Paint Cost Calculator: gallons and dollars, with live prices
Total paint cost
$165
- Coverage needed (2 coats)
- 1,600 sq ft
- Paint (350 sq ft/gal)
- 5 gal
- Paint cost (National median)
- $164.60
Gallon counts round up — partial gallons aren't sold, and leftover paint is touch-up insurance. Add roughly 12% for sundries (tape, plastic, rollers) if you're budgeting the whole job; pros should use the painting job pricing calculator to price labor too.
How this calculator works — the formula
gallons = ⌈(area × coats) ÷ 350⌉ · primer gallons = ⌈area ÷ 300⌉
cost = gallons × metro price + primer gallons × primer price
350 sq ft per gallon per coat holds for quality interior latex on smooth painted walls; texture and porosity reduce it. Primer covers less (~300 sq ft/gal) because it’s doing sealing work.
This week’s prices: Behr Premium Plus interior, 1 gal (eggshell)
Tracked at Home Depot and Lowe’s store-level pages across 20 metros. Stamps advance only when a fresh check succeeds — methodology.
| Metro | Home Depot | Lowe’s | Week over week |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $37.49 | $37.40 | ▼ $0.64 this week |
| Los Angeles, CA | $35.49 | $35.95 | ▲ $0.47 this week |
| Chicago, IL | $32.80 | $33.10 | ▼ $0.17 this week |
| Dallas, TX | $31.29 | $31.10 | ▼ $0.44 this week |
| Houston, TX | $30.29 | $31.13 | ▼ $0.19 this week |
| Phoenix, AZ | $31.80 | $31.21 | ▼ $0.50 this week |
| Philadelphia, PA | $33.87 | $34.32 | ▲ $0.49 this week |
| Atlanta, GA | $31.63 | $31.35 | ▼ $0.04 this week |
| Miami, FL | $33.73 | $33.17 | ▲ $0.39 this week |
| Boston, MA | $36.33 | $36.02 | ▲ $0.35 this week |
| San Francisco, CA | $37.09 | $37.13 | ▼ $0.43 this week |
| Detroit, MI | $31.78 | $31.50 | ▼ $0.03 this week |
| Seattle, WA | $34.67 | $35.22 | ▲ $0.13 this week |
| Minneapolis, MN | $32.61 | $32.37 | ▼ $0.26 this week |
| San Diego, CA | $35.93 | $35.23 | ▼ $0.62 this week |
| Tampa, FL | $31.78 | $31.63 | ▲ $0.30 this week |
| Denver, CO | $33.36 | $32.83 | ▲ $0.28 this week |
| St. Louis, MO | $30.08 | $30.03 | ▲ $0.21 this week |
| Baltimore, MD | $33.08 | $32.67 | ▼ $0.16 this week |
| Charlotte, NC | $30.83 | $30.96 | ▲ $0.39 this week |
| National median | $32.92 | ▼ $0.04 this week | |
Questions contractors actually ask
How much paint do I need for a 12×12 room?
Walls only (9 ft ceilings, one door, two windows): ≈390 sq ft × 2 coats ÷ 350 = 3 gallons after rounding up. Add the ceiling (144 sq ft) and you're at 4 gallons.
What does a gallon of paint cost this week?
National median $32.92 for Behr Premium Plus interior (eggshell) as of Aug 24, 2026, re-verified weekly. Metro shelf prices in the table on this page vary by several dollars — contractor accounts and sales move it further.
Do I really need two coats?
Almost always yes for a color change or a wall that hasn't been painted in years. One coat only works when repainting with the same (or very close) color in the same sheen. Budget two; celebrate if one covers.
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