Takeout vs Home Cooking Calculator (yearly cost of ordering delivery)

How it works

Delivery per year = orders per week × 52 × average order total. Home cooking per year = orders per week × 52 × servings × cost per home-cooked serving. The difference is what ordering in costs extra. “If invested” adds one-twelfth of the yearly difference at the end of each month for 10 years at the return you enter. Your own time for shopping, cooking and washing up is not counted.

⚠ Estimates for information only — not financial advice.

FAQ

How do I work out the cost of a home-cooked serving?

Add up the ingredients for a meal you often order — for example a pasta dish — and divide by the servings it makes. Include oil and seasoning roughly.

Is ordering in ever worth it?

Sometimes: when you are short of time, cooking for one wastes food, or the time saved earns you more. The calculator shows the price so you can decide.

Checked 11 Nov 2026. Spending arithmetic and the future value of monthly deposits. Prices are your own; defaults are examples.