Vegan vs Vegetarian: Cost Comparison

The cost of a plant-based diet depends entirely on which foods you choose. Whole-food vegan eating is among the cheapest possible diets. Specialty vegan products are expensive.

Whole-food vegan

$200-300

per person per month

Standard vegetarian

$300-450

per person per month

Processed vegan

$450-700

per person per month

The cheapest foods on earth are plant-based

Dried lentils

26g protein per 100g dry

$1.50/lb

Black beans (dried)

21g protein per 100g dry

$1.20/lb

Brown rice

7g protein per 100g dry

$0.80/lb

Oats

13g protein per 100g dry

$0.60/lb

Frozen spinach

High iron and folate

$1.50/lb

Tofu (firm)

20g protein per cup

$2.50/lb

Peanut butter

25g protein per 100g

$3/lb

Cabbage

High vitamin C, very filling

$0.50/lb

Where vegan diets get expensive

Beyond Burger (2 pack)

vs $3-4 for regular beef burger

$6-8

Vegan cheese (small block)

vs $2-4 for regular cheese

$5-8

Vegan yogurt

vs $0.60-1.50 for dairy yogurt

$2-3 per cup

Vegan butter (1 stick)

vs $0.80-1.50 for regular butter

$3-5

Vegan mayo

vs $3-4 for regular mayo

$5-7 per jar

The premium on vegan specialty products is real. But these are not necessary. A healthy vegan diet built on whole foods costs less than almost any other diet.