Are Hydroponics Expensive? Pricing Chart Included

A lot of people are very money conscious, and for some of us, it’s part of the reason we got into gardening. 

Growing your own food is a great way to save money AND have natural, healthy foods. 

Hydroponic systems are a great way to take your gardening indoors or save space, but a lot of people say it costs too much.

I wanted to share what I’ve learned and researched on this topic with you. So let’s answer the question: Are hydroponics expensive?

Hydroponics isn’t expensive in the long run, though the upfront cost will be anywhere from $200-500. After buying the initial system and tools, it runs very cheap, with the nutrients costing less than $100 per year and no real repeat costs to keep it going. 

There’s a lot of wiggle in the exact cost, but the general trend holds true: Hydroponics is cheaper than traditional farming in the long run but more expensive at first. 

Let’s break down the costs below. 

Hydroponics Pricing Chart

Here is a handy chart to use to help you determine the average price of running hydroponics. 

The high cost is upfront with the system. After this, it’s all quite affordable. 

Keep in mind, this is average, and the price will change a lot depending on the size of your hydroponic farm. 

For the purposes of this chart, we’ll assume you’re an average person using two medium-sized hydroponic containers, such as those we talk about in our guide for how AeroGardens work.

Item	Average Cost	Type Of Cost
Hydroponic system	$250-300	One-time
Container*	$25	One-time
Hydroponic reservoir*	$25	One-time
Water pump*	$25	One-time
Air pump*	$50	One-time
Nutrient solution	$40	3-6 months**
Growing medium	<$15	Per yield
Light source	$15-50	One-time
Plants/seeds	<$15	Per yield

*If you buy a whole system, each of these will be wrapped up in the system’s cost. If you piece them together, then you’ll be able to save money overall, but it’ll take more work.

**It depends on how many plants you have.  

Hydroponics Cost Breakdown

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Hydroponic System (All In One Place)

The system is the most expensive part, but its cost is all one-time. Once you buy it, that expense is over.

There is a lot of variety in the systems out there, and most of them will take care of everything for you. 

AeroGarden is one of the most popular options out there, and it’s the one we use at home. 

For a good middle-of-the-road size option, take a look at the AeroGarden Harvest on Amazon. 

It fits 6 medium-sized plants and is very hands-off. Set it up, and let it grow. 

The cost varies wildly depending on sales and the size of your system. The average person will end up spending between $250-300 on their hydroponic systems for two medium-sized products or one large one. 

If you don’t buy a system, it’s possible to set up your own. The next few sections will talk about what you’d need and how much it may cost. 

Container (Unbundled)

If not using a premade system, you’ll need a container to hold onto the plants and let them grow. 

Some people go simple and save money with small plants using a mason jar. 

Read more about mason jar hydroponics in our guide here. 

Whatever you use, glass is usually the best, but safe plastics will work too. 

Check out our guide to safe plastics for hydroponics. 

If you don’t already have something at home to work as the container, pick something up for $25 or under. 

Hydroponic Reservoir (Unbundled)

Similar to the plant container, you’ll also need a hydroponic reservoir to hold onto the nutrient water solution. 

This doesn’t need to be fancy, either. Make sure it holds enough water for your plants, though. 

Here is the rule for how much water you’ll need to keep: 

• Large plants need at least 2.5 gallons
• Medium plants need at least 1.5 gallons
• Small plants need at least 0.5 gallons

Use something you already have at home or buy something for under $25. 

Check out these DIY hydroponic solution ideas. 

Water Pump (Unbundled)

If making your own system, you’ll need a water pump to circulate the water from your reservoir to the plants. 

It doesn’t need to be fancy, but it needs to have enough power to move the water. 

Hydrofarm makes a series of water pumps specifically for growing plants at an affordable price. 

It ranges from $25-100, depending on the size you need. 

Air Pump (Unbundled)

An air pump is needed to oxygenate the water. Plants need oxygen too, and the bubbles will keep the water giving the plants what they need to survive. 

It doesn’t take much, and many hydroponic gardeners will use aquarium air pumps for bubbles too. 

For a quality one, we like the Vivohome air pump. 

Whatever you get, expect to spend $15-50 depending on what you want. 

Nutrient Solution

A nutrient solution is a must if you’re using hydroponics, and it’s one of the only recurring costs. 

The amount you’ll need and how fast you go through it depends on how many plants you have. 

The official recommendation is to change the water with a fresh solution every 7-10 days. 

There are a lot of options out there, and most of them are just fine. 

We stick with AeroGarden’s liquid nutrients (check it out on Amazon) even on our homemade systems. 

It’s just a quality product, and plants grow so well with it. 

This contains 32 ounces, and AeroGarden says it has over 100 feedings (if you use it on only a few plants).

If this were true, it’d be fine for 100 weeks or 2 years of use! 

In our experience, most people go through it in 3-6 months, depending on how much they use. Sometimes they go for a whole year and sometimes it’s one month. It all depends on how much you have. 

Regardless of the exact solution, expect to pay somewhere between $25-50 every 3 months or so.

Growing Medium

Each plant needs to grow in something; the most common is Rockwool. 

It’s cheap, and for around $10, you get a ton of cubes for many plants. 

You’ll need to replace it eventually, but honestly, it’s so affordable, I don’t even count it as part of the cost of hydroponics. 

Light Source

If your plants aren’t in a window or outside, they’ll need some UVB to help them out. 

Premade hydroponic systems may or may not already take care of this. It’s hit or miss. 

If it doesn’t, there are small ones out there for around $15 and bigger comprehensive ones for around $100 or more. 

Look through this category on Amazon for what you need and what you’re willing to spend. 

Plants/Seeds

You’ll need seeds or plant starters to get things going too. 

If you buy the premade seed pods, they’ll cost a bit more, but even we don’t recommend that. 

It’s best to start your own with Rockwool or some other medium. 

When you do this, you get just as good (or even better) results for pennies. 

Go to your local Home Depot or greenery for seeds at a low cost, and it’ll last you a long time.