How much does a gram of carbohydrates really cost? The comparison
The price displayed on a bag tells you almost nothing. A $45 bag may contain 10 servings, another at $70 contains 14, and the servings do not have the same amount of carbohydrates. To compare honestly, you have to bring everything back to the same figure: how much does a gram of carbohydrates cost. That's what we've done here, including for our own product.
The method
The calculation is simple: price of the format ÷ (number of servings × carbohydrates per serving). You get a cost in cents per gram of carbohydrates, which can then be converted into a cost per hour of effort.
The prices below are the regular prices displayed on October 7, 2026, on Canadian websites, before taxes and shipping. They change often: redo the calculation before buying. This comparison focuses on a selection of products; it does not cover everything sold in Canada.
The comparison
| Product (format) | Price | Carbohydrates in the format | Cost per gram | Cost at 60 g/h |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELIXYR Endurance Fuel (25 servings) | $39.99 | 750 g | 5.3¢ | $3.20 |
| Maurten Drink Mix 320 (14 sachets) | $70.99 | approx. 1,120 g | 6.3¢ | $3.80 |
| Upika Endurance (25 servings) | $49.99 | 625 g | 8.0¢ | $4.80 |
| Näak Ultra Drink Mix 250 (10 servings) | $45.00 | 550 g | 8.2¢ | $4.91 |
| Skratch Super High-Carb (14 servings) | $68.99 | 798 g | 8.6¢ | $5.19 |
| Precision Fuel PF 30 Gel (per unit) | from $4.12 | 30 g | 13.7¢ | $8.24 |
| Maurten Gel 160 (per unit) | from $7.50 | approx. 40 g | 18.8¢ | $11.25 |
What the table shows
- Gels cost two to three times more than powders for the same amount of carbohydrates. You are paying for the individual packaging and the convenience.
- Between the powders, the gap exceeds 60%: from 5.3¢ to 8.6¢ per gram.
- Among the products compared here, ELIXYR has the lowest cost per gram, at 5.3¢, and the cheapest bag to purchase.
Price isn't everything: look at the formula too
Two products with the same cost per gram are not necessarily equal. Three points change what you get for your money:
- The type of carbohydrates. Sugar and dextrose, maltodextrin, or Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin (HBCD): digestive tolerance at high doses is not the same. In this table, the formulas that list cyclic dextrin are ELIXYR, Upika, and Skratch.
- The glucose:fructose ratio. A 2:1 ratio allows for higher carbohydrate absorption per hour than a single source.
- Sodium. A serving that already contains it saves you from buying separate tablets.
To find out what to check, read our guide How to read an endurance drink label.
What this represents over a season
Take a 16-week training plan with a long workout of 2.5 hours per week at 60 g of carbohydrates per hour: that's 2,400 g of carbohydrates. At 5.3¢ per gram, the bill is about $128. At 8¢, it climbs to $192. In gels at 13.7¢, it reaches $330.
ELIXYR Endurance Fuel contains 30 g of carbohydrates per serving (2:1 ratio, with HBCD) and 340 mg of sodium, for $39.99 for 25 servings.
Price sources
Prices recorded on October 7, 2026, on the Canadian websites of manufacturers and specialized running retailers. Carbohydrates per serving come from manufacturer spec sheets; for Maurten, they are estimated based on advertised calories.