Takeaway vs Cooking Calculator NZ

This calculator works out the real yearly cost of a takeaway habit against cooking the same meals at home in New Zealand, turning a small weekly decision into the actual dollar figure it adds up to over twelve months. A couple of takeaway nights a week feels like a minor treat, but multiplied by 52 weeks it can become one of the largest discretionary costs in a household budget, without anyone quite noticing. You enter how many takeaway meals you buy each week, what a typical takeaway meal costs, and what the same meal would cost to cook at home with similar ingredients and portions. The calculator then shows your total takeaway spend for the year, what cooking those same meals would cost instead, and the saving you would bank each year and each week by cooking rather than ordering in. Use it to see what your current habit is costing, or to test how much cutting back, from three nights to one, say, would put back in your pocket over a year. It is not meant to argue against takeaways altogether; they have their place for convenience or a treat, but seeing the number clearly lets you choose how often suits your budget rather than letting the spending drift upward unnoticed. Treat the figures as an estimate, since actual takeaway and grocery prices vary by dish, region and retailer.

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$
$
$4,836
saved a year by cooking those meals at home
Takeaways, per year$7,020
Cooking, per year$2,184
Saving per week$93

The home cost should reflect the ingredients for the same meal. Takeaways have their place; this just makes the cost clear so you can choose how often fits your budget. Estimate only.

How it works

The calculator multiplies your takeaway meals a week by 52 to get yearly meals, then costs them at the takeaway price and at the home cost for the same meal. The difference is your yearly saving from cooking those meals instead, also shown per week. Seeing the gap helps you set a takeaway habit that suits your budget, rather than letting frequent orders quietly drain it.

Worked example

Three takeaway meals a week at $45 is $135 a week, about $7,020 a year. Cooking the same three meals at $14 each is $42 a week, about $2,184 a year. Cooking them at home saves around $4,836 a year, or roughly $93 a week.

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Frequently asked questions

How much do takeaways cost a year?

It adds up fast. A couple of takeaway meals a week for a family can cost well over a hundred dollars a week, several thousand a year, when the same meals cooked at home would cost a fraction of that.

How much cheaper is cooking at home?

Cooking the same meal at home is usually far cheaper per serve than buying it, often a third or less of the takeaway price. The saving depends on what you order and cook, which this calculator lets you compare.

Should I never buy takeaways?

Not at all; takeaways have their place for convenience and enjoyment. The point is to see the cost clearly so you can decide how often fits your budget, rather than letting it creep up unnoticed.