Approximate prices per kilogram, at typical consumer quantities:
| Material | Rough price |
|---|---|
| PLA | $18–25 |
| PETG | $20–28 |
| ABS / ASA | $20–30 |
| TPU | $30–45 |
| Nylon (PA) | $40–70 |
| Carbon-filled | $50–90 |
The spread from PLA to a filled nylon is roughly fourfold. What drives it is base polymer cost, how difficult the material is to extrude to tolerance, and volume — PLA is made in enormous quantities and the others are not.
Why price rarely decides a project
A typical print uses 40 g. Across the whole table above, that is a difference of about a dollar.
Choosing PLA over PETG to save that dollar, on a part that will sit in a car, is choosing a part that fails. Material selection should be driven by what the part has to survive, and price only breaks ties.
Where price does matter is bulk: printing several kilograms a month, or large parts. There the per-kilogram figure is real money and worth shopping.
The cheapest spool is often the most expensive
A $16 spool that fails one print in ten costs more than a $25 spool that never does — and the arithmetic is not close, because a failure costs the material already laid down plus the hours.
What you are buying at the higher price:
Diameter consistency. Cheap filament varies in diameter along its length, which means under- and over-extrusion the slicer cannot compensate for. This is the single largest quality difference between cheap and good filament.
Winding quality. A badly wound spool tangles — the filament crosses under itself and locks mid-print, usually overnight. A tangle is a guaranteed failed print with no warning.
Packaging. Vacuum sealing with active desiccant, which matters most for PETG, TPU and nylon. A spool that arrives wet needs drying before its first print — see how to dry filament.
Consistency between spools. Buying the same colour twice and getting two different colours is common at the bottom of the market.
Where to economise instead
Buy in bulk for materials you print constantly. Multi-spool packs cut the per-kilogram figure meaningfully.
Reduce waste before reducing price. Reorienting to avoid supports, and using more walls with less infill, both save filament without any quality trade — the arithmetic is in what a print actually costs.
Buy cheap for the right jobs. Rough prototypes, test prints, first-layer calibration and children's models do not need premium filament. Reserve the good spool for parts that matter.
Colour costs something too
Some pigments affect printability. Highly filled colours — glitter, glow-in-the-dark, some metallics — are abrasive and wear brass nozzles quickly, which is a hidden cost per kilogram that does not appear on the price tag. Those want a hardened nozzle.
Black and white are usually the cheapest and the most consistent between batches.
FAQ
How much does 3D printer filament cost?
PLA is typically $18–25 per kilogram, PETG $20–28, TPU $30–45 and nylon $40–70.
Is expensive filament worth it?
For parts that matter, yes. Diameter consistency and winding quality determine whether prints fail, and a failed print costs far more than the price difference.
Why is nylon so expensive?
Higher base polymer cost, harder to extrude to tolerance, and made in much smaller volumes than PLA.
Does filament colour affect price?
Somewhat. Specialty colours cost more, and filled ones such as glitter or glow-in-the-dark are abrasive enough to need a hardened nozzle.
Where should I save money on filament?
Bulk buying for materials you use constantly, and cheap filament for prototypes and calibration. Not on the spool for a part that has to work.