Reference
3D printing material density chart
Density turns a volume into weight, the price per kilogram into money — the two columns most charts leave out.
| Material | Density (g/cm³) | 1 m weighs | 1 kg holds | Price / kg | $/g at mid | $/cm³ at mid | Sampled range | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLA | 1.24 | 2.98 g | 335.3 m | $14.99 | $0.0150 | $0.0186 | $13.49–$22.99 | TDS |
| PLA+ | 1.25 | 3.01 g | 332.6 m | $19.49 | $0.0195 | $0.0244 | $16.99–$21.99 | TDS |
| PETG | 1.27 | 3.05 g | 327.4 m | $19.99 | $0.0200 | $0.0254 | $14.99–$24.99 | TDS |
| ABS | 1.05 | 2.53 g | 396.0 m | $18.99 | $0.0190 | $0.0199 | $17.99–$22.99 | TDS |
| ASA | 1.07 | 2.57 g | 388.6 m | $24.99 | $0.0250 | $0.0267 | $19.99–$29.99 | TDS |
| TPU 95A | 1.22 | 2.93 g | 340.8 m | $23.99 | $0.0240 | $0.0293 | $17.99–$41.99 | TDS |
| Nylon (PA) | 1.12 | 2.69 g | 371.2 m | $32.99 | $0.0330 | $0.0369 | single listing | TDS |
| Polycarbonate (PC) | 1.20 | 2.89 g | 346.5 m | $29.99 | $0.0300 | $0.0360 | $26.99–$39.99 | TDS |
| PVA (water-soluble support) | 1.27 | 3.05 g | 327.4 m | $39.99 | $0.0400 | $0.0508 | single listing | TDS |
| Wood-filled PLA | 1.21 | 2.91 g | 343.6 m | $24.99 | $0.0250 | $0.0302 | $18.99–$43.99 | TDS |
| Carbon-fibre PLA (PLA-CF) | 1.22 | 2.93 g | 340.8 m | $28.49 | $0.0285 | $0.0348 | $21.99–$34.99 | TDS |
| Standard resin | 1.10 | 2.65 g | 378.0 m | $21.99 | $0.0220 | $0.0242 | $18.99–$23.99 | Product page |
| Tough / ABS-like resin | 1.10 | 2.65 g | 378.0 m | $23.99 | $0.0240 | $0.0264 | $19.99–$28.99 | Product page |
| Water-washable resin | 1.15 | 2.77 g | 361.5 m | $22.99 | $0.0230 | $0.0264 | $20.99–$25.99 | Product page |
| Basis: 1 m of 1.75 mm filament = 2.405 cm³, so g/m = 2.405 × density; $/g = price ÷ 1,000; $/cm³ = price ÷ 1,000 × density, rounded once half-up at 4 decimals. Prices: mid-points checked 2026-10-23. | ||||||||
How to use a density in money
A price per kilogram is a shelf price; a part is a volume. $/g is price ÷ 1,000 and $/cm³ is that times the density. At the same $20/kg, PLA (1.24 g/cm³) costs $0.0248/cm³ and ABS (1.05) $0.0210 — 15.3% less money for the same kilogram price. Real prices flip it: standard resin costs 10.0% more per kg than PETG and 4.7% less per cm³, being 13.4% lighter. Quote by size and that inversion is your margin — see cost per gram and the cost dataset.
1 kg of filament is not 1 kg of part
A metre of 1.75 mm filament is 2.405 cm³ of polymer: 2.98 g of PLA, or 335.3 m per kilogram, against 396.0 m of ABS — 18.1% more metres for the same money. “A kilogram left” says nothing about parts until density goes in; the length to weight converter runs both ways.
Where these densities come from
Each row names its document: a data sheet for the eleven filaments, the product page for the three resins; the calculators read these values. Resin is the caveat: the published figure is the liquid density, 1.100 g/cm³ for standard resin against 1.195 cured — 8.6% heavier per cm³. The water-washable value is the 1.05–1.25 midpoint; the ABS-like one is a retailer spec. The resin cost calculator prices the liquid figure.
Frequently asked questions
How much does 100 cm³ of PLA cost?
124.0 g, so $1.86 at $14.99/kg — $0.0186 per cm³. The same 100 cm³ of ABS is 105.0 g and $1.99.
Why is the cost per cm³ different from the cost per gram?
Each material holds a different mass per cm³: per gram prices plastic, per cm³ the part.
How many metres of filament is 1 kg?
PLA 335.3 m, ABS 396.0 m, PETG 327.4 m: length is mass ÷ (2.405 cm³/m × density).
Which density does the table use for liquid resin?
The liquid one, 1.100 g/cm³ for standard resin; cured it is 1.195, so a part is 8.6% heavier per cm³.
Is a cheaper price per kilogram always the cheaper material?
No: $/cm³ is $/g × density, so standard resin is 10.0% dearer per kilogram than PETG and 4.7% cheaper per cm³.