Disposable contact lenses cost approximately $200 to $1,000 per year or $15 to $85 per month for regular wearers, if you’re buying for both eyes. This range is so broad because it encompasses different types of contact lenses for different kinds of vision correction.
Whereas buying glasses gets you one piece of eyewear for the long term, committing to contact lenses involves spending money regularly over time. When you’re buying boxes without tracking the math, it can be tough to figure out exactly how much contact lenses cost you per month, per year, or even per day.
So, are contacts expensive? Well, the cost of contact lenses can vary depending on your prescription and visual needs. Whether you consider the results costly or not will be for you to decide, but given the many benefits of contact lenses, most wearers find them well worth it.
In this article, we’ll do our best to provide informed estimates of contact prices. Keep in mind that these ranges are approximations that will change as prices fluctuate and new products are introduced.
Daily Contacts
- $50 to $75 per month
- $600 to $900 per year
Biweekly Contacts
- $20 to $35 per month
- $270 to $360 per year
Monthly Contacts
- $15 to $25 per month
- $180 to $300 per year
Contacts for Astigmatism
- $30 to $120 per month
- $300 to $800 per year
Contacts for Presbyopia
- $30 to $120 per month
- $300 to $800 per year
To understand these estimates, you have to consider all the elements that determine the cost of contacts.
The price of contact lenses depends on several factors, including brand, frequency of wear, the type of vision correction the lens is designed for, and your eye prescription strength.
In general, the following statements will hold true:
But let’s go a little deeper into how much each type of contact costs.
Daily disposable contacts for both eyes cost approximately $50 to $75 per month, $600 to $900 per year, or $0.85 to $1.25 per day. These estimates apply to daily single-vision contacts that correct only nearsightedness or farsightedness, not astigmatism or presbyopia.
Daily contacts cost a bit more than other types due to the convenience factor: You don’t need to purchase contact solution or cases for storage, because you’re disposing of the contacts each night before bed. Additionally, a fresh pair of contacts every day can mean less irritation for your eyes.
Here’s our thinking behind the math:
Daily disposable contact lenses typically come in boxes of 30 or 90 lenses.
Estimated cost per box of 30 lenses: $25 to $50
Estimated cost per box of 90 lenses: $50 to $100
If we assume that you’re purchasing contacts for both eyes and that you wear them every day, that means you’ll need two boxes of 30 lenses to last you a month, or two boxes of 90 lenses to last you three months.
So, we’ll take the average cost of a box of 30 lenses ($37.50) and double it (for two eyes) to get one part of the range for the monthly cost: $75.
We’ll also take the average cost of a box of 90 lenses ($75), double it for two eyes ($150), and divide it by three to get the other part of the range: $50.
Remember: You’ll likely save money if you buy boxes of 90 lenses vs. boxes of 30 lenses.
Estimated cost of daily disposable contacts per month: $50 to $75
We can multiply the numbers in the above range by 12 to get the cost of daily disposable contacts per year.
Estimated cost of daily disposable contacts per year: $600 to $900
Finally, we can divide the average cost per box of 30 and 90 lenses by 30 and 90 respectively to get the cost per day. We’ll round to the nearest cent divisible by five.
Estimated cost of daily disposable contacts per day: $0.85 to $1.25
At Warby Parker, we carry daily contact lenses such as Acuvue Oasys 1-Day, DAILIES Total 1, and Biotrue ONEday, as well as our own brand, Scout.
Biweekly disposable contacts for both eyes cost approximately $20 to $35 per month, $270 to $360 per year, or $0.70 to $1.20 per day. These estimates apply to biweekly single-vision contacts that correct only nearsightedness or farsightedness, not astigmatism or presbyopia.
Biweekly contacts typically come in boxes of six lenses. Each lens can be worn for up to two weeks if properly cared for and stored at night.
Estimated cost per box of 6 biweekly lenses: $30 to $50
If we assume that you’re purchasing contacts for both eyes, wearing them every day, and disposing of them after two weeks, then two boxes will last you up to 12 weeks (or, if your prescription is the same in both eyes, you could get one box that will last you 6 weeks).
12 weeks is just a little bit less than three months. We can take the lower estimate of the cost of a box of biweekly lenses ($30), double it for two eyes ($60), and divide it by three to get the approximate cost of wearing biweekly contacts each month: $20.
Doing the same for the higher part of the range gets us about $33, which we’ll round up to $35.
Estimated cost of biweekly disposable contacts per month: $20 to $35
A year can be divided into 26 two-week stretches, so you’d need 52 biweekly contact lenses each year if you wore them in both eyes every week. That’s about nine boxes of six contacts per year, so we’ll multiply both numbers in the cost-per-box range by nine.
Estimated cost of biweekly disposable contacts per year: $270 to $450
Finally, we can divide the numbers in the cost-per-box range by three (to get the cost of two biweekly lenses) and then by 14 to get the cost per day. We’ll also round to the nearest cent divisible by five.
Estimated cost of biweekly disposable contacts per day: $0.70 to $1.20
At Warby Parker, our selection of biweekly contacts includes lenses such as Acuvue Oasys, Soflens 38, and Avaira Vitality.
Monthly disposable contacts for both eyes cost approximately $15 to $25 per month, $180 to $300 per year, or $0.55 to $0.90 per day. These estimates apply to monthly single-vision contacts that correct only nearsightedness or farsightedness, not astigmatism or presbyopia.
Monthly contacts typically come in boxes of six lenses. With proper care and nightly storage, each lens can be worn for up to an entire month.
Estimated cost per box of 6 monthly lenses: $50 to $80
If we assume that you’re purchasing contacts for both eyes, wearing them every day, and disposing of them after each month, that means two boxes will last you about six months (or, if your prescription is the same in both eyes, you could get one box that will last you three months).
We can simply divide the cost of a box of six lenses by three to get the monthly cost. We’ll round to the nearest dollar divisible by five.
Estimated cost of monthly disposable contacts per month: $15 to $25
We can multiply the numbers in the above range by 12 to get the cost of monthly disposable contacts per year.
Estimated cost of monthly disposable contacts per year: $180 to $300
Because monthly lenses last for the whole month, we’ll divide the monthly cost of two lenses by 30 to get the cost per day, then round to the nearest cent divisible by five.
Estimated cost of monthly disposable contacts per day: $0.55 to $0.90
At Warby Parker, we sell monthly contacts such as Biofinity, Air Optix plus Hydraglyde, and Acuvue Vita.
Disposable contacts for astigmatism for both eyes cost approximately $30 to $120 per month or $300 to $800 per year.
These toric contacts can be daily, biweekly, or monthly lenses. They cost a bit more than non-toric contacts due to their specialized design.
Estimated cost per box of 30 daily disposable lenses for astigmatism: $35 to $60
Estimated cost per box of 90 daily disposable lenses for astigmatism: $75 to $150
Estimated cost per box of six biweekly disposable lenses for astigmatism: $40 to $60
Estimated cost per box of six monthly disposable lenses for astigmatism: $65 to $160
At Warby Parker, we sell toric contacts such as Acuvue Oasys for Astigmatism, Biofinity Toric, and DAILIES Aquacomfort Plus Toric.
Disposable multifocal contacts cost approximately $30 to $120 per month or $300 to $800 per year. These contacts are typically worn to treat presbyopia, and can be daily, biweekly, or monthly lenses.
Estimated cost per box of 30 daily disposable multifocal lenses: $35 to $60
Estimated cost per box of 90 daily disposable multifocal lenses: $100 to $150
Estimated cost per box of six biweekly disposable multifocal lenses: $50 to $75
Estimated cost per box of six monthly disposable multifocal lenses: $75 to $160
At Warby Parker, we sell multifocal contacts such as DAILIES Total 1 Multifocal, Air Optix Plus Hydraglyde Multifocal, and 1-Day Acuvue Moist Multifocal.
Colored contacts that also correct your vision in both eyes cost approximately $40 to $75 a month or $600 to $1,000 a year. They’re typically more expensive than other contact lenses due to the visual effect they have on your eyes.
At Warby Parker, we sell colored contacts such as 1-Day Acuvue Define, FreshLook ColorBlends, and Air Optix Colors.
Special-effect contacts with more heightened visual elements will likely be even more expensive, and can cost hundreds of dollars per lens.
Remember: you need a prescription for any contact lens that you buy, even if it doesn’t have vision correction. Never buy colored contact lenses from retailers that don’t require a prescription, as they can put your eye health at serious risk.
RGP (rigid gas permeable) contacts cost approximately $100 and up per lens. Their price varies because they’re customized to your visual needs—some may cost several hundred dollars.
RGP lenses last longer than soft disposable contacts, but aren’t available for purchase online. Ask your optometrist if they might be a good option for you.
Set aside $100 to $200 annually for the cost of contact lens solution and cases. A 12-ounce bottle of solution will probably cost you around $8 to $20, and you’ll need multiple bottles a year.
These items are essential if you’re wearing biweekly or monthly disposable contacts that need to be cleaned and stored at night.
If you have vision insurance, you’ll likely save some money on contact lenses. Some insurance providers will cover a portion of your contact lens purchase, while others provide an allowance (around $100 to $150 or thereabouts) for contacts or glasses each year.
Check the details of your policy to see how much you can save. Even if you’re shopping out of your provider’s network, you may be able to get some of the cost reimbursed.
If you have a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA), you can also use those funds when purchasing prescription eyewear, including contacts.
Buying contact lenses online or elsewhere starts with trust. Make sure that you’re purchasing your contacts from a retailer that’s transparent about costs and will ship your lenses quickly and reliably. Your optometrist is your best resource if you have questions about brands or the right contacts for your eyes.
At Warby Parker, we sell competitively priced contact lenses and always ship them for free. We’re committed to giving you clear eyesight while respecting your budget—you can easily browse our many brands by clicking below.
