If you are purchasing fabric, tiles, sheets of metal, or sheets of paper, calculating the cost per square centimeter allows you to make wise purchasing decisions. Whether you’re working on a budget for a DIY project or need an estimate for how much bulk material to order, an accurate calculation helps you avoid overspending or wasting materials.

Such calculations can be made simple with the help of a Cost Per Square Centimeter Calculator which finds you out the price per square centimeter of the items in seconds.

Formula for Cost Per Square Centimeter

The basic formula to calculate cost per square centimeter is:

$C_{\text{per cm}^2} = \frac{\text{Total Cost}}{\text{Total Area in cm}^2}$

Where:

• $2C_{\text{per cm}^2}$ = Cost per square centimeter
• Total Cost = Price of the entire material
• Total Area in cm² = Total surface area of the material

Formula to Calculate Total Area in Square Centimeters

If the material’s length and width are given, the total area is calculated as:

$A = L \times W$

Where:

• A = Total area in cm²
• L= Length of the material (cm)
• W = Width of the material (cm)

If the dimensions are given in meters, convert them to centimeters:

$L_{\text{cm}} = L_{\text{m}} \times 100$

$W_{\text{cm}} = W_{\text{m}} \times 100$

Formula for Cost Estimation of a Custom Size

If you know the cost per square centimeter and need to find the cost for a custom area, use:

$C_{\text{custom}} = C_{\text{per cm}^2} \times A_{\text{custom}}$

Where:

• $C_{\text{custom}}$ = Cost for the custom-sized area
• $C_{\text{per cm}^2}$ = Cost per square centimeter
• $A_{\text{custom}}$ = Desired area in cm²

Example Calculation

Let’s say you are buying a metal sheet with the following details:

• Total Cost = $50
• Length = 1.5 meters
• Width = 1 meter

Step 1: Convert Dimensions to Centimeters

$L_{\text{cm}} = 1.5 \times 100 = 150 \text{ cm}$

$W_{\text{cm}} = 1 \times 100 = 100 \text{ cm}$

Step 2: Calculate the Total Area

$A = 150 \times 100 = 15,000 \text{ cm}^2$

Step 3: Calculate Cost Per Square Centimeter

$C_{\text{per cm}^2} = \frac{50}{15,000}$

$C_{\text{per cm}^2} = 0.0033 \text{ USD/cm}^2$

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Step 4: Calculate Cost for a Custom Size

Let’s say you need a custom piece of 50 cm × 40 cm:

$A_{\text{custom}} = 50 \times 40 = 2,000 \text{ cm}^2$

$C_{\text{custom}} = 0.0033 \times 2,000$

$C_{\text{custom}} = 6.6 \text{ USD}$

Final Answer:

• Cost per square centimeter = $0.0033/cm²
• Cost for 50 cm × 40 cm piece = $6.60