# What does each brick cost?

Works out the price per piece of a building-brick set from its price and piece count, after an optional discount, with pieces per dollar, and compares two sets to show the better value per piece.

- Page: https://www.acalculator.org/everyday-life/lego-price-per-piece-calculator
- JSON spec: https://www.acalculator.org/everyday-life/lego-price-per-piece-calculator.json
- Version: f3e75e9b6136

## Default answer

Example with the default inputs (Set price $79.99, Pieces 800): At $79.99 for 800 pieces, each piece costs $0.100 (10 pieces per dollar).

## Inputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| price | Set price | The price of the set, before any discount. |
| pcs | Pieces | The number of pieces in the set, from the box. |
| off | Discount | A sale or coupon discount off the set price, in percent. Leave empty for none. |
| price2 | Second set price | Optional: the price of a second set to compare, after any discount. |
| pcs2 | Second set pieces | Optional: the number of pieces in the second set. |

## Outputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ppp | Price per piece | The price you pay (after the discount) divided by the number of pieces. |
| cents | Cents per piece | The price per piece in cents. |
| perDollar | Pieces per dollar | How many pieces each dollar buys: pieces divided by the price you pay. |
| paid | Price you pay | The set price after the discount. |
| ppp2 | Second set: price per piece | The second set’s price divided by its pieces. |
| better | Better value per piece | Which set costs less per piece, and by how much in percent. |

## Method

price you pay = price × (1 − discount ÷ 100); price per piece = price you pay ÷ pieces; pieces per dollar = pieces ÷ price you pay. Compare: the set with the lower price per piece is the better value.

## Assumptions

- The piece count is the number printed on the box; minifigures and spare pieces count as pieces if the box counts them.
- Prices are what you type; there is no store data. Sales tax is not included.
- Arithmetic is exact on the typed decimals; money shows to a tenth of a cent, rounded half up.
- Price per piece says nothing about the size or rarity of the pieces.

## Worked examples

1. price = $79.99, pcs = 800 gives ppp = $0.10, cents = 9.99875, perDollar = 10.00125, paid = $79.99. Source: NIST SP 1181, Unit Pricing Guide: A Best Practice Approach to Unit Pricing (2025 edition) (best practice for unit pricing: the price per unit of measure, here per piece). https://www.nist.gov/publications/nist-sp-1181-unit-pricing-guide-best-practice-approach-unit-pricing-2025-ed, retrieved 2026-10-02.
2. price = $159.99, pcs = 1,500, off = 20% gives paid = $127.99, ppp = $0.09, cents = 8.5328. Source: NIST SP 1181, Unit Pricing Guide: A Best Practice Approach to Unit Pricing (2025 edition) (best practice for unit pricing: the price per unit of measure, here per piece). https://www.nist.gov/publications/nist-sp-1181-unit-pricing-guide-best-practice-approach-unit-pricing-2025-ed, retrieved 2026-10-02.
3. price = $49.99, pcs = 500, price2 = $99.99, pcs2 = 1,200 gives ppp = $0.10, ppp2 = $0.08, better = The second set: 16.7% less per piece.. Source: NIST SP 1181, Unit Pricing Guide: A Best Practice Approach to Unit Pricing (2025 edition) (best practice for unit pricing: the price per unit of measure, here per piece). https://www.nist.gov/publications/nist-sp-1181-unit-pricing-guide-best-practice-approach-unit-pricing-2025-ed, retrieved 2026-10-02.

## FAQ

### How do I work out the price per piece?

Divide the price you pay by the number of pieces. A $79.99 set with 800 pieces costs 79.99 ÷ 800 = $0.0999875, about 10.0¢ a piece.

### What is a good price per piece?

There is no official figure, and it changes with the theme and year. Fans often use about 10¢ a piece as a rough line between a fair and a pricey set. Compare sets you are choosing between rather than a fixed number.

### Does a discount change the price per piece?

Yes, by the same percent. A $159.99 set with 1,500 pieces at 20% off costs $127.992, so each piece costs 127.992 ÷ 1,500 = $0.085328, about 8.53¢.

### What are pieces per dollar?

The other way round: pieces ÷ price. At $79.99 for 800 pieces you get about 10.0 pieces for each dollar. A higher number is better value.

### Is the set with the lowest price per piece always the better buy?

Not always. Sets with many tiny pieces, or with large or special parts and minifigures, are hard to compare by count alone. Price per piece is one simple measure of value.

### How do I compare two sets?

Type the second set’s price and pieces. The page shows its price per piece and which set costs less per piece, and by how much: $49.99 for 500 pieces against $99.99 for 1,200 pieces makes the second set 16.7% cheaper per piece.

## Sources

- NIST SP 1181, Unit Pricing Guide: A Best Practice Approach to Unit Pricing (2025 edition): unit pricing shows the price per unit of measure so shoppers can compare. https://www.nist.gov/publications/nist-sp-1181-unit-pricing-guide-best-practice-approach-unit-pricing-2025-ed (retrieved 2026-10-02)