Cost Per Square Foot Calculator
When checking property prices, renovation quotes, or the cost of construction, people often get confused about the cost per square foot. Two houses costing the same, one of them might be a much better deal simply because it gives more usable space.
Our Price Per Square Foot Calculator helps you break down the total price into a clear cost per sqft. This allows you to compare properties, rooms, or projects on a fair and logical basis.
If you are renting a shop or estimating construction costs, this calculator gives answers to the real question that you may often think about: "Am I paying too much for this space?"
How do I calculate the price per square foot?
For calculating it, you need the following values:
- Total price
- Total area in square feet
The formula used to calculate cost per square foot:
Cost per square foot = Total price ÷ Total square feet
For example:
If a house costs $120,000 and its size is 1,500 sq ft, then:
120,000 ÷ 1,500 = $80 per square foot
This method is applicable to houses, apartments, offices, shops, land, or even a single room.
How to use the cost per square foot calculator
To use this calculator, you need to follow the following steps:
Step 1 - Select the currency
Choose the currency you want to calculate in, such as $, €, £, ₹, or ¥. This helps you get the correct results.
Step 2 - Select calculation type
Choose whether the calculation is for Purchase, Lease, or Rental. This helps you compare different types of property deals correctly.
Step 3 - Enter the total price
Write the full cost based on your selection. Enter the Purchase price if you chose Purchase, the Price per square foot if you chose Lease, or the Monthly rent if you chose Rental for the property, room, or project.
Step 4 - Enter the area measurement
Add the total area into the tool.
Step 5 - Hit the calculate Button
The tool will instantly show the price per sq foot based on your inputs.
This calculator works for property buying, rental comparisons, lease evaluations, construction estimates, and renovation budgets.
What is the average price per square foot?
There is no single "correct" value for this. The average square foot price depends on:
- City or location
- Type of property (house, apartment, commercial)
- New vs old construction
- Furnished vs unfurnished
For example:
- In some cities, $50 - $70 per square foot is normal.
- In premium areas, the rates can rise above $200 per square foot.
That's why comparing raw prices is often misleading. The smarter comparison is always price per sqft, not total price.
How much is a square foot?
A square foot is a unit of area, not length.
1 square foot = 1 foot × 1 foot
It represents the space inside a square that is one foot long and one foot wide.
So when people ask what a square foot is, the simple answer is: It's how much floor space something occupies.
This is different from linear feet. Converting feet to square feet requires both length and width, not just one measurement.
Examples
Now, let's learn how this calculator applies to real-world scenarios through these examples.
Example for Purchase
Consider Sarah is buying a 3-bedroom apartment in downtown Toronto.
Total price: $850,000
Area: 1,200 sq ft
Calculation:
850,000 ÷ 1,200 = $708 per square foot
By calculating the price per square foot, Sarah realizes that even though another apartment is $900,000, its 1,500 sq ft makes it cheaper at $600 per sq ft, helping her make a smarter buying decision. For comparing material costs or bulk items while planning renovations, you can also use our Cost Per Unit Calculator to ensure you get the best value.
Example for Lease
Let's consider a startup in New York that wants to lease an office space for 3 years.
Price per square foot (annual): $50
Area: 1,800 sq ft
Calculation:
50 × 1,800 = $90,000 per year
The startup can now compare two options: a smaller downtown office at $55 per sq ft or a larger space in the suburbs at $45 per sq ft, and understand the real financial impact of each.
Example for Rental
Imagine a bakery in London renting a retail shop.
Monthly rent: £3,000
Area: 750 sq ft
Calculation:
3,000 ÷ 750 = £4 per square foot per month
Using the cost per square foot, the bakery owner compares it with a nearby shop of 1,200 sq ft renting for £4,800 per month and sees that the larger shop is actually slightly cheaper per sq ft, even though the total rent is higher.
Frequently Asked Questions
The following are some most commonly asked questions regarding price per square foot.
For rental or leased properties, you can calculate the monthly cost per sq ft by using this formula: Monthly cost per sq ft = Monthly rent ÷ Area in sq ft. For example, a retail shop rents for £3,000 per month and has 750 sq ft. 3,000 ÷ 750 = £4 per sq ft per month. This helps you compare rental options fairly, even when the total rent or space size differs.
For land purchases, the formula is the same as for buildings: Cost per sq ft = Total land price ÷ Land area in sq ft. For example, a 5,000 sq ft plot costs $250,000. 250,000 ÷ 5,000 = $50 per sq ft. This makes it easy to compare land prices in different locations or plot sizes, ensuring you get the best value.
Yes. Any usable space can be included if you want a more accurate cost per square foot. Just add the area to your total square footage before calculating.
Yes. Select the appropriate calculation type: Purchase (Enter the full purchase price), Lease (Enter the price per square foot), Rental (Enter the monthly rent). After that, write the area of measurement and click on the calculate button. The calculator then shows the cost per square foot for your selection.