A single monthly figure for diapers is rarely right, because your cost depends on how often you change your baby, the size your baby wears and the price per diaper of the pack you buy. Instead of quoting a number that will be out of date, this guide gives you a formula to fill in with your own figures from the current product pages. All you need is a calculator and a few days of tallies.
Why a single monthly figure is rarely right
- Changes per day differ between babies and shift with age.
- Price per diaper can differ between sizes, brands, lines and pack counts.
- Prices change, so a figure quoted today may not match the product page next month.
- Shipping and taxes depend on your order and your province. Larger orders can qualify for free shipping, and whatever shipping and sales tax appear at checkout belong in your total.
The three numbers you need
- Changes per day. Use your own tally: note every diaper for a few ordinary days, add them up and divide by the number of days.
- Days in the month. Use 30 to keep the sum simple, or 31 for a long month.
- Cost per diaper. You get this from a product page, as the next section shows.
Everything else follows from these three.
Finding the cost per diaper on a product page
Take the current price shown on the page and divide it by the count in the product title. Prices on our product pages are in Canadian dollars, so there is nothing to convert. A title such as Huggies Snug & Dry Diapers, Size 3, 210 Count tells you the pack holds 210 diapers, so the price divided by 210 is your cost per diaper.
Two details save mistakes:
- If a title gives both a number of packs and a total, such as 12 packs and 720 wipes, divide by the total, not by the number of packs.
- If a title joins two products with a plus sign, the price covers both, so you cannot divide by the diaper count alone.
This one number lets you compare packs of different counts fairly: a pack that costs more can still cost less per diaper.
A formula you can fill in
- Diapers per month = changes per day x 30.
- Packs per month = diapers per month divided by the count per pack, rounded up.
- Monthly diaper cost = diapers per month x cost per diaper.
Here is the method with example numbers. At 8 changes a day, you use 240 diapers in a 30-day month. With a 150-count pack, such as Huggies Snug & Dry Diapers, Size 4, 150 Count, 240 divided by 150 is 1.6, so you need two packs and have 60 left over for the next month.
Because you buy whole packs, a single month's order can look bigger than the monthly figure, and some months you will skip a pack. Averaged over a few months, the order total and the formula line up.
How the monthly cost shifts as your baby grows
- Fewer changes per day as your baby grows lowers the diapers-per-month number.
- Cost per diaper can differ at each size, so look it up again every time you move up.
- Pack counts differ by size. Huggies Snug & Dry Diapers are listed at 208 count in Size 1 and 112 count in Size 6, so compare the per-diaper figure again at each size rather than carrying one over.
- Training pants add a second line later, calculated the same way with their own count.
Sizes follow weight, so check the range on the pack before you price a new size. The baby diapers and training pants collection lets you compare counts across sizes.
Adding wipes, cream and pail refills
- Wipes: wipes per change x changes per day x 30. With an example of 3 wipes per change and 8 changes a day, that is 720 wipes a month, which matches a title such as WaterWipes Sensitive+ Newborn & Baby Wipes, Unscented, 720 Count (12 Packs). Your own wipes-per-change number will differ, so count it for a few days. The baby wipes collection has other counts.
- Cream: note how long a tube lasts in your home and add it as an occasional line. Follow the label for use, and ask your pharmacist if you are not sure which product to choose.
- Pail refills: if you use a diaper pail, check your pail's instructions for how often the bag is replaced and which refill it takes, then add that line.
Add shipping and any taxes shown at checkout to reach your full monthly total.
Shop this guide
- Huggies Little Movers Diapers, Size 6, 108 Count (ships via Amazon)
- Huggies Nourish Scented Baby Wipes, 560 Count, 10 Pack (ships via Amazon)
- Huggies Little Movers Diapers, Size 5, 132 Count (ships via Amazon)
- Muslin Cloth Wipes, 9-Pack, Forest Animals, Toffee (ships via Amazon)
- See all: Baby Diapers & Training Pants
- See all: Baby Wipes
Prices are on each product page. Free shipping on orders of $100 or more within Canada.
Reviewing your estimate every few months
- Re-tally changes per day whenever your baby changes size, starts daycare or settles into a new routine.
- Look up cost per diaper again, because prices change.
- Compare your estimate with what you actually ordered, and adjust the changes-per-day number if they differ.
- Keep a note on your phone with the date, size, pack count and cost per diaper, so the next review takes minutes.
Common questions
Should I use 30 days or the exact number?
Thirty is close enough for planning. Use 31 for a long month if you want a little extra margin.
Does buying a larger count lower my cost per diaper?
It can, but check by dividing the current price by the count. A larger pack only helps if you finish it before your baby changes size.
Does shipping change the cost per diaper?
Yes, when shipping is charged. Add it to the order total before you divide, or plan one larger order in place of two small ones so that it is more likely to qualify for free shipping.
Want a second pair of eyes on your sums? Send your changes per day and the pack you are pricing through the contact page and we will help you choose between counts. We reply within one business day.