Are daily contacts more expensive?

Yes, daily contacts usually cost more over a full year than monthly contacts. How much more? That depends. Your brand and prescription set the price, how often you wear lenses can shift the total, and insurance and discounts shrink whatever's left.

Lots of people are happy to pay a little more for dailies anyway. You get a new pair every morning and skip cleaning forever (yes, forever), plus no more foraging around in the bottom of your gym bag for a lens case. Keep reading to get all the tea on how much dailies cost and how to pay less without putting your precious peepers at risk of harm.

What drives the total cost of daily contacts?

The big three cost drivers for dailies are usage, prescription, and how much you can shave off with insurance and discounts. First, a quick look at daily, monthly, and biweekly contacts.

Daily contacts: single-use lenses

Daily contacts are made to be worn once and tossed in the trash, so wearing them full-time means opening a fresh pair every day. The upside is that your lens case gets to take early retirement. 

Monthly contacts: reusable lenses with care costs

Monthly contacts get reused for about 30 days, so you buy way fewer lenses than a dailies person. The trade is a nightly chore (“I love scrubbing lenses at midnight,” said no one ever), and you have to remember to stay stocked up on solution and cases. Take care of them and they're a great deal.

How much are daily contacts?

Most 30-packs cost between $25 and $82, based on our pricing. Worn every day, you’re looking at roughly $600 to $1,968 a year before insurance or savings.

Oh, and about that 30-pack. It lasts 15 days, because each day uses one lens per eye (math, always ruining things). Lenses for astigmatism (torics) and near-plus-far lenses (multifocals) cost more, and part-time wearers pay way less. Our guide on how much contacts cost has all the details.

Are daily contacts more expensive than monthly contacts?

For everyday wear, dailies are usually more expensive than monthlies. But they mean you can skip forking out cash on the solution and cases, so the real question is, “What does a whole year cost?”

Dailies often win for once-in-a-while wearers, while monthly disposable contacts take the crown for everyday wearers who stick to the cleaning routine. Anyone who says one type wins for everybody is selling something. (We sell both, so we can say that.)

Why daily contacts can cost more

Daily contacts can cost more because you replace them after every wear, so you buy a lot more lenses than a monthly wearer. The price also reflects brand, material, prescription, and the sweet, sweet freedom of never cleaning a lens.

Lens quantity and replacement frequency

A full-time daily wearer can go through 700-plus lenses a year (there should be some kind of eye care loyalty card for that!). A monthly wearer needs about 24. That number explains the price gap in one fell swoop.

Brand, material, and prescription complexity

The brand, lens material, and prescription type all change the price too. Specialty lenses, like torics and multifocals, usually cost more than standard ones.

When daily contacts may be worth the extra cost

Daily contacts may be worth the extra cost if comfort, convenience, travel, or skipping the nightly cleanup carries more weight than scoring the lowest price. The right pick is between you, your eyes, and your eye care professional.

Occasional or part-time wear changes the math

Are daily contacts worth it for occasional use? Yes, very often. If your contacts only come out for games, trips, or big nights, you only pay for the days you wear them. One box can last months, and you never buy solution for lenses you barely wear.

Monthlies for budget-focused full-time wearers

Now flip it. If your contacts go in at 7 a.m. and come out at midnight, monthlies usually give you the lowest lens bill, as long as you keep up with the cleaning (the lenses won't clean themselves, sadly).

Ways to make daily contacts more affordable

There are several ways to pay less:

• Vision insurance and FSA or HSA money

• Coupons and promo codes

• Buying more boxes at once (lower price per box)

• Asking Mom to buy lenses as your birthday gift

The only trick to skip is wearing daily lenses twice. 

Use insurance and FSA/HSA funds

Are daily contacts covered by insurance? Often, yes. Many vision plans chip in for lenses, but every plan has its own rules about exams, fittings, and lenses (insurance wouldn't be insurance without them). You can use vision insurance for contacts and use FSA or HSA funds on contacts.

Look for bulk savings, coupons, and best-price options

Buying a bigger supply usually drops the price per box and saves you from that last-pair morning panic. Deals change all the time, so take a peek at today's contact lens coupons and promo codes before you order. Spot a lower price elsewhere? Our best-price guarantee has your back.

Can you reuse daily contacts to save money?

No. Daily disposable contacts should never be reused to save money. A daily lens can't handle cleaning or a night in a case, and wearing it twice raises your risk of sore or infected eyes. Follow the schedule and your eye care professional's instructions. New day, new lens, happy eyes.

Switching from monthly to daily contacts safely

You can often switch from monthly to daily contacts, but you need the right prescription first. A prescription spells out the brand, fit, material, power, and replacement schedule, so your monthly one doesn't cover dailies on its own. Find an eye care professional near you, then here's how to order contacts online (we'll check the prescription for you).

The bottom line on daily contact lens cost

Dailies usually cost more for a year of wear, and lots of people find them worth every penny. Add up both sides (lenses, solution, cases) and think about what your mornings are worth. Your eye care professional can help you pick.

Find the same brand of daily disposable contacts your eye care professional prescribed right here. It only takes a few minutes. Questions at 2 a.m.? Real people, real answers, 24-7.

Did you know you can order contacts online? 

Say goodbye to trips to the eye doctor and hello to convenience! With 1-800 Contacts, you can easily order your contact lenses online and have them delivered straight to your door. Plus, our online vision exam makes it simple to get the prescription you need without leaving home. And the best part? You’ll save money on your first order with 1-800 Contacts. It’s never been easier to get your contacts!

FAQs

Are daily contacts safe to wear overnight?

No. Dailies aren't made for sleeping. Your eyes need oxygen overnight, and a lens gets in the way. Whatever time bedtime happens, the lenses get put to bed (in the trash) first.

How many hours can you wear daily contacts?

There's no set number. Lots of people wear dailies comfortably from morning to night. Go with what your eye care professional says, and if your eyes feel dry during the day, take the lenses out early.

How much more expensive are daily contacts than monthly contacts?

For everyday wear, plan on a few hundred dollars more per year minus what you'd have spent on solution and cases. For once-in-a-while wearers, dailies often end up cheaper.

Original publish date: 4/22/2024

Updated date: 7/21/2026