How much is a yard of concrete? (delivered, 2026)
Delivered ready-mix concrete costs about $125 to $175 per cubic yard in the United States in 2026, $150 being a fair middle figure. That is the price for a full load: a single yard also carries a short-load fee, so one yard delivered comes to about $225 at the middle price, while five yards is $750, and the same yard in 45 bags of 80 lb is $315.
Open the concrete cost calculator
Delivered cost by load size
The table prices each load at the low, middle and high of the 2026 range. Loads under 5 yards include the calculator's short-load fee of $75; larger loads pay the per-yard price only. Delivery within the plant's radius is taken as included, which is the common arrangement.
| Load | Short-load fee | At $125/yd | At $150/yd | At $175/yd |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cu yd | $75 | $200 | $225 | $250 |
| 1.5 cu yd | $75 | $263 | $300 | $338 |
| 2 cu yd | $75 | $325 | $375 | $425 |
| 3 cu yd | $75 | $450 | $525 | $600 |
| 4 cu yd | $75 | $575 | $675 | $775 |
| 5 cu yd | — | $625 | $750 | $875 |
| 6 cu yd | — | $750 | $900 | $1,050 |
| 8 cu yd | — | $1,000 | $1,200 | $1,400 |
| 10 cu yd | — | $1,250 | $1,500 | $1,750 |
Where the money goes
A yard of concrete is about two tons of sand, stone, cement and water, batched at the plant and driven to you in a truck that has to be back within about 90 minutes. The per-yard price pays for the materials and that trip. The extras on the invoice are the ones the concrete cost calculator lets you type in:
- Short-load fee. The truck costs the plant the same to send whether it carries 2 yards or 10, so orders under the minimum (3 to 5 yards) pay a flat $50 to $100, or $15 to $30 for every yard short.
- Delivery or fuel charge. Usually nothing within 10 to 20 miles of the plant, then a mileage charge.
- Waiting time. Unloading is free for a set number of minutes per yard; after that the meter runs. Have the forms ready and enough hands on site.
- Mix upgrades. Higher strength, fibre, colour, air entrainment and accelerators are each priced per yard on top.
The same concrete in bags
Bagged mix works out at about twice the price per yard of a delivered truck, so bags only compete on the smallest pours, where the short-load fee is spread over very little concrete: at these prices the truck is cheaper from about 0.5 cubic yards. The table uses 80 lb bag (0.60 cu ft) at $7 a bag against the delivered price above, both with the calculator's defaults.
| Concrete | 80 lb bags | Bags cost | Truck delivered | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.25 cu yd | 12 | $84 | $113 | Bags |
| 0.5 cu yd | 23 | $161 | $150 | Truck |
| 0.75 cu yd | 34 | $238 | $188 | Truck |
| 1 cu yd | 45 | $315 | $225 | Truck |
| 1.5 cu yd | 68 | $476 | $300 | Truck |
| 2 cu yd | 90 | $630 | $375 | Truck |
Bags also cost time: 45 bags is a day with a rented mixer for two people, and a slab poured in batches over several hours can show cold joints. Where bags still win is access: a truck that cannot reach the forms means a pump or barrows, and for a few post holes or a repair nobody orders a truck. The bags per cubic yard guide has the counts for every bag size.
Metric: price per cubic metre
A cubic yard is 0.765 cubic metres, so a per-yard price converts to a higher per-metre figure: $150 per yard is about $196 per cubic metre. Plants outside the US quote per m³ directly and sell in quarter or half metre steps; switch the calculator to metric and enter that quote.
Before you order
- Work out the volume with 10% waste in the concrete calculator and round up to the plant's step; running short mid-pour costs a second short load.
- Ask for the minimum load, the short-load fee and the free unloading time when you get the quote; they change the total more than the per-yard price does on a small job.
- Confirm the truck can reach the forms. If it cannot, a pump or barrows are extra and the waiting time starts sooner.
Frequently asked questions
- How much is a yard of concrete delivered?
- About $200 to $250 for a single yard in 2026: the per-yard price of $125 to $175 plus a short-load fee of around $75 because one yard is under the plant's minimum. Order the minimum load, usually 3 to 5 yards, and the fee disappears.
- How much is concrete per yard without delivery?
- The per-yard price already includes delivery within the plant's normal radius, commonly 10 to 20 miles. Beyond that most plants add a mileage or fuel charge, and some charge a flat delivery fee on every order; put it in the delivery field of the calculator and it is added to the total.
- How many 80 lb bags make a yard of concrete?
- 45. An 80 lb bag yields 0.60 cubic feet and a yard is 27 cubic feet. At $7 a bag that is $315 for a yard, before the mixer hire and a day of work, against $225 delivered.
- How much does a yard of concrete cover?
- 81 square feet at 4 inches thick, 65 square feet at 5 inches and 54 square feet at 6 inches, before any waste allowance. A 10 x 10 ft slab at 4 inches is 1.23 cubic yards before waste.
- What changes the price per yard?
- The mix strength (3,000 psi is the usual residential grade; 4,000 and 5,000 psi cost more), additives such as fibre or accelerators, air entrainment for freeze-thaw climates, the distance from the plant, Saturday delivery, and waiting time on site beyond the free unloading window, typically billed per minute.
- Is it cheaper to order concrete in bulk?
- Per yard, yes: the price per yard is the same, but the short-load fee is spread over nothing once you reach the minimum load. Ten yards at $150 is $1,500, exactly ten times the per-yard price, while one yard costs $225 because of the fee.
More guides
- How much does a concrete slab cost? (10x10 to 24x30)
Material cost of 10x10 to 24x30 ft slabs at 4 and 6 inches: cubic yards with waste, ready-mix delivered with fees, the same job in 80 lb bags, and cost per square foot.
- How much does a concrete driveway cost? (concrete only)
Ready-mix cost for single and double driveways from 10x20 to 24x40 ft at 4, 5 and 6 inches, cost per square foot, why bags do not work, and what else is on the bill.
- How much does a cinder block garage cost? (blocks, mortar, grout and slab for 1, 2 and 3 car)
Blocks, mortar and grout for 1 to 3 car block garages, 12x20 to 36x24 ft, 8 ft walls, doors and windows taken off, plus the 4 in slab, at 2026 prices.
- How much does a ton of gravel cover? (at 2, 3 and 4 inches, by stone)
A ton of 3/4 in crushed stone is 0.79 cubic yards: about 85 sq ft at 3 in, 128 at 2 in, 64 at 4 in. Coverage by stone, tons for 100 to 1,000 sq ft, price.
Last updated 2026-09-14. Figures are planning estimates from typical product data: check the yield, size or coverage printed on what you buy and round up.