How Much Do Contacts Cost?
Contact lenses cost $18–$95 per month and $200–$1,300 per year for most wearers. How much do contact lenses cost depends on your replacement schedule and prescription. Monthly lenses are the cheapest at $190–$320 a year; daily disposables cost the most at $635–$1,120 a year. Without insurance, expect to add $150–$260 for an contact lens exam. Use the calculator below for your exact figure.
Calculate Your Annual Contact Lens Cost
Pick your lens type, wearing habits and insurance — get your annual contact lens cost in seconds.
Estimates based on 2026 U.S. retail pricing. Actual costs vary by brand, retailer and prescription. Not a substitute for advice from your eye care provider.
Contact Lens Prices by Type (2026)
Real per-box and annual costs for both eyes, full-time wear. No vague ranges.
| Lens type | Per box | Per year | Per day | Best value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly — standard | $29–$80 | $190–$320 | $0.26–$0.44 | Best valueBiofinity |
| Bi-weekly — standard | $46–$105 | $285–$485 | $0.39–$0.66 | Best balanceAvaira Vitality |
| Daily — standard | $70–$145 | $635–$1,120 | $0.87–$1.53 | Most hygienicPRECISION1 |
| Monthly — toric | $70–$170 | $330–$680 | $0.45–$0.93 | Best valueBiofinity Toric |
| Daily — toric | $80–$160 | $760–$1,300 | $1.04–$1.78 | AstigmatismPRECISION1 Astig |
| Multifocal | $92–$185 | $430–$960 | $0.59–$1.32 | PresbyopiaDailies Total1 MF |
| RGP | $105–$210 / pair | $105–$210 | $0.29–$0.58 | Lowest costBoston XO |
| Colored / cosmetic | $42–$140 | $505–$1,055 | $0.69–$1.45 | CosmeticAir Optix Colors |
Lens supply only, both eyes, full-time daily wear. Exam, solution and rebates excluded. Add $150–$260 for a yearly exam.
What Makes Contacts Cost $200 or $1,300?
Replacement schedule
Dailies pack a fresh sterile lens into every wear; monthlies spread the same cost across 30 wears. This single factor explains most of the annual range.
Prescription complexity
Toric (astigmatism) and multifocal (presbyopia) lenses cost 20–40% more because of the extra optics — a manufacturing requirement, not brand markup.
Where you buy
Online retailers price the identical lens 20–40% below in-office. Under the FCLCA, your doctor must give you a written prescription so you can buy anywhere.
Contact Lens Cost Questions
Contact lenses cost $18–$95 per month. Monthly lenses run $18–$45/month, daily disposables $55–$90/month. Toric and multifocal lenses add 20–40%.
Contacts cost $200–$1,300 a year for lenses alone, or $440–$1,300 including exam and solution. Monthlies are cheapest at $190–$320/year; dailies run $635–$1,120.
At 5+ days a week, monthlies win at $300–$590/year vs $635–$1,020 for dailies. At 4 or fewer days, dailies win — you skip the $105–$145 solution cost and don't pay for unused days.
Without insurance, a full-time monthly-lens wearer pays $440–$870 a year including exam and solution. A daily-disposable wearer pays $635–$1,300. Vision insurance trims $130–$150 off the lens portion.
Yes — 20–40% more. Toric monthlies run $330–$490/year; toric dailies run $760–$1,300/year.
First-year contacts cost $370–$1,790: exam ($75–$260), fitting fee ($85–$260, billed separately), and first year of lenses ($125–$1,300). Year 2 drops by the $85–$260 fitting fee.
Use the lens vertex calculator for a personalized estimate based on your lens type, prescription and insurance.
Written by
Contact Lens Content Researcher
Megan researches and writes about contact lens fitting, prescription conversion and the optical standards that govern both — grounded in clinical references such as ISO 8980-1, ANSI Z80.1 and AAO patient education resources.
