Protein Powder Prices Just Jumped: The Cheapest Protein per Gram, Ranked

Protein powder costs more because whey itself does: CBC reports the whey concentrate used in protein foods rose 60% in 2025, then another 76% by June 2026. Meanwhile, government prices put dried beans at $0.43 per 25g of protein, eggs at $0.75 and boneless chicken breast at $1.03 (U.S., September 2026). Paying more than about a dollar per 25g? The grocery store wins.

Why is protein powder so expensive right now?

Short version: everyone wants whey, and you cannot make whey faster than you make cheese.

Whey is the liquid left over when milk is turned into cheese. It gets dried into powder, and that powder now goes into far more than gym tubs. CBC's October 2026 report lists protein chips, Pop-Tarts, candy, protein popcorn and Starbucks protein cold foam, all competing for the same ingredient. Fitness influencers are "protein-maxxing," and CBC notes that some people on weight-loss drugs like Ozempic are eating more protein to help prevent muscle loss.

Supply cannot sprint to catch up. University of Guelph food economist Mike von Massow told CBC: "It's very expensive to dry something that is 95 per cent water and a little bit of protein." Nobody is going to milk extra cows just for the whey.

Here is the price trail from the reporting we could verify:

What happened	Number	Source
WPC80 (whey concentrate) price change in 2025	+60%	CBC, Oct 2026
Further WPC80 increase by June 2026	+76%	CBC, Oct 2026
WPC 34% price change over six months	about +20%	ABC News (GMA), Jun 2026
Same WPC 34% over two years	nearly +83%	ABC News (GMA), Jun 2026
U.S. high-protein whey stocks, March, year over year	-7%	ABC News (GMA), Jun 2026
Canada's tariff on American whey, from Sept. 8	50%	CBC, Oct 2026

Stack the two CBC numbers and whey concentrate went from 1.00 to 1.60 to about 2.82 times its start-of-2025 price (1.60 × 1.76 = 2.82). Those are ingredient prices that manufacturers pay, not shelf prices for your tub, but they flow downhill. As von Massow put it: "I think your protein drink is probably going to get more expensive and it's likely to stay more expensive for a while."

Is protein powder more expensive in Canada?

It is getting hit twice. CBC reports that Canada imports most of its whey protein concentrate from the U.S., where prices have more than doubled over the past year and a half. Then, on Sept. 8, Ottawa put a 50% counter-tariff on American whey in the trade war.

A protein bar maker in Tecumseh, Ont., told CBC it had to raise prices: "We absorbed as much as we could, but over the last year it's just been impossible." One Canadian shopper summed up the vibe: "I'm trying to find protein in whole foods that I'm eating rather than actually getting products."

Good instinct. Let's see what whole foods actually cost.

What is the cheapest protein per gram right now?

We took the newest official government average prices, matched each food to USDA FoodData Central, and calculated the cost of 25 grams of protein, about one generous serving. The math for each row: price ÷ grams of protein in the package × 25.

U.S. ranking (BLS, September 2026)

Rank	Food	BLS average price	Protein per unit	Cost per 25g protein	Calories per 25g protein
1	Dried beans (USDA: pinto)	$1.67 per lb	97.1g	$0.43	405
2	Milk, low-fat or skim (USDA: 2%)	$3.59 per gallon	128.8g	$0.70	379
3	Eggs, grade A large	$2.27 per dozen	75.6g	$0.75	284
4	Chicken legs, bone-in	$1.74 per lb	54.3g	$0.80	326
5	Milk, whole	$4.11 per gallon	123.0g	$0.83	484
6	Whole chicken	$2.06 per lb	57.4g	$0.90	289
7	Chicken breast, boneless	$4.20 per lb	102.1g	$1.03	133
8	Pork chops, boneless	$4.55 per lb	95.7g	$1.19	238
9	Cheddar cheese	$6.13 per lb	103.9g	$1.48	440
10	Ground beef, 100% beef (USDA: 80/20)	$6.79 per lb	78.0g	$2.18	369
11	Ground beef, lean (USDA: 90/10)	$8.46 per lb	90.7g	$2.33	220
12	Yogurt (USDA: plain low-fat)	$1.58 per 8 oz	11.9g	$3.31	300

Worked example, eggs: a dozen large eggs is 12 × 50g = 600g of edible egg at 12.6g protein per 100g, so 75.6g of protein. Then $2.272 ÷ 75.6 × 25 = $0.75. Chicken legs and whole chickens have USDA's bone weight removed first (27% and 32%).

Beans cost 2.4 times less than chicken breast per gram of protein, and yogurt costs 7.7 times more than beans. Chicken breast is the lean champion: only 133 calories come along with each 25g of protein.

Canada ranking (Statistics Canada, August 2026)

Rank	Food	StatCan average price	Protein per unit	Cost per 25g protein	Calories per 25g protein
1	Dried lentils	C$3.63 per 900g	221.4g	C$0.41	358
2	Dry beans and legumes (USDA: pinto)	C$3.58 per 900g	192.6g	C$0.46	405
3	Peanut butter	C$5.95 per kg	222.0g	C$0.67	673
4	Tofu, firm	C$2.92 per 350g	60.5g	C$1.21	208
5	Milk (USDA: 2%)	C$6.99 per 4 L	136.1g	C$1.28	379
6	Whole chicken	C$7.13 per kg	126.5g	C$1.41	289
7	Block cheese (USDA: cheddar)	C$7.05 per 500g	114.5g	C$1.54	440
8	Eggs	C$4.83 per dozen	75.6g	C$1.60	284
9	Chicken breasts (USDA: boneless)	C$14.41 per kg	225.0g	C$1.60	133
10	Ground beef (USDA: 80/20)	C$16.75 per kg	172.0g	C$2.43	369
11	Yogurt (USDA: plain low-fat)	C$3.94 per 500g	26.2g	C$3.75	300

Lentils win Canada at 41 cents per 25g of protein. Eggs edge out chicken breasts by less than a cent (C$1.597 vs C$1.601). Peanut butter looks like a bargain until you see the 673 calories riding along with that 25g, so treat it as a sidekick, not the main character. Tim Hortons regulars, our Tim Hortons high protein guide has the drive-thru version.

What about Australia? We looked for an official national average grocery price series, like the BLS and StatCan tables, and could not find a current one. Rather than borrow supermarket shelf prices, we left Australia out of the ranking. The formula below works on any Woolies or Coles receipt.

Is protein powder cheaper than chicken?

Sometimes, and less often than it used to be. No government agency publishes an average protein powder price, so we cannot rank it fairly. But you can rank your own tub in 30 seconds:

1. Find servings per container and grams of protein per serving on the label.
2. Multiply them: that is the total protein in the tub.
3. Divide the tub price by total protein, then multiply by 25.

Example with made-up round numbers (not a real product): a $70 tub with 70 servings of 24g protein holds 1,680g of protein. $70 ÷ 1,680 × 25 = $1.04 per 25g. That is basically tied with boneless chicken breast and costs more than twice as much as beans.

Here is the break-even scoreboard, using September 2026 U.S. prices:

To beat...	Your powder must cost under (per 25g protein)	Or under (per 100g protein)
Dried beans	$0.43	$1.72
Low-fat milk	$0.70	$2.79
Eggs	$0.75	$3.01
Boneless chicken breast	$1.03	$4.12

If your powder clears the chicken bar, great: it is convenient, fast and easy to carry, which counts for something. If it does not, you are paying a convenience fee, and that is a fine choice as long as it is a choice.

What are the best protein powder alternatives?

Not powder at all, mostly. On ABC News, medical contributor Dr. Alok Patel called whey "a form of getting complete protein" and said he would suggest people turn to "whole foods instead." Here is a practical way to swap a daily shake:

• The cheap swap: beans or lentils in soups, chili, or bowls. The cheapest protein in both countries, plus fiber. More in high fiber foods.
• The lean swap: chicken breast, cooked in a batch on Sunday. Lowest calories per 25g of protein in either table.
• The breakfast swap: eggs. Four large eggs bring about 25g of protein. See calories in an egg.
• The "I still want a drink" swap: a big glass of milk. Two cups of 2% bring about 16g of protein, and it is the cheapest animal protein in the U.S. table. See calories in milk.
• The plant powder swap: nutritionist Maya Feller told ABC News soy protein can work during a whey shortage because it has "the full amino acid profile." Run it through the same price formula before you switch.

Want ideas between meals? Our high protein snacks list ranks 40 of them by protein per calorie. Eating out? The Fast Food Protein Index has you covered.

How is this different from our cheapest protein foods list?

Our cheapest protein foods ranking is the deep dive: 24 U.S. foods with August 2026 prices, a category breakdown, and a full budget grocery list. This post is the news version: why powder got expensive, the newest September U.S. prices, the first Canadian ranking, and how your tub stacks up. Read both and you are basically a protein economist.

How much protein do you actually need?

It depends on your body, goals and activity. Our protein intake calculator gives you a personal number in seconds, and what 200 grams of protein looks like shows the food on a plate. If you are on a GLP-1 medication, protein on GLP-1 covers the extra considerations, and your doctor or a registered dietitian should set the target with you.

How to hit your protein target in Nouri without the tub

Nouri sets your protein target from your body weight: 1.0 gram per pound by default, or 1.2 grams per pound with Prioritize Protein turned on. Fat stays at 30% of calories and carbs absorb the difference, so your calories do not change.

I built Nouri because tracking was the part I kept quitting. In MyFitnessPal the numbers were fine, but a normal dinner took several minutes to enter, and after a long day I just skipped it. Whole-food protein makes that worse: a scoop is one line, but a pot of lentil chili is five ingredients and a guess. In Nouri you describe it like a person: "a bowl of lentil chili with cheddar and a glass of milk." Type it, say it, snap a photo (Nouri turns it into a sentence first so you can fix it), or use Siri from the lock screen with "Hey Siri, track food in Nouri." You see the protein per item, with reasoning and a confidence rating, and you can add "made with extra beans" to recalculate.

Your Nouri Report then shows your weekly protein average against your target. Turns out you can hit it on beans and eggs, and your wallet will notice. Nouri is iPhone (iOS only).

FAQ

Why is protein powder so expensive in 2026?

Because whey, its main ingredient, is in short supply. Demand from protein-packed snacks and drinks, protein-maxxing and GLP-1 users has outrun production, and whey can only be made as a cheese byproduct. CBC reports whey concentrate rose 60% in 2025 and another 76% by June 2026.

How much have whey protein prices gone up?

CBC reports WPC80 whey concentrate rose 60% in 2025, then another 76% by June 2026. ABC News reported in June that WPC 34% was up about 20% over six months and nearly 83% over two years. These are ingredient prices, so your tub may rise by a different amount.

Will protein powder prices go down?

Nobody can promise that. Food economist Mike von Massow told CBC that protein drinks are likely to "stay more expensive for a while," because whey supply is tied to cheese production and drying capacity.

Why is protein powder more expensive in Canada?

Canada imports most of its whey concentrate from the U.S., where prices more than doubled in a year and a half, according to CBC. Since Sept. 8, 2026, Canada has also charged a 50% counter-tariff on American whey.

Is protein powder cheaper than chicken?

Only if 25g of protein from your tub costs less than $1.03, the cost for boneless chicken breast at September 2026 U.S. average prices. Divide the tub price by total protein (servings × grams per serving) and multiply by 25 to check.

What is the cheapest protein per gram?

Dried beans in the U.S., at $0.43 per 25g of protein (BLS, September 2026). In Canada, dried lentils win at C$0.41 per 25g (Statistics Canada, August 2026).

What is the cheapest animal protein?

In the U.S., low-fat milk at $0.70 per 25g of protein, then eggs at $0.75. In Canada, milk leads at C$1.28 per 25g, then whole chicken at C$1.41.

What can I use instead of protein powder?

Beans, lentils, eggs, milk, chicken and tofu all beat most powders on price. ABC News medical contributor Dr. Alok Patel suggested turning to "whole foods instead," and nutritionist Maya Feller pointed to soy protein as a whey alternative.

Is soy protein a good alternative to whey?

Nutritionist Maya Feller told ABC News soy protein can be a good option during a whey shortage because it has "the full amino acid profile." Price it per 25g of protein with the same formula before you buy.

Do I need protein powder to build muscle?

No. Powder is a convenient way to get protein, not a special one. If whole foods get you to your daily target, you are covered. Our protein intake calculator helps you find that target.

How do I calculate the cost per gram of protein?

Divide the price by the total grams of protein in the package, then multiply by 25 for the cost of a 25g serving. For a dozen U.S. eggs: $2.272 ÷ 75.6g × 25 = $0.75.

What is the easiest way to track protein without protein powder?

Describe your meal in one sentence in Nouri: typed, spoken, as a photo, or with Siri from the lock screen. Nouri breaks it into items with protein for each, and your weekly Nouri Report shows whether your average hit your target.

Whey got expensive, and beans, eggs, milk and chicken did not. Run your tub through the formula, swap where it saves you money, and track the real-food version in Nouri. For the full 24-food U.S. list and a budget grocery plan, see the cheapest protein foods, and for protein per calorie, our high protein foods ranking.

Sources

• Nisha Patel, "Whey up: Protein powder prices soar as global demand grows," CBC News, Oct 6, 2026, cbc.ca (checked Oct 23, 2026)
• Kelly McCarthy and Mason Leath, "What to know about whey protein powder prices, potential shortages and alternatives," ABC News (Good Morning America), Jun 3, 2026, abcnews.com (checked Oct 23, 2026)
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Average Price Data, U.S. city average, September 2026, via the BLS Public Data API, api.bls.gov (checked Oct 23, 2026). Series: dried beans (APU0000714233); milk, low-fat/skim (APU0000FJ1101); eggs (APU0000708111); chicken legs, bone-in (APU0000706212); milk, whole (APU0000709112); whole chicken (APU0000706111); chicken breast, boneless (APU0000FF1101); pork chops, boneless (APU0000704212); cheddar (APU0000710212); ground beef, 100% beef (APU0000703112); ground beef, lean and extra lean (APU0000703113); yogurt (APU0000FJ4101)
• Statistics Canada, Table 18-10-0245-01, Monthly average retail prices for selected products, Canada, August 2026, www150.statcan.gc.ca (checked Oct 23, 2026)
• USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (checked Oct 23, 2026): pinto beans, raw (FDC 175199); lentils, raw (FDC 172420); 2% milk (FDC 171267); whole milk (FDC 171265); egg, whole, raw (FDC 171287); chicken leg, meat and skin, raw (FDC 172378); chicken, meat and skin, raw (FDC 171447); chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw (FDC 171077); pork loin chops, boneless, raw (FDC 168286); cheddar (FDC 173414); ground beef 80/20, raw (FDC 174036); ground beef 90/10, raw (FDC 174030); yogurt, plain, low fat (FDC 170886); peanut butter, smooth (FDC 172470); tofu, firm (FDC 172475)
• Bone (refuse) percentages for chicken legs (27%) and whole chicken (32%): USDA ARS, National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28, ars.usda.gov sr28asc.zip (checked Oct 23, 2026)