up to 10 years. If disposable products cost €78/year, you could save around €740 over 10 years. Enter your actual prices in the reusable section to see the personalised comparison.
No. It calculates only direct purchase costs based on your inputs. In some countries period products are subject to VAT or sales tax — if you enter the price you actually pay at the till, tax is already included. Environmental costs are not in scope.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Period Products Cost Calculator [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/period-products-cost-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Period Products Cost Calculator." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/period-products-cost-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Period Products Cost Calculator," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/period-products-cost-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_period_products_cost_calculator, title = {Period Products Cost Calculator}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/period-products-cost-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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