How Much do Baby Diapers Cost Per Month? (Updated!)

Are you a new parent or expecting a baby soon? One of the essential items you will need for your little one is diapers.

But how much do disposable baby diapers cost per month? On average, families can expect to spend between $150 to $275 per month on disposable diapers.

Using cloth diapers can save money in the long run, with a cost of around $800 to $1000 per year. It’s important to consider the quality of the diapers and not just the price, as low-quality diapers can cause health issues for the baby.

Let’s get started!

How Much do Diapers Cost Per Month?

The cost of disposable diapers for babies per month is somewhere between $150 to $275. The cost varies according to the brand and the requirement of the baby. Usually, the overall expense is higher in the first few months of the baby’s life because, during this time, the requirement for diapers is high.

Babies use almost 8 – 12 diapers every day (10 being approximate). Does that mean the monthly requirement is 10*30 = 300 diapers on average? It could be more because newborns often need up to 15 diapers per day.

What is the Average Cost Per Diaper?

The best brands have a pricing of around $65 for a 120-pack diaper.

If we consider the calculation of the previous section, where we considered the number of monthly diapers needed to be 300, the number of packs (each having 120) needed would be 3. Each pack costs $65; 3 packs would cost 3*$65 = $195.

If you are a new parent or a would-be parent, you can presume the monthly cost to be in the range of $150 to $275.

The average cost per diaper is $0.50 for the best brands (organic, clean, environmentally friendly diapers). You can also get generic non-branded diapers for $0.12, but they are not good for the baby’s health. 

The diaper cost significantly varies across brands and variants. For example, size 0 is suited for newborns, and size 1 diapers is best suited for babies in the age group 3 weeks to 4 months, and both of them are priced differently.

Budget Plan for Diaper Cost

New parents struggle with budgeting for their kids. Since they have little experience with the cost of any products, they can hardly prepare a realistic budget.

Budgeting for the baby is crucial, especially if you want to optimally use the available resources and make the best use of money. Diapers are one of the essential commodities that a baby needs.

Having a fair idea of how much your baby’s diaper costs is vital. Here are some details about the diaper costs that will help you budget. One pro tip is never to compromise on the quality of the diapers 

Note: We have considered the cost per diaper to be $0.50. This is a bit high. Let us get clear here. You will get generic brand diapers (without any proper labeling or branding) at $0.12 in the pharmacies.

But, these diapers cause skin irritation, allergies, and other health concerns among babies.

On the other hand, branded diapers cost a little more, around $0.30 per diaper. We have considered the cost of the best eco-friendly organic diapers in our calculation.

Most parents who can dedicate extra budget for their kids prefer these diapers. The branded, soft-cover, clean diapers are best for babies, costing around $0.50. The calculation table presented above has been based on the price of these diapers. 

Disposable Diapers vs Cloth Diaper Cost

Disposable diapers are the ones that we have been talking of until now, the non-reusable diapers, the ones you have to discard after single usage.

Cloth diapers are traditional old-school reusable diapers used in multiple rounds after suitable washing and deep cleaning.

Needless to say, disposable diapers would cost more than cloth diapers because every time they get wet, you have to discard them and use a fresh new one. 

Comparison of Cloth Diaper and Disposable Diaper Cost

A family has to spend around $2000 per year to meet the disposable diaper cost of the baby. And this remains almost the same for the first few months or even up to a year of the baby’s life. If you use a posh brand with added features, the annual price for disposable diaper usage could go up to $3000.

On the other hand, when using cloth diapers, the cost could be minimized to $800 -$ 1000. If you use a laundry service for washing and deep cleaning the cloth diapers, the cost could go up to a maximum of $1500. So, using a cloth diaper would cost almost half of disposable diapers. 

Is it Cheaper to Use Disposable or Cloth Diapers?

It is cheaper to use cloth diapers than disposable diapers. Even when cleaned by professional laundry services, cloth diapers would cost only around $800 to $1500 yearly, but disposable diapers, on the other hand, would never cost less than $2000 yearly. 

Which One to Choose When?

You may be tempted to use cloth diapers because they cost less. But doctors often suggest not using cloth diapers too much. The core reason is that the wet cloth fibers and damp environment are breeding spaces for bacteria and may cause infections and rashes in the kids. Also, the absorbance power of cloth diapers is lesser than that of disposable diapers.

Considering the pros and cons of both types and the cost factor, it is vital to choose a combination usage model. During the day, cloth diapers can be used because everyone is wide awake and can easily change the diaper whenever it gets wet. During the night, it is better to use disposable diapers because they have higher absorbance power and can keep the baby dry for a long time.

Reusable diapers are also the best for trips or day outs, especially when changing the diapers multiple times is impossible. 

How to Save on Disposable Diaper Cost?

Here are the top 3 ways to save on disposable diaper costs:

• Draw an advance diaper budget: It is vital to plan for the diaper budget in advance. You must have a fair idea of which brands you shall use and how much you will spend on the diapers.

• Buy Diapers at Wholesale Price: Buying diaper packs at the retail price will always cost you more. Once you have decided on the size and brand of diapers, it is best to buy them in larger quantities and save money.

• Use Sales and Discounts: always keep a check on online sales. Whenever discounts are being offered, stock up as much as you can. This trick will only work if you keep track of the baby’s diaper size because it changes often. 

How Can I Get Free Diapers for My Baby?

The best way to get free diapers for the baby is to avail of the samples. Most diaper brands offer free samples during the sales season. There are also several websites to get diaper samples at a meager cost. Also, use various coupon codes to help you fetch free diapers for your baby. 

Cheaper Diaper Brands to Look For

Here are some of the least expensive diaper brands to look for:

• Huggies
• Pampers
• Mamy Poko
• Baby Hugs
• Luvs
• Up and Up
• Baby Ganics

Each of these brands has multiple diaper variants, many of which are cheap. You can try out the best, most comfortable, cheap diapers. However, always avoid using generic non branded diapers because they can harm the child. 

Conclusion

So, let’s conclude the post on how much do baby diapers cost per month!

It is important to consider the quality of the diapers and not just the price, as low-quality diapers can cause health issues for the baby. Cloth diapers can be a more cost-effective and eco-friendly option in the long run.

New parents can budget for this expense by considering the average number of diapers their baby will need per day, week, month, quarter, and year. By making informed decisions about the type and brand of diapers to use, they can ensure the best health and well-being for their baby.

I hope you found this blog useful and to read more on baby diapers, you can explore our entire category dedicated to that.

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