INTERIOR PAINTING COST CALCULATOR
Professional interior painting usually runs about $1.50–$6.75 per square foot of painted surface, depending on scope, or about $1,500–$6,500 for a whole home. Enter your rooms, paint grade and labor rate below for a materials-and-labor breakdown.
INTERIOR PAINTING COST CALCULATOR
Pre-filled with 3 rooms. Adjust dimensions, paint quality, and labor rate below.
ROOMS (3)
PROJECT OPTIONS
ESTIMATED TOTAL
$1,727
$1.58 per sq ft · 1,090 sq ft total
$453
$1,274
YOUR ESTIMATE VS TYPICAL RANGE
Below Typical Range
Your estimate is below the typical range PaintDeck uses for interior repaints. Double-check that labor rates and prep work are realistic for your area.
Your Cost/sqft
$1.58
Typical mid
$3.75
WHAT IS AN INTERIOR PAINTING COST CALCULATOR?
An interior painting cost calculator estimates the total price of painting rooms inside your home or commercial space. It accounts for room dimensions, number of doors and windows (which reduce paintable area), paint quality, number of coats, labor rates, and prep work to produce a realistic cost breakdown — split between materials and labor.
Whether you're a homeowner budgeting a repaint or a painting contractor building estimates, this calculator gives you a starting point built on the typical cost ranges in the benchmarks below. Contractors who quote every week can compare the apps that turn these numbers into a sent bid in our painting estimating software guide.
HOW TO USE THIS CALCULATOR
Add your rooms
Enter the length, width, and ceiling height for each room. Include door and window counts — the calculator subtracts these from paintable area.
Choose paint quality
Economy paint runs ~$25/gallon while ultra-premium can hit $90/gallon. Mid-grade ($45/gal) is the industry standard for most residential work.
Set your labor rate
Professional painters charge $35–$75/hour depending on region and experience; most suburban markets sit near the middle of that range.
Review your estimate
See a full breakdown of material costs, labor costs, and your cost per square foot compared to a typical range.
For scale: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts median pay for painters (construction and maintenance) at $23.75 an hour (May 2025). The $50 default is a billed contractor rate, which adds overhead, insurance and profit.
TYPICAL INTERIOR PAINTING COSTS
Typical professional interior painting runs roughly $1.50 – $6.75 per sq ft, depending on scope. Here's a quick reference:
| SCOPE | LOW | AVERAGE | HIGH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walls only | $1.50 | $2.75 | $4.00 |
| Walls + ceiling | $2.50 | $3.75 | $5.00 |
| Walls + ceiling + trim | $3.00 | $4.70 | $6.75 |
| Full interior (avg home) | $1,500 | $3,500 | $6,500 |
Costs vary by region, paint brand, and prep complexity. Learn more in our complete guide to house painting costs.
TIPS TO REDUCE INTERIOR PAINTING COSTS
DIY the prep work
Moving furniture, taping edges, and filling nail holes yourself can save 15-25% on labor. See our guide on how to paint a room.
Choose the right sheen
Eggshell and satin finishes hide imperfections better than semi-gloss, reducing the need for extensive wall prep.
Buy paint + primer in one
Self-priming paints eliminate a separate primer coat, saving $25-$35 per gallon and cutting labor hours.
Don't skip prep
Skipping patching and sanding leads to poor adhesion, peeling, and repainting sooner. Prep saves money long-term.