How Much Does Paint Cost?

Often, the choice of paint is driven by budget constraints and the goal of saving as much money as possible. However, cheap interior paint options do not always produce the desired results, and can even be greatly disappointing in the long run.

On average, good quality interior paint costs $20-45 per gallon. One of the most common mistakes homeowners make is selecting the wrong type of paint for a particular room.

To help you buy the right product, we review the most common paint prices and types, popular brands, and appropriate applications for different rooms in your home.

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How Much Does Paint Cost?

On average, depending on the brand and type of indoor paint you choose, you can spend between $30-55 per gallon.

On the low end, a gallon of paint costs as little as $20. High – end paint can set you back as much as $100 per gallon and up. Flat paint is the cheapest, while, high-gloss is the most expensive.

This chart compares paint prices for different paint types.

Paint Type	Average Cost/Gallon
Flat	$27 – 40
Matt	$25 – 50
Eggshell	$24 – 40
Satin	$29 – 42
Semi-Gloss	$33 – 56
High Gloss	$30 – 120

Best Paint For Every Room

Lets take a look at the differences between different paint finishes and where each one should be used around your house.

Flat paints with minimal shine feature higher mineral content. This provides an even, rich coat to mask flaws and surface imperfections, but makes the finish less durable.

The glossier a paint is, the fewer minerals it contains. While this does make the finish much more durable and smooth, its reflective nature makes all imperfections, dirt and stains on the walls much more noticeable.

Flat Paint

Highly pigmented for deep coverage, flat paint features a matte finish, which takes less time to apply. It’s ideal for covering small imperfections, due to its ability to absorb light rather than reflect it.

However, it can be less tolerant to vigorous cleaning or rough treatment. This paint performs best in spaces which are less likely to be exposed to the rough treatment and dirt (kids or pets). For example: an adult bedroom, an office, or private library room.

Eggshell Paint

Not quite matte but without the shine of satin, eggshell features a very slight sheen, similar to the chicken’s egg which gives it a name.

Eggshell paint also falls between flat and sating paint on the durability spectrum. It is best suited to dining rooms and formal living rooms.

Satin Paint

Imparting a lustrous sheen rather than a glaring shine, satin paint is durable enough to take the occasional scrubbing. While it cleans more easily than a flat or eggshell finish, its slight glow makes imperfections and mistakes in application more visible.

This paint is very durable, but it can be difficult to touch up seamlessly in case its noticeably damaged. Overall, it’s great for kids’ bedrooms, hallways, entryways and family rooms.

Balancing the durability of satin finish against average interior painting costs also makes this paint a good value.

Semi – Gloss Paint

With a noticeable shine and marked durability, semi-gloss finish is the go-to option for trim and moldings. It’s also very well suited to rooms that have persistent moisture, like a bathroom or kitchen.

Because it’s so easy to clean, semi-gloss paint is a favorite option for a kitchen, where grease and oil splatters are the norm.

High – Gloss Paint

Very shiny and highly reflective, high gloss paint is a superhero in terms of durability. Application can be a significant challenge, since it will show every bump and every clumsily-applied roller mark.

It’s almost never a good choice for interior walls because of how aggressively it shines. However, it is perfect for trim around doors and windows, along with cabinetry.

Top House Paint Brands

Whether you are on a tight budget or can afford to splurge on premium quality paint, there is a brand to fit your needs.

Economy: popular paint brands include Glidden, Olympic, Kilz, and Ace Royal Interiors. The biggest problem with low cost paint is that it often ends up costing more than a mid-range quality product. Since it covers poorly, you need more paint to achieve the right look, which bumps up your total cost.

Mid-Range: both DIY savvy homeowners and professional painters trust and usually go for these brands: Behr, Sherwin-Williams, Valspar, and Benjamin Moore.

These paints are the most cost-effective, because they offer the best coverage and quality, without breaking your bank. Many of these companies also offer eco-friendly, low VOC options, which are better for your health and the environment.

High-End: these paints are typically used in luxury homes. They boast both unique colors and superior pigment quality.

Top manufacturers are: Farrow & Ball, Little Green, Craig & Rose and Fine Paints of Europe. Its important to realize that an expensive price tag does not always translate into premium performance that is significantly better than mid-range priced paint.

The primary reason to select premium paint is if you found a color that you love, and it cannot be mixed by a less expensive brand.

Most Popular Paint Colors In 2022

Overall, the paint hues most popular this year have one thing in common; they are bold and their presence makes a strong visual impact.

If you plan to repaint the interior of your house and want to do it in style, here are the trendiest colors for every room:

Kitchen: this space comes alive with warm and delicious hues of: burnt sienna, burnt orange, mustard, shades of yellow (from bright lemon to pale butter hues).

Dining Room: dark and beautiful colors such as purple, teal, deep green, deep emerald, earthy shades of red, stone white (especially great if there is not a lot of natural light)

Living room: there are some very unique colors trending, such as: sage, olivelilac, blush, white beige, all shades of grey, grey-black, green-grey are here to stay as well.

Bedroom: all shades of blue, beige, and green are in, from light hues to very saturated ones.

Bathroom: light colors and white hues so popular last year are giving way to rich hues of blue, (cobalt, aqua, navy, blue-grey, slate blue, etc). If you want a calmer, safer choice shades of taupe, grey and beige will do the trick.

However, even neutral or white color bathrooms are seeing more color popping up, even if its just an accent wall, pictures, or accessories.

Entry way: taupe, shades of beige, dark teal, navy, dark violet.

Accent colors: popular colors for accent walls are: violet, plum (one of the biggest hits this year), deep shades of red, navy, turquoise, olive green