Cost Price / Selling Price Calculator
Work out a selling price from your cost and a target profit percentage, or work backwards from a selling price and profit percentage to find the cost. Profit is worked out on the cost price.
Profit is worked out on the cost price (the same as markup). For profit as a share of the selling price, use the profit margin calculator.
The cost price / selling price formulas
Selling Price = Cost × (1 + Profit % ÷ 100) • Cost Price = Selling Price ÷ (1 + Profit % ÷ 100)
- To set a selling price, turn the profit percentage into a multiplier — 25% becomes 1.25 — and multiply the cost by it.
- To work backwards to the cost, divide the selling price by the same multiplier. £50 ÷ 1.25 = £40.
- Profit on cost is the same as markup. For profit as a share of the selling price, use the profit margin calculator instead.
How to use this calculator
- Pick “Selling price” to set a price from cost, or “Cost price” to find the cost from a price.
- Enter your figures — for example, a £40 cost with a 25% profit on cost.
- The selling or cost price and the profit update instantly.
Worked examples
Setting a selling price from cost
A £40 cost with 25% profit on cost. Multiplier = 1 + 25 ÷ 100 = 1.25. Selling price = £40 × 1.25 = £50. Profit = £10.
Finding the cost from a selling price
A £50 selling price with 25% profit on cost. Cost = £50 ÷ 1.25 = £40. Profit = £50 − £40 = £10.
A higher profit percentage
A £60 cost with 40% profit on cost. Multiplier = 1.4. Selling price = £60 × 1.4 = £84. Profit = £24.
Checking the cost behind a price
A competitor sells at £84 with an assumed 40% profit on cost. Cost = £84 ÷ 1.4 = £60. Treat the result as an estimate — you are assuming their profit percentage.
Doubling the cost (100% profit on cost)
A £25 cost with 100% profit on cost. Multiplier = 2. Selling price = £25 × 2 = £50. Profit = £25.
Cost price, selling price and profit
These three numbers sit at the heart of every sale. Here is how they relate, in plain English.
- Cost price
- What you pay to buy or make an item. It is the base that profit on cost (markup) is added to.
- Selling price
- What you charge the customer. It is the cost price plus the profit, expressed in pounds.
- Profit on cost
- The profit expressed as a percentage of the cost price — the same as markup. A £10 profit on a £40 cost is 25% profit on cost.