How much do contacts cost?

Contacts typically cost between $20 and $200 per box, with a full year landing somewhere around $160 to $1,968. Your actual cost depends on your lens type, prescription, how often you wear them, whether you buy in bulk, and whether insurance is chipping in.

If you’re cost-conscious, compare brands, look for coupons, or buy in bulk for potential savings. Simple spherical prescriptions tend to cost less, while toric and multifocal designs sit higher on the pricing ladder. Ultimately, your lifestyle (daily wearer or weekend-only?), your eye care professional’s guidance, and your insurance coverage will shape your final total.

Lens type and material

Let’s break down each lens category in all its price-tag glory.

Daily disposable contacts

Ready to ditch any cleaning routine? These single-use stars let you wear a fresh lens every morning and toss it before bed.

Overview: Wear them once, trash them at bedtime, never think about them again — kind of like an ex you’d rather forget.

Price range: About $25–$82 for a 30-pack, adding up to $600–$1,968 per year if worn daily.

Examples:

• AquaSoft Daily (30-pack). $25 per box (that’s around $600 per year for full-time daily wear)

• Dailies Total1 (90-pack). Around $132.99 per 90-pack (roughly $1,064 per year if you go daily deluxe)

Who they suit: Anyone who’d rather not juggle lens solution, cases, or a single, excruciating moment of “Wait, did I clean these?”

Monthly disposable contacts

Feel like committing to a pack of lenses for 30-ish days at a time? Smart cookie. 

Overview: Replace each lens about once a month. You’ll need a nightly cleaning routine — but your annual spend plummets compared to dailies. 

Price range: $27–$93 for a 6-pack (6 months of lenses for one eye), typically $108–$372 per year for a basic single-vision prescription.

Examples:

• Biofinity (6-pack). Around $61 per box, which will last you for 6 months (so roughly $244 a year if you’re replacing them as recommended)

• Air Optix plus HydraGlyde (6-pack). Approx $74 per box (around $296 for a year’s supply)

Who they suit: Anyone who’ll happily spend 2 minutes a night cleaning lenses to save a chonky wad of cash annually.

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Biweekly disposable contacts

Feeling like daily lenses are too spendy but monthlies are too much commitment? Biweekly lenses hit that sweet middle ground.

Overview: Swap each pair every two weeks and follow a nightly cleaning routine. They cost more than monthlies but often less than dailies; a happy little compromise if you want fresher lenses without paying daily-lens prices.

Price range: Usually $20–$80 for a 6-pack, which gives you 3 months of lenses per eye. That’s roughly $160–$640 per year for both eyes.

Examples:

• Acuvue 2 (6-pack). About $57 per box (which is around $456 per year, for both eyes, if you replace every two weeks)
  
  

• Avaira Vitality (6-pack). Approx $43 per box (so roughly $344 per year for both eyes)

Who they suit: People who want something cleaner than monthlies, cheaper than dailies, and prefer a balance between convenience and cost.

Non-prescription color contacts

Craving a new hue but don’t need vision correction? Step right up for some eye-color magic.

Overview: Keep in mind, purely cosmetic color lenses still need a valid prescription. Jazz up your iris with zero vision correction.

Price range: $40–$60. 

Example:

• Air Optix Colors (2-pack). Around $56 for a pair (annual costs vary — these should really be occasional-wear gems)

Who they suit: Those who want to cosplay a different eye color whenever the mood strikes (purple eyes, anyone?).

Prescription color contacts

Need real vision correction but also itching for a new eye color? These lenses have your name on them.

Overview: Same color party, but with your actual prescription built in.

Price range: Usually $55–$133 for a 6-pack of monthlies, so expect to pay up to $532 a year if you’re wearing them consistently.

Example:

• Dailies Colors (90-pack). Approx $95 if you just want a one-off pack for an occasional short fling with your alter ego — but might total $760 a year if you use them daily.

Who they suit: People who like to see clearly but also arrive at brunch with neon green eyes.

Night contacts

More of a pop ’em in and forget ’em kinda person? Extended-wear might be your jam.

Overview: Extended-wear soft lenses that let you sleep in them. Wake up already seeing your alarm.

Price range: Around $57-$127 per 6-month supply for extended-wear soft lenses. You’re looking at roughly $254 a year per eye or $508 total. 

Example:

• Air Optix Night & Day (6-pack). Around $127 (about $254 per eye each year)

Who they suit: Anyone who wants to open their eyes in the morning and see the alarm clock digits, crystal clear. (Always confirm with your eye care professional about sleeping in lenses.)

Prescription vs. non-prescription

Surprise: all contacts legally require a prescription in the U.S., even if they don’t correct vision.

• Non-prescription color lenses can cost $760/year for dailies or $55–$133 per box for monthlies (about $500+ per year with frequent use).
  
  

• Standard monthly prescription lenses may cost as little as $27–$93 every 6 months (~$108–$372 annually).
  
  

• Toric or multifocal lenses typically run $10–$20 more per box.

How much do prescription contacts cost? 

• A 6-month supply of standard monthly lenses can cost up to $93, or $372 per year.
  
  

• Daily lenses cost about $600–$1,968 annually, depending on brand.

Your specific prescription, lint type, and brand will determine your place in that range (think comparing economy vs. luxury cars — but for eyeballs).

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Insurance vs. out of pocket

Insurance can seriously lighten the load — some plans give you a set dollar amount (like say $130) or a percentage off. If your annual supply is $300, you’d pay $170. Others let you pick between new glasses or contact benefits each year.

No insurance? You’ll likely pay $200–$600 per year, depending on your lens type. The bright side: You can hunt down coupons or sales and even use an FSA/HSA to get a tax break. Sometimes, that ends up just as cost-effective as using a basic insurance plan.

• Average cost for contacts with insurance: about $100–$300 per year (after coverage)

• Average cost for contacts without insurance: around $200–$600 per year (or more for deluxe dailies)

Is it cheaper to buy contact lenses in bulk?

Yep, buying in bulk can absolutely save you money. Bigger boxes (like the ACUVUE® OASYS® 24-pack) usually drop your cost per lens, and you can often snag manufacturer rebates on annual supplies. Think $50–$100 back just for buying everything at once. Your eyes (and wallet) will thank you.

How much is a year’s worth of contacts?

One 24-pack contains 24 lenses — that’s 12 pairs total — enough for 12 months of wear on one eye (so you need to snag one box for each eye). At around $392, you’ll have a full year of crisp vision in a single box — like a subscription to happy eyeballs. 

So, the ACUVUE OASYS 24-pack is tailor-made to get you from January to December without scrambling for refills. That’s one less thing to worry about — and one more reason your eyes (and wallet) will thank you. 

How many contacts are in a year’s supply?

A year’s supply depends on your lens type, and remember that you’ll almost always need lenses for both eyes. That means your total number of boxes can range anywhere from 2 to 24, depending on the brand and replacement schedule. Here’s how the numbers break down:

• Daily disposables: 365 pairs = 730 lenses total for both eyes
  
  

• Biweeklies: 26 lenses per eye = 52 lenses total
  
  

• Monthlies: 12 lenses per eye = 24 lenses total
  
  

Most retailers make this simple by offering clearly labeled annual supply options. Just let them know you want enough to last a full year.

Cheapest contacts on 1-800 Contacts

Making your eyes magically clearer on a tighter budget? Check these out. And if you spot a lower price elsewhere, 1-800 Contacts will match it — so your wallet can stay as happy as your corneas.

• Budget daily lenses:

• • Eyedia Fresh Daily Disposable (90-pack). Around $63 per box, which comes out to roughly $500 per year.

  • PRECISION1 Dailies (90-pack). About $86 per box. Full-time daily wear lands around $688 per year, making it one of the best-value top-selling dailies.

• Budget biweekly lenses:

• • Clearall-Day (6-pack). About $20 per box, totaling around $160 per year when you replace lenses every two weeks.

  • ACUVUE OASYS (12-pack). Around $98 per box, which comes out to about $392 per year for a full annual supply.

• Budget monthly lenses:

• • Eyedia Soft 58 (6-pack). About $27 per box, which is around $108 per year if you replace lenses monthly.

  • Biofinity (6-pack). Around $61 per box, totaling about $244 per year.

• Cheap color contacts:

• • Air Optix Colors (2-pack). ~$56 a pair, good if you only color-swap occasionally.

All these choices meet FDA safety requirements, so “cheap” doesn’t mean lower quality — just more leftover cash for a memorable night out or that new game you’ve been eyeing.

Are contacts expensive?

Contact lenses can be expensive if you’re living the daily-disposable high life or opting for toric wizardry. With monthly lenses, you might only spend $250–$750 a year, which is less than some folks blow on premium streaming subscriptions. Daily lenses could run $600–$2,000, but for many, that convenience is worth its weight in gold (or buckets of contact lens solution).

So, how much do contact lenses cost in the grand scheme of life? Enough that you’ll want to comparison-shop but not so much that you’ll be forced to skip rent. 

1-800 Contacts offers a rainbow of lens types and price points because people have different eyes and different budgets. If you still feel lost, talk to your eye care professional for brand recs. 

Did you know you can order contacts online? 

Say goodbye to trips to the eye doctor and hello to convenience! With 1-800 Contacts, you can easily order your contact lenses online and have them delivered straight to your door. Plus, our online vision exam makes it simple to get the prescription you need without leaving home. And the best part? You’ll save money on your first order with 1-800 Contacts. It’s never been easier to get your contacts! 

Original publish date: 10/16/2023

Updated: 11/25/2025