How much does Halloween cost per person?

The National Retail Federation's 2025 survey (Prosper Insights, September 2025) puts average Halloween spending at $114.45 per person celebrating, a record, up from $103.63 in 2024. Total U.S. spending was projected at $13.1 billion: $4.3 billion on costumes, $4.2 billion on decorations, $3.9 billion on candy, and $0.7 billion on greeting cards.

How much candy do I need for trick-or-treaters?

Multiply your expected trick-or-treaters by pieces per visitor. At 3 pieces each, 75 visitors need 225 pieces, which is 3 bags of 90 at $14.99 a bag, or $44.97 total, about $0.60 per visitor. Buy one extra bag if your street runs busy: leftover candy keeps, a dark porch does not.

What does the average costume cost?

The NRF does not publish a single average costume price, but its category totals tell the shape: $2.0 billion on adult costumes, $1.4 billion on children's, and $0.86 billion on pet costumes in 2025. This calculator defaults to typical shelf prices of $45 for an adult, $35 for a child, and $20 for a pet. Change them to your receipt: the defaults are starting points, not survey figures.

How does my Halloween compare to the national average?

The verdict stamp compares your per-person total (household total divided by celebrants) to the NRF $114.45 average: under $80 is UNDER THE AVERAGE, $80 to $130 is RIGHT ON THE AVERAGE, $130 to $200 is SPOOKY SPEND, and over $200 is FULL HAUNT. The default household totals $262.97 for 4 celebrants, $65.74 each, which lands UNDER THE AVERAGE.

Is it cheaper to buy Halloween candy in bulk?

Almost always, yes, when the bag price per piece beats the small-bag price. A 90-piece bag at $14.99 costs about $0.17 a piece; a small 30-piece bag at $7.99 costs about $0.27 a piece. The calculator shows your per-piece price so the bulk comparison is visible before you buy.

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Form HW-36 · The Halloween Ledger

Halloween Cost Calculator

Americans will spend a record $13.1 billion on Halloween in 2025, an average of $114.45 per person celebrating, according to the National Retail Federation. Price your own night below: the candy bowl, the costumes, the decorations, the pumpkins, and the party, all on one ledger, checked against that national average.

Source: NRF 2025 Halloween consumer survey (Prosper Insights, September 2025). Costume prices below are typical shelf prices you can edit, not survey figures. The survey's category totals are the benchmark: costumes $4.3B, decorations $4.2B, candy $3.9B, greeting cards $0.7B.

Step 1 — The candy bowl

Trick-or-treaters expected: 75

Pieces per visitor Pieces per bag Price per bag ($)

Step 2 — The costumes

Adults Count Price each ($)

Kids Count Price each ($)

Pets Count Price each ($)

Step 3 — The rest of the night

Decorations ($)

Pumpkins Count Price each ($)

Party guests Guests Cost per guest ($)

Haunted house tickets at $ each People celebrating in your household

THE HALLOWEEN LEDGER

Night total$262.97

Per person$65.74

NRF benchmark, same household$457.80

The itemized ledger

Line item	Cost	Share	National share

Step 4 — The savings plan

Halloween cost questions

How much does Halloween cost per person?: The National Retail Federation's 2025 survey (Prosper Insights, September 2025) puts average Halloween spending at $114.45 per person celebrating, a record, up from $103.63 in 2024. Total U.S. spending was projected at $13.1 billion: $4.3 billion on costumes, $4.2 billion on decorations, $3.9 billion on candy, and $0.7 billion on greeting cards.
How much candy do I need for trick-or-treaters?: Multiply your expected trick-or-treaters by pieces per visitor. At 3 pieces each, 75 visitors need 225 pieces, which is 3 bags of 90 at $14.99 a bag, or $44.97 total, about $0.60 per visitor. Buy one extra bag if your street runs busy: leftover candy keeps, a dark porch does not.
What does the average costume cost?: The NRF does not publish a single average costume price, but its category totals tell the shape: $2.0 billion on adult costumes, $1.4 billion on children's, and $0.86 billion on pet costumes in 2025. This calculator defaults to typical shelf prices of $45 for an adult, $35 for a child, and $20 for a pet. Change them to your receipt: the defaults are starting points, not survey figures.
How does my Halloween compare to the national average?: The verdict stamp compares your per-person total (household total divided by celebrants) to the NRF $114.45 average: under $80 is UNDER THE AVERAGE, $80 to $130 is RIGHT ON THE AVERAGE, $130 to $200 is SPOOKY SPEND, and over $200 is FULL HAUNT. The default household totals $262.97 for 4 celebrants, $65.74 each, which lands UNDER THE AVERAGE.
Is it cheaper to buy Halloween candy in bulk?: Almost always, yes, when the bag price per piece beats the small-bag price. A 90-piece bag at $14.99 costs about $0.17 a piece; a small 30-piece bag at $7.99 costs about $0.27 a piece. The calculator shows your per-piece price so the bulk comparison is visible before you buy.