💰 Party Budget Per Guest Calculator

Calculate your budget per guest from a total budget, or work out your total budget from a per-guest target.

One division, held against every line item

budget per guest = total budget / number of guests

The defaults divide $500 across 40 guests and return $12.50 a head. Change either box and the figure updates as you type. Guest counts below 1 are treated as 1, so the per-guest number never blows up to infinity on an empty field.

The page divides only. To go the other way - a per-guest target into a total - multiply yourself: 40 guests at a $15 target is a $600 budget.

What the per-head figure has to cover

A workable split of a food-and-drink party budget is half to food, a quarter to drink, and the rest to ice, cups, plates and decoration. At $12.50 a head that is $6.25, $3.13 and $3.12. Typical totals:

EventPer guest
Potluck, host covers drinks and supplies$5 - $8
Backyard BBQ with a bar$12 - $18
Cocktail party, passed food$20 - $30
Catered sit-down dinner$40 - $75
Per-head averages hide the fixed costs. Venue hire, a rented marquee or a $150 cake do not shrink when four people cancel, so at small guest counts they dominate the number. Subtract fixed costs from the total first, then divide what is left, and you get a per-guest figure that actually moves with the headcount.

Frequently asked questions

How much should I budget per person for a party?

Around $12 to $18 a head covers a backyard party with food and a bar, $20 to $30 a cocktail party, and $40 upward once a caterer plates a dinner. Under $8 you are planning a potluck.

What is the per-guest budget for $500 and 40 guests?

$12.50 each. Split the usual way that is $6.25 of food, $3.13 of drink and $3.12 for ice, plates and everything else.

Do children count as full guests in the budget?

Count a child as roughly half an adult on food and nothing on alcohol. Ten children in a 40-guest list means you are really catering for about 35, which is a few dollars a head back.