Rising Cost of Diapers
The cost of diapers. This will be one of your big concerns when you are struggling to pay your monthly bills and living paycheck by paycheck. As parents, we always want the best for our children but sometimes we just have to learn to balance the books. According to a recent survey, the cost of bringing up a child in the United States for the first year will cost you around $13,186. (Source)
Naturally, we will want to cut down this cost as much as possible. This article will not be touching on cloth diapers and will be mostly debating on the cost of disposable diapers. However, if you are still deciding between both, check out our opinion on Cloth or Disposable Diapers For Newborn
Table of Contents
Cost of Diapers Table Comparison chart
We have done some extensive research including some of the most reputable brands for diapers to lesser-known organic diaper brands. (They are known to be more gentle on your little bundle tender skin compared to traditional disposable diapers). For your convenience, we have done up a free table comparison which makes it easy to see in a glance.
| Name | Cost Per Box(Size 1 to 5) | Cost Per Pc(Size 1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|
| Luv Triple Leakguards | $24+ to $28+ | 11cts to 17cts |
| Dypers | $64/month | 24.6cts to 64cts |
| Honest Diapers | $11.95 | 46cts to 70cts |
| Pampers Swaddlers | $47+ to $49+ | 24cts to 38cts |
| Pampers Pure Protection | $24+ to $24+ | 34cts to 56cts |
| Huggies Snug and Dry | $36+ to $43+ | 16cts to 23cts |
| Huggies Little Snugglers | $45+ to $51+ | 24cts to 49cts |
How much is a box of diapers
It will be difficult to provide you with an amount for this as you tend to save more if you go for the bigger boxes. You also have to factor in the size as pricing differs at each level. If you are comparing price for a box of diapers, look at the size, type, brand and total quantity in it. Divide out the cost of diaper per piece. You can also refer to the table above for a rough estimate.
How much should I pay for diapers
This will really depend on the size of your baby and what is the quantity of disposable diapers you used in a year. Some mummy blogger has calculated every single piece used by her daughter which adds up to 2057 diapers for the first year. (Source) It also depends on whether your newborn has any diaper rash or allergies.
If not, go for the cheapest and unheard of brands like Luvs may cost you only 11cts – 12cts per piece. But if he/she is having skin problems, it is better to go for organic diapers like dypers which does not contain chemicals and more gentle on the skin
What is the cheapest brand of diapers
All right I know the reason you are here which is to save money on your diapers. We are going to review some diaper brands based on real feedback from mommies that have used these diapers for their little one. (They may contain some affiliate links which will not affect your buying price. We need it to maintain this website. Thanks for your support)
I just have to emphasize that the cheapest diaper in the market may not necessarily be the best. Factors like whether your baby can adapt to it, the number of chemicals, or how well it holds poop and pee are important too.
Luvs
Being one of the cheapest brands in the market, we cannot leave them out. Just in case you have not heard of their brand, Luvs is actually owned by Proctor & Gamble, the same company that makes Pampers. The only difference is that Pampers are more for the premium market and Luvs more for the economy market.
If you are really on a tight budget and can live with the other factors, you can give them a try. For their triple leakguards series, the cost per diaper for size 1 to size 5 is between 11 cents to 17 cents per piece.
Mommies have provided feedback that the quality of Luvs is lacking as the cotton is thinner and is unable to hold everything when used overnight. The ruffles around the leg are also too short which can cause leakage incidents to happen frequently. If you can check frequently then the cost-saving will be worth it.
Dypers
Dypers was founded by Sergio Radovcic who aims to ensure parents do not run out of diapers, avoid harmful chemicals to your children’s behind. And helps to save the earth because they are biodegradable.
If you are looking for a diaper that is free of nasty stuff, it is a brand that we highly recommend. The manufacturer claims that there are no chlorine, latex, alcohol, perfumes, PVC, lotions, TBT or Phthalates.
What is interesting is that they run on a free shipping subscription model and will send you up to 260 diapers a month depending on your baby’s size. (Do note that quantities sent will decrease as your baby grows) Their sizing is from newborn size(<10 lbs) – XL 28lbs+ Based on the cost of the monthly subscriptions, it will cost you around 24.6 cents/pc- 64 cents/pc.
If you need more for a particular month, you can request extra SOS deliveries through their site at no extra charge bringing the cost down even further.
You can choose a start date, to start immediately or at a later date. What I am impressed with is the number of good reviews from other mommies who claim that the diapers are soft, durable and absorbent. And without causing any nasty allergies or redness to the baby’s skin. (Source)
The Honest Company
The honest company was started by actress Jessica Alba who wanted safe and effective products that perform well. They are another manufacturer that promises their diapers do not contain any nasty stuff (chlorine processing, latex, lotions, fragrances, phthalates, optical brighteners, organotins (MBT, DBT, TBT), or most common allergens)
A quick check on their website showed the 4 sizes of diapers that they have range from 16 pounds to more than 35 pounds. The cost per diaper ranges between 46 cents to 70 cents which makes it one of the most expensive organic diapers in the market. Here are some reviews from their customers we have gotten from Sitejabber which doesn’t make us feel convinced that it is worth the money. (Source)
Pampers
Pampers is one of the most reputable diapers brands and owned by Procter & Gamble. They have a variety of diapers to serve different purposes that can seen below.
The Pampers Swaddlers is 2x softer with the heart quilt and breathable to allow air to reach the baby’s skin (keeping it dry and comfortable). It also has a wetness indicator so you know when to change the diaper. For this series, the cost per diaper for size 1 to size 5 is between 24 cents to 38 cents per item.
If you are worried about chemicals in the diapers that may cause rashes or allergy to your child, then you can consider Pampers pure protection. They are made without chlorine bleaching, fragrance, lotion, parabens, and EU 26 allergens. It is hypoallergenic and also has a wetness indicator. For this series, the cost per diaper for size 1 to size 5 is between 34cts to 56cts per piece.
Huggies
Another more reputable diaper brand in the market which is owned by Kimberly-Clark. Similar to Pampers, they also have a few varieties to choose from.
The Huggies snug and dry diapers quickly absorb wetness in 10 seconds or less to help keep baby comfortable & dry. The four-layer Quilted Liner helps to prevent leakage for up to 12 hours. They also have a wetness indicator so you know when to change the diaper. For this series, the cost per diaper for size 1 to size 5 is between 16 cents to 23 cents per diaper.
Huggies little snugglers are hypoallergenic, have a soft and breathable outer reducing chances of rashes and redness on your baby’s skin. This is one of Huggies premium diapers that does not contain nasty stuff like fragrance, latex, paraben, lotion and elemental chlorine bleaching. They also offer leakage protection for up to 12 hours and wetness indicator. For this series, the cost per diaper for size 1 to size 5 is between 24 cents to 49 cents per diaper.
Are Pampers cheaper than Huggies
Based on our own research on similar ranges, we find that Huggies seems to be cheaper than Pampers You may encounter Pampers being cheaper if there are discounts or promotions.
Average Cost of Diapers 2020
In the United States, the average cost of reputable brand’s of diapers should be around 25 cents/pc. However, if you are looking at the low-end brands, it can go down to between 11 cents – 13 cents/pc. It also depends on which brand of diapers your baby adapts to. Some babies are ok with economical brands liked Luvs but some can only use organic brands to prevent rash or redness.
Cost of Diapers Conclusion
Our top pick brand among all the diapers we reviewed above is Dypers. What we like is the convenience of them shipping diapers to my house and you can request extra if it is not enough for that month. Furthermore, it is made of organic bamboo materials which are harmless to baby skin and biodegradable (save the earth).
The flexibility to pause the subscription anytime also allows room to potty train or try cloth diapers in the future. If you feel that it will be suitable for your little one, check them out here and receive a free diaper bag with any subscription.
It can be a stressful time on your cash flow especially in the first 12 months. Even though it would be nice to just grab the cheapest diapers in the market and save money, it is not so simple. Based on my experience, the best way is to test a few brands on your newborn. And have brand loyalty for at least 12 months if your newborn does not have any negative reactions.
Is the cost of diapers stressing you out? Leave a comment below.
You may also be keen on 6 Reasons to Prevent Breastfeeding Failure Depression and Pregnancy Diet Chart for First Time Parents
Hi, I'm Tanya Madsen, a stay at home mother of 3 and a full time blogger. I participate in Amazon affiliate programs and earn a commission when you click over from our site. It won't cost you an extra dime (in fact you'll usually get a discount), so it's a win-win.
