How much should you pay for weed? It depends on how much you want and partly who you are getting it from. The best part? Cannabis measurements are weird. People use metric and imperial measurement systems interchangeably when talking about quantity measurements of weed, and if you don’t know how much an ounce is, asking for a Q or a lid won’t make any sense. For many people, buying weed is the only time in life when fractions actually matter—making math class a little bit more worthwhile. Then there can be a large difference in the price of marijuana depending on the looks of the buds, the smell, and how well trimmed it is. We are going to help you understand how much you should budgeting for buying cannabis.
With a little experience, some visual cues, and the smell, you can easily digest the wacky world of weed measurements and, most importantly, get the right price for your bud. After all, who wants to think they’re getting a great deal on flower only to find out they bought a gram (AKA enough for a single joint)? Below, we’ll cover cannabis weights and expected prices for weed.
The weight of cannabis flowers is measured in both ounces and grams, which is one of the primary reasons people get confused; fractions and metric dont play nice. Even more confusing is that people will use the gram weight and then convert that into an imperial measurement for resale. Traditionally and globally, cannabis is sold in a 1/8th of an ounce, which is the case for the USA, Africa, Asia, and the EU. Dealers in any country sell 1/8ths. The metric measurement of a 1/8th is 3.5 grams. The exception is the cost of a weed baggie, slang for a small coin bag of marijuana weighing 1 gram.
In bulk or wholesale, cannabis is sold on a per-pound basis. A pound of weed is massive, a whopping 448 grams, which breaks down to the imperial weight of 16 ounces! Weed is sold by producers or growers in pounds to local dispensaries or dealers for a range of prices depending on the quality of the cannabis and how it was grown. But you won’t find a pound of dank for sale at a recreational or medical dispensary. In the old school days, you may have been able to get a football-shaped pound of weed in a turkey bag from your guy, but these days, the only way you’re getting a pound of weed is if you grow it yourself. (And we can help with that!)
The small to mid-sized dealers go to. A quarter pounder, or QP, is a fourth of a pound, or four zips. There is 113.4 grams in a QP, a good seller will bump that up to 115 grams to account for any micro buds or leaf matter. A quarter of a pound is a larger amount of weed and works best for someone who smokes regularly and is selling in 1/8 an OZ to friends. The size of a QP of weed depends on how dense or what the moisture level is, but four or five double handfuls of cannabis is a rough measurement for eyeballing it.
Of cannabis is 28.3 grams. This is usually the largest quantity of flower you can buy legally, and many dispensaries don’t have “full Os” to sell (though this can vary based on medical, recreational, and local regulations). Also called a zip, Oz, O, Full O, or Lid of weed. You can visualize a full ounce in a sandwich-sized ziplock baggie; it will be 1/2 a bag to a full bag, depending on how dense the buds are.
A good dealer will sell an OZ as 28.5 grams to take into account bud loss from leaves falling off and leaving the seller with enough weed to pay for his stash if he sells 1/2 of the oz. For heavy users an OZ will last a few weeks at or a month.
A half is short for half an ounce, and it’s 14 grams. This is often the largest pack of flowers for sale in recreational dispensaries. If you went to a guy on the street to get a half, you’re likely to get a half sandwich bag full of weed. Also called a “half zip” or a half-O, a half is getting into bulk sizes of weed bags.
A quarter ounce, or 7 grams (roughly), is a Q for short. Getting a Q is economical for getting more weed at once without committing to a half or an O of one strain. Or even better, get some variety and get two different strains.
1/8th is 3.5 grams or an eighth of an ounce. This is the most popular of the weed weights that recreational cannabis consumers and medical patients buy at dispensaries. It is great for trying new strains and for people who smoke a few times a week. Depending on the size of the nugs in the package, an eighth ounce may have two, four, or six nugs. Also called a slice, cut, eift, or an E.
This is the smallest amount of marijuana flower you can buy and is usually just one nug. Also called a “g” or, in the legacy market, “a dime bag,” as a gram of weed usually worked out to about $10. A gram is a good size for trying a new strain or for someone who doesn’t smoke often.
Concentrates and oils are also sold in grams, but a gram of shatter looks a lot different than a gram of bud, so you’ll want to ask your budtender to walk you through it.
Looking for the best deals on marijuana prices? Understanding the average cost of weed is key to knowing if you are getting a good deal. The national average for an ounce of high-quality cannabis sits around $320, according to the data.
While mid-quality averages approximately $256. You’ll find the cheapest prices in mature legal markets like Oregon and Washington, where an ounce of high-quality flower can be as low as $210. Conversely, states with newer or more restrictive markets, or where it remains illegal, often see higher costs.
Smart consumers search for localized prices use tools like a weed price calculator to find the most affordable dispensary deals nearby. But ultimately, as the saying goes, the nose knows. Always smell your cannabis if you can before purchasing it.
| Imperial Measurement | Metric Measurement | Price Range |
|---|---|---|
|
Baggie |
1 gram |
$10 |
|
Eighth (1/8 oz) |
3.5 grams |
$30 to $65 |
|
Quarter (1/4 oz) |
7 grams |
$80 to $140 |
|
Half (1/2 oz) |
14 grams |
$180 to $240 |
|
Ounce (1oz) |
28.5 grams |
$240 to $480 |
|
1 Pound |
448 grams |
$900 to $3500 |
How much you’ll pay for weed depends most heavily on your location. Are you in a fully legal adult-use state, a medical state, or a prohibition state? If you don’t live somewhere where marijuana is legal, you can expect to pay more for it. How close you are to a US state or other country where the plant is legal also affects the price. Location is everything, but the cannabinoid content also affects the cost.
There can be massive fluctuations in weed costs depending on where you live and whether or not you are interested in medium-quality or high quality marijuana. Despite this, there is a range you can generally expect to pay for an eighth, a Q, or a half.
A good deal on a gram is $10 – $15, although in some legal states taxes and fees are so high you may pay as much as $20 – $25 for a single gram.
A good deal on an eighth is anywhere from $20 – $35 but you won’t find those kinds of prices everywhere. In many legal states, you’ll see them priced slightly higher, between $35 and $50. Some eighths can even go as high as $75, but that’s not a good deal (so it better be high-quality weed!)
You can expect to pay anywhere from $50 – $100 for a quarter. You may see some Q prices above $100 but buyer be warned – that’s not a good deal! Qs aren’t available for sale in every dispensary because some producers favor eighths and halves.
Once you get into bulk sizes for cannabis flower, the prices start to get a little more economical (a little!) You can expect to pay anywhere from $90 – $175 for a half oz depending on where you are. $100 for a half-ounce is a great deal no matter where you’re buying it from.
An ounce can be a lot of marijuana, but buying this much at once could save you money long-term (like buying paper towels at Costco.) You can typically expect to pay between $180 – $300 for an ounce of weed, depending on the flower strain and where you’re buying it.
Wholesale cannabis prices are highly volatile and vary significantly based on location, quality, and cultivation method.As of early to mid-2024, the national average price for a pound of legal cannabis flower in the U.S. was generally around $1,000 to $3000.
However, this national average masks a wide range of prices across different markets.
State-by-State Variation: Wholesale prices vary dramatically by state, even for similar products. For instance, in early 2024:
The wholesale price of cannabis is influenced by several critical factors:
Market Maturity and Competition: In older, more saturated markets like California, Oregon, and Colorado, high competition and oversupply have pushed prices down significantly. Newer markets, like Maryland or Illinois, often have fewer cultivators, leading to higher prices.
State Regulations and Taxation: Restrictive state-level regulations and high taxes can limit supply or increase the cost of compliance, leading to higher wholesale prices. The federal prohibition on interstate commerce means each state is a disconnected, regional market, amplifying price differences.
In marijuana measurements, a zip is an ounce of weed, or 28.5 grams. Depending on location, quality, and THC content, a zip of weed costs anywhere from $180 upwards of $300.
Pre-rolls are often more expensive per gram than buying flower in bulk, but they offer convenience and a way to try different strains without a large commitment. They can cost $12 to $50+ each because of the added labor is making and packaging the joints.
A dub is a slang term from the legacy cannabis market that refers to a $20 bag of marijuana. A dub typically contains around two grams of weed but this can vary. Like dime bags, you won’t often see a dub sack in recreational use markets – they’re an old-school measurement. Unchanged: A dub is a slang term from the legacy cannabis market that refers to a $20 bag of marijuana. A dub typically contains around two grams of weed but this can vary. Like dime bags, you won’t often see a dub sack in recreational use markets – they’re an old-school measurement.
The purchase limit on weed size depends on where you live, but is generally 0.5 – 3 ounces in recreational markets. Many states cap you at one ounce a day, but there are a few outliers that allow for more. (In New York, consumers can buy up to 3 ounces of cannabis flower at once.)
Prices are affected by several major factors: Taxes and Regulations (often the biggest cost factor), Quality and Potency (premium strains with high THC/CBD cost more), Cultivation Method (indoor-grown is usually more expensive than outdoor/greenhouse), Location (prices are higher in areas with fewer dispensaries or higher operating costs), and Supply and Demand. An “eighth” (81 oz or 3.5 grams) typically costs between $25 and $65 or more, depending on the quality (strain, potency, etc.).
Growing it yourself is defiantly going to save the most. Growing weed outside is almost free and it is an easy plant to grow. The next best is buying it in larger quantities. That can reduce your cost per gram, and the added bounis is you have extra to sell to your friends at a small profit you can easily break even.
An “eighth” (81 oz or 3.5 grams) typically costs between $25 and $65 or more, depending on the quality (strain, potency, etc.).
Yes. In many states, yes. Medical marijuana (MMJ) patients often benefit from lower tax rates or exemptions compared to recreational customers, which can result in considerable savings over time.
A gram of weed is the smallest amount you can buy from a dispensary. Depending on the size, it may contain one larger nug or a few smaller ones. One gram is enough for two small joints or a few bowl packs. One gram is a great option to buy when you want to try a new strain or are new to smoking. For reference, most pre-rolls are sold in 1/2-gram and 1-gram sizes.
