Free Christmas Dinner Cost Calculator: Total and per Guest

Christmas dinner gets expensive one grocery run at a time. Put in your guest count and your local prices to see the whole dinner's cost before you shop, what it works out to per guest, and how much it drops if guests bring dishes.

It runs in your browser. Nothing you type is saved or sent anywhere. The numbers filled in below are a made-up example; prices vary a lot by store and region, so check your store's ad and type in your own.

How many people are eating:

Main roast per person, lb (about 0.75 lb bone-in ham, 1 to 1.5 lb whole turkey, 0.5 to 1 lb prime rib):

Roast price per lb, $:

Number of side dishes:

Average cost per side dish, $:

Number of desserts (pies, etc.):

Average cost per dessert, $:

Drinks per person, $:

Appetizers and rolls, $ total:

Extras, $ (foil pans, napkins, ice, to-go containers):

Guests bringing a dish (0 if you cook it all):

Weeks left to save for it (optional):

Calculate

How the math works

• Main roast = guests × pounds per person × price per pound.
• Sides = number of sides × cost per side. Desserts work the same way.
• Drinks = guests × drinks per person.
• Total = turkey + sides + desserts + drinks + appetizers + extras. Per guest = total ÷ guests.
• Potluck: if some guests bring the sides, desserts, drinks and appetizers, the host covers the roast and extras.

Example (made up): 10 people, 7.5 lb of ham at $2.48 a pound is $18.60. Six sides at $9 are $54, two desserts at $10 are $20, drinks at $3 a person are $30, appetizers and rolls $15 and extras $12. Total $149.60, about $14.96 a guest, or $37.40 a week over 4 weeks.

This doesn't count pantry staples you already have, decorations, or travel. It's an estimate for planning, not financial advice.

Plan the whole meal, not just the cost

The Christmas Dinner & Holiday Hosting Planner ($4) is a printable for the dinner itself: guest list, menu, budget, grocery list and a cooking timeline, so the number above turns into a plan. Print at home.

Get the planner on Payhip – $4

We make this planner, so take that into account. The calculator above is free to use either way.

Related free guides

• Christmas Dinner Budget: Plan the Meal per Person (2026)
• How to Plan a Christmas Dinner Menu (With a Grocery List)
• Christmas Dinner Timeline: 4 Weeks, 1 Week and Day-Of
• Holiday Hosting Budget: Plan a Party or Family Dinner

More free tools: all calculators.

See all Cedar & Ledger templates