Propane vs Charcoal vs Pellet Cost Calculator
Enter cooks per month, average hours per cook, and the local price of a propane tank refill, a charcoal bag, and a pellet bag. The calculator returns cost per cook and annual fuel cost for each fuel, plus a plain-English call on which one is cheapest for your habits.
Burn rates use typical estimates (propane 1.2 lb/hr, charcoal 2 lb/hr, pellet 1.75 lb/hr); your real usage will shift with grill model, weather, and technique. Pair with the Smoker Size for Family Calculator for the capacity math and the how to choose a smoker guide for the type and brand picks.
Compare yearly fuel cost
Pick how often you cook, how long each cook runs, and the local prices you pay for each fuel. Results update live with cost per cook, annual cost, and the cheapest fuel for your usage.
Propane is cheapest at $216/yr
For 6 cooks per month at 2 hr each (144 hr/yr total): propane $216/yr, pellet $227/yr, charcoal $396/yr.
How to use this calculator
Enter how often you actually cook (average cooks per month across the year), how long a typical cook runs, and the local prices for a propane tank refill, a charcoal bag, and a pellet bag. The calculator multiplies your annual hours by typical burn rates (propane about 1.2 lb/hr, charcoal about 2 lb/hr, pellets about 1.75 lb/hr) and prices each fuel out at your local rate.
Burn rates are widely-cited averages across midsize grills and smokers; your real usage will shift with grill model, weather, technique, and whether you cook hot-and-fast or low-and-slow. Treat the output as a useful planning estimate, not an exact prediction.
Tips for success
- Track real usage for one season. Note how long a 20 lb (9 kg) propane tank actually lasts, how many cooks a charcoal bag covers, and how fast pellets disappear. Your numbers will beat any average within a couple of cookouts.
- Buy fuel on sale, not on empty. Propane refills are cheapest at independent dealers (often $5 to $10 less than tank-exchange cages). Charcoal goes on deep sale at the start and end of grilling season. Pellet 20 lb bags often go to $12 on sale; stock a few extra if you have dry storage.
- Account for the grill itself, not just the fuel. A $250 gas grill that lasts 4 years costs $63/yr in depreciation; a $1,500 kamado that lasts 12 years costs $125/yr. Add that to fuel cost for the true annual number.
- Heat retention beats raw burn rate. A well-insulated kamado or thick-walled offset holds heat with less fuel per hour. Thin-walled grills (especially cheap charcoal kettles in cold weather) burn 30 to 50 percent more fuel per cook to hold the same temperature.
- Match fuel to cook style. Propane wins for fast weeknight grilling. Pellet wins for unattended low-and-slow. Charcoal wins for big flavor and hot searing. The cheapest-per-cook fuel is not always the right one for the food you actually want to make.
What the burn-rate estimates mean
The calculator uses widely-cited average burn rates so the comparison stays apples-to-apples: propane about 1.2 lb/hr (a 20 lb tank lasts ~16 to 18 hours), charcoal about 2 lb/hr in mixed grilling and smoking (a 16 lb bag lasts ~8 hours), and pellets about 1.75 lb/hr (a 20 lb bag lasts ~11 hours). Real usage moves around these numbers in predictable ways:
- Hot-and-fast cooks burn more fuel per hour. A high-heat sear at 500 F+ (260 C+) can burn 2x the steady-state low-and-slow rate. Propane and pellets are most affected; charcoal mostly burns by air supply rather than heat target.
- Cold and wind add 20 to 50 percent to fuel use. A January smoker in the upper Midwest burns noticeably more than the same cook in July. Insulated covers and welding blankets help significantly.
- Smoker quality matters more than fuel type. A well-sealed kamado at 225 F (107 C) sips charcoal at well under 1 lb/hr. A leaky offset on the same setup burns 3 lb/hr or more.
US vs Canada price notes
Default values in the calculator are typical US retail. Canadian prices differ enough to be worth flagging:
- Propane. 20 lb (9 kg) tank exchange at Canadian Tire or Home Hardware runs about CAD 28 to 35. Refills at independent propane dealers are usually CAD 18 to 28 and almost always cheaper than exchange. The 20 lb US tank and 9 kg Canadian tank are the same physical tank.
- Charcoal. 16 to 18 lb (7 to 8 kg) briquette or lump bags run CAD 25 to 35 at Canadian Tire and Home Hardware. Royal Oak, Kingsford, and Maple Leaf are widely stocked; premium lump (Big Bag, Maple Leaf Premium) is at the higher end.
- Pellets. 20 lb (9 kg) hardwood pellet bags run CAD 20 to 30. Pit Boss, Traeger, and Weber pellets are widely stocked in both markets; Lumberjack and Bear Mountain are more US-side; Maple Leaf is more Canada-side.
Common mistakes
- Comparing fuel cost without grill cost. A cheap $200 gas grill plus cheap propane can lose to a pricier, more efficient kamado plus pricier charcoal once you average grill depreciation in. Always compare the total annual cost (grill ÷ lifespan + fuel/yr).
- Using winter prices for the whole year. Propane peaks in January and February; charcoal hits its highest prices in early summer. Use a blended year-round price or pull your last 12 months of receipts.
- Ignoring tank-exchange vs refill markup. Tank-exchange cages (Blue Rhino, AmeriGas, Costco Canada) are convenient but cost $5 to $10 more per tank than a refill at an independent propane station. If you grill often, refill stations pay back fast.
- Comparing premium pellets to budget charcoal. Single-species premium pellets ($25+/bag) versus generic briquette charcoal ($15/bag) is not a fair compare. Match price tiers if you can, or note explicitly that you are paying for flavor.
- Forgetting the side costs. Lighter fluid, chimneys, grates, replacement burners, and igniters add 10 to 20 percent to long-run fuel cost. The calculator covers fuel only; budget extra for the consumables.
FAQ
Which fuel is actually cheapest to grill with?
Propane is usually cheapest per cook at typical US prices, because a 20 lb (9 kg) tank holds 16 to 18 hours of low-and-slow burn and only costs about $20 to $30 to refill. Pellet runs a close second on most pellet smokers, around $0.50 to $1.00 per hour of cook. Charcoal is the most expensive per hour because a 16 lb bag at $20 to $25 only lasts about 8 hours of mixed grilling and smoking. The exact ranking depends on local prices, which the calculator lets you override.
How long does a 20 lb propane tank last on a grill?
At typical grilling burn rates of about 1.2 lb of propane per hour, a 20 lb (9 kg) tank lasts roughly 16 to 18 hours of total cook time. That covers about 8 to 9 two-hour cookouts on a midsize grill. Larger 3 to 4 burner gas grills running all burners on high burn faster, closer to 1.5 to 2 lb per hour, dropping the tank to 10 to 13 hours. Smoking at low temps burns slower, sometimes 0.3 to 0.5 lb per hour, so a tank can stretch to 40+ hours of low-and-slow.
How much charcoal does a typical grilling session use?
A typical 2 to 3 hour mixed cook (sear plus indirect) uses about 4 to 6 lb (1.8 to 2.7 kg) of charcoal briquettes or lump. A 16 lb (7.3 kg) bag covers 3 to 4 average cookouts, or roughly 8 hours of total cook time. Low-and-slow smoking with the minion method (a small lit pile feeding unlit coals) stretches that further, often 12+ hours on one chimney load. Hot-and-fast cooking and high-temp searing burn through charcoal noticeably faster.
How much do pellets cost compared to charcoal or propane?
Hardwood smoker pellets run $15 to $25 per 20 lb (9 kg) bag in the US (about CAD 20 to 30 in Canada). Pellet burn rate on most pellet smokers is 1.5 to 2 lb per hour at smoking temps (225 F / 107 C) and 2 to 3 lb per hour at high heat. So a 20 lb bag covers 7 to 13 hours of low-and-slow or 4 to 6 hours of high-heat. Cost per hour usually lands between propane (cheaper) and charcoal (more expensive) for typical cookouts.
Should I factor in the cost of the grill itself?
For year-over-year decisions, yes. A cheap gas grill at $200 may last 3 to 5 years before rust kills the burners, while a pellet smoker at $700 or a kamado at $1,500 can last a decade or more. Spread the grill cost over its lifespan and add that to the annual fuel cost. A $250 gas grill plus $200 of propane per year totals about $300 per year if the grill lasts 5 years. A $1,500 kamado plus $300 of lump per year totals about $450 per year over 10 years. Cheap grill plus expensive fuel often loses to a pricier efficient one.
Are Canadian fuel prices much different?
Slightly. A 20 lb (9 kg) propane tank exchange runs about CAD 28 to 35 in Canada vs about USD 20 to 30 in the US (refills at independent stations are usually cheaper than tank-exchange cages at both Canadian Tire and US big-box). Hardwood lump charcoal and briquette bags run CAD 25 to 35 for ~16 lb at Canadian retailers like Canadian Tire and Home Hardware. Pellet bags run CAD 20 to 30 for a 20 lb (9 kg) bag. Brand availability differs too, Pit Boss, Traeger, and Weber pellets are widely stocked in both markets; Lumberjack and Bear Mountain are more US-side; Maple Leaf and Big Bag are more Canada-side.