Protein Sources Compared: What Do 20 Grams of Protein Really Cost?
The 30-second answer
The most important number for protein shopping is printed on no package: the price per 20 grams of protein. Calculated that way, the same candidates win almost everywhere — low-fat quark, eggs, skyr, legumes and bulk chicken — while "high protein" branded products and bars often cost double to many times more. Plant sources are usually cheapest per gram but need slightly larger portions and smart combining to match the effect.
The key points at a glance
| Area | Evidence | Statement |
|---|---|---|
| Price per protein as a shopping compass | B | Switching your shopping logic from "price per package" to "price per 20 g protein" is the simplest money lever for people who train — it exposes marketing products more reliably than any ingredient list. |
| Total amount beats timing and brand | A | The meta-analysis by Morton and colleagues shows: for muscle building, the daily total matters most (benefit rising up to ~1.6 g/kg body weight). Which affordable source it comes from is secondary. |
| Animal vs. plant | B | Animal sources act somewhat more strongly on muscle protein synthesis per gram (more leucine, better digestibility). Plant sources close that gap almost entirely through slightly bigger portions and smart combining — the difference is real but small in everyday life. |
| "Expensive = better supplied" | — | Honest no: a "high protein" pudding delivers the same milk protein as the quark next to it — frequently at several times the protein price. The surcharge buys convenience and marketing, not better effect. |
Evidence grades: A = strongly supported · B = supported in the right context · C = emerging/mixed evidence · D = experimental · — = no proven benefit. Quoted statements with a regulation number are officially reviewed health claims authorised by the EU — we use only those.
The calculation packages never show
The three-second maths: package price ÷ protein content × 20. An example with typical discount-store magnitudes (as of August 2026 — prices vary by shop and region; the point is the ratio, not the cents): 500 g of low-fat quark with ~60 g protein for about 1 € works out to roughly 0.35 € per 20 g of protein. A single-serve "high protein" pudding with 20 g protein often costs over 1 € — three to four times as much for the same milk protein. A branded protein bar usually sits well above that again.
The rough ranking this calculation produces almost everywhere: dried legumes and oats out front (well under 0.50 € per 20 g), closely followed by quark, eggs, skyr, milk and bulk chicken; solid whey powder lands mid-field (cheaper than its reputation); fish, beef, ready-to-drink shakes and bars form the expensive end. Run your own staples through it once — the surprises almost always sit in the "fitness" aisle.
The quality question: animal vs. plant, honestly
Protein is not exactly protein: animal sources (dairy, eggs, meat, fish) contain more of the key amino acid leucine and are usually more digestible — per gram they trigger a somewhat stronger muscle protein synthesis response, as comparison studies show. That is the true core of the "animal is better" argument.
The equally true remainder: the difference can be almost fully compensated — through slightly larger plant portions and combining different sources (the classics: legumes + grains, e.g. lentils with rice, or pea plus rice protein in powders). A recent review (2025) confirms this for combined plant protein blends: from around 30 g with roughly 2.5 g of leucine, they stimulate muscle building comparably to whey protein. Reach the daily total (training guideline: 1.2–1.6 g/kg, details in the protein guide) and you build muscle on a fully plant-based diet too. The price maths even favours the plants: lentils, beans and tofu are among the cheapest protein sources per gram anywhere — only B12 must be supplemented on a fully plant-based diet (here is why).
Where convenience is worth its price — and where not
- Fairly paid: whey powder as a time saver (mid-field of the price list; buy large bags, not small tubs), skyr/quark as spoon-ready base, bulk frozen chicken.
- Usually overpriced: "high protein" versions of pudding, ice cream, muesli and bread (the original plus an egg is almost always cheaper), ready-to-drink shakes (you pay for water and bottle), most bars — more on those in a dedicated check.
- The 80/20 solution: base supply from the cheap dairy-aisle and pantry sources, convenience reserved for moments where otherwise no protein would happen at all (on the road, travel days). What that looks like in the morning: protein breakfast; how it survives the week: meal prep.
One limit to close: with kidney disease, protein amounts belong in medical coordination — the recommendations here are for healthy people.
Sources
- 1. Morton et al. — Protein supplementation and resistance training: meta-analysis on daily totals (BJSM 2018) — Accessed on: 2026-08-21
- 2. Phillips — The impact of protein quality on resistance exercise-induced changes in muscle mass (Nutr Metab 2016) — Accessed on: 2026-08-21
- 3. van Vliet et al. — Skeletal muscle anabolic response to plant- versus animal-based protein (J Nutr 2015) — Accessed on: 2026-08-21
- 4. Review (2025) — plant protein blends (≥30 g, ~2.5 g leucine) comparable to whey protein — Accessed on: 2026-08-26
Dietary supplements are not a substitute for a balanced, varied diet and a healthy lifestyle. This article is for information purposes only and does not replace medical advice.