Painting cost calculator
Painting cost calculator for interior rooms and house exteriors.
Estimate what a painter is likely to charge, with a low-to-high range, and what the paint alone costs if you do it yourself. A 12 x 12 ft bedroom, walls only, is about $396 professionally painted.
Interior, per sq ft of floor
$2 – $6
about $2.75 walls only
Exterior, per sq ft of wall
$1.50 – $4
labor and materials
12 x 12 room, DIY paint
3 gallons
$45 – $120 in paint
Quick reference
Interior painting cost by floor area
Professional price at about $2.75 per sq ft for walls only and $4.70 with trim and ceilings, plus the full $2 to $6 range.
| Floor area | Walls only | Walls, trim, ceilings | Low to high range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120 sq ft | $330 | $564 | $240 – $720 |
| 144 sq ft | $396 | $677 | $288 – $864 |
| 300 sq ft | $825 | $1,410 | $600 – $1,800 |
| 1,000 sq ft | $2,750 | $4,700 | $2,000 – $6,000 |
| 1,500 sq ft | $4,125 | $7,050 | $3,000 – $9,000 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $5,500 | $9,400 | $4,000 – $12,000 |
| 2,500 sq ft | $6,875 | $11,750 | $5,000 – $15,000 |
Interior quotes use floor length x width. Exterior quotes use the perimeter x wall height.
Exterior
Exterior house painting cost by house size
Paintable area is the perimeter times a 9 ft wall per story, with nothing subtracted for windows and doors and no gables. Typical price is the midpoint of the $1.50 to $4 range.
| House | Wall area | Typical | Low to high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 x 30 ft, one story | 972 sq ft | $2,673 | $1,458 – $3,888 |
| 30 x 40 ft, one story | 1,260 sq ft | $3,465 | $1,890 – $5,040 |
| 30 x 50 ft, one story | 1,440 sq ft | $3,960 | $2,160 – $5,760 |
| 30 x 40 ft, two story | 2,520 sq ft | $6,930 | $3,780 – $10,080 |
| 40 x 50 ft, two story | 3,240 sq ft | $8,910 | $4,860 – $12,960 |
Quote scope checklist
- Number of coats and whether primer is included
- Wall repair, caulking, and sanding
- Trim, doors, ceilings, and closets in or out
- Paint brand and line, and who supplies it
- Exterior: scraping, power washing, and lift or scaffold access
Formula shown
How the painting cost estimate works
1. Interior professional price
cost = floor length x floor width x rate per sq ft
2. Exterior professional price
cost = 2 x (length + width) x wall height x rate per sq ft
3. Do-it-yourself paint
gallons = ceil(painted area x 2 coats x 1.10 / coverage); cost = gallons x price
Worked example: 12 x 12 ft bedroom, walls only
Floor area is 12 x 12 = 144 sq ft. At $2.75 per sq ft a painter is about $396, within a range of $288 – $864. The walls are 2 x (12 + 12) x 8 = 384 sq ft; two coats with 10% extra at 350 sq ft per gallon is 3 gallons.
What this does not include
Drywall repair, wallpaper or popcorn-ceiling removal, cabinets, stain work, lead-paint handling, and exterior carpentry repairs are priced separately. The do-it-yourself figure is paint only: primer, tools, and your time are extra.
Next step
Count the gallons
Sources
- Angi interior painting cost guide — interior cost per square foot of floor area, walls-only and full-scope averages, paint price per gallon (updated July 2026)
- HomeAdvisor interior painting cost guide — interior cost per square foot and labor share of the total (updated June 2026)
- HomeAdvisor exterior painting cost guide — exterior cost per square foot of paintable area and exterior paint price per gallon (updated June 2026)
Sources checked
Checked against
Price ranges checked against published 2026 painting cost guides; coverage rates against retailer calculator guidance.
How we check our numbersLast updated: October 4, 2026
FAQ
Painting cost questions
Interior and exterior painting cost per square foot, why the area basis differs, do-it-yourself savings, and what raises a quote.
How much does interior painting cost per square foot? + -
Professional interior painting typically costs $2 to $6 per square foot of floor area in 2026: about $2.75 for walls only and about $4.70 when trim and ceilings are included. A 12 x 12 ft bedroom is roughly $288 – $864.
How much does it cost to paint the exterior of a house? + -
Exterior painting typically costs $1.50 to $4 per square foot of paintable wall area. A one-story 30 x 40 ft house has about 1,260 sq ft of wall, or roughly $1,890 – $5,040; the same footprint at two stories is about $3,780 – $10,080.
Why is interior priced by floor area and exterior by wall area? + -
It is how painters usually quote. Interior jobs are quoted from the floor plan because wall area tracks floor area closely in ordinary rooms. Exterior jobs are quoted from the siding area, which depends on the perimeter and wall height rather than the living area.
How much can I save by painting it myself? + -
Labor is most of a professional price, so paint is a small share. For a 12 x 12 ft room, two coats on the walls takes about 3 gallons, or roughly $45 – $120 in paint, against about $288 – $864 for a painter. Add brushes, rollers, tape, drop cloths, and primer to the do-it-yourself side.
What makes a painting quote higher? + -
High or vaulted ceilings, heavy wall repair, dark-to-light color changes that need primer and extra coats, lots of trim and doors, wallpaper removal, and on exteriors peeling paint, multiple stories, and difficult access. The calculator gives a range because these vary by house.
Is this a painting quote? + -
No. It is a planning estimate from published national cost ranges. Painting prices vary by region, surface condition, and scope. Get written quotes from local painters and compare what each one includes.