Patio Cost Calculator
As of 2026, a patio costs $6–12 per square foot for plain concrete up to $20–45 for mortared flagstone. A 12×16 runs $1,150–2,300 in concrete or $1,550–4,200 in pavers. Enter your patio size to compare nine materials side by side, cheapest first.
Last updated: October 10, 2026
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Pro Tips
- Plain broom-finished concrete is the cheapest installed patio surface.
- Stamped concrete and concrete pavers land in a similar price band.
- Pavers can be repaired one unit at a time; a cracked slab cannot.
- Dry-laid flagstone costs far less than mortared flagstone.
- Compare quotes for the same size and the same scope of site prep.
Cheapest: Plain concrete
$1,150–2,300
up to $3,850–8,650 for flagstone (mortared) · 9 materials compared below
192 sq ft
Price a paver patio in detail →| Plain concrete | $6–12/sq ft | $1,150–2,300 |
| Exposed aggregate concrete | $8–16/sq ft | $1,550–3,050 |
| Concrete pavers | $8–22/sq ft | $1,550–4,200 |
| Stamped concrete | $8–28/sq ft | $1,550–5,400 |
| Clay brick pavers | $12–26/sq ft | $2,300–5,000 |
| Travertine pavers | $15–27/sq ft | $2,900–5,200 |
| Flagstone (dry-laid) | $15–32/sq ft | $2,900–6,150 |
| Porcelain pavers | $16–35/sq ft | $3,050–6,700 |
| Flagstone (mortared) | $20–45/sq ft | $3,850–8,650 |
Based on 2026 U.S. installed-cost data. See methodology.
For the full background, read our concrete patio vs pavers guide and flagstone vs concrete comparison.
Cheapest Patio Material, Ranked
Here are all nine materials for the same 12×16 patio (192 sq ft), sorted from cheapest to most expensive at U.S. average installed prices.
| Material | Installed per sq ft | 12 × 16 ft total |
|---|---|---|
| Plain concrete | $6–12 | $1,150–2,300 |
| Exposed aggregate concrete | $8–16 | $1,550–3,050 |
| Concrete pavers | $8–22 | $1,550–4,200 |
| Stamped concrete | $8–28 | $1,550–5,400 |
| Clay brick pavers | $12–26 | $2,300–5,000 |
| Travertine pavers | $15–27 | $2,900–5,200 |
| Flagstone (dry-laid) | $15–32 | $2,900–6,150 |
| Porcelain pavers | $16–35 | $3,050–6,700 |
| Flagstone (mortared) | $20–45 | $3,850–8,650 |
Plain concrete is the cheapest patio material at about $1,150–2,300. Flagstone (mortared) is the most expensive at $3,850–8,650. Most of the gap is labor and base work, not the surface itself.
Patio Cost Estimator by Size
Here are the three most common choices (plain concrete, concrete pavers and stamped concrete) at three typical patio sizes.
Small patio, 10×10:
| Material | Installed per sq ft | 10 × 10 ft total |
|---|---|---|
| Plain concrete | $6–12 | $600–1,200 |
| Concrete pavers | $8–22 | $800–2,200 |
| Stamped concrete | $8–28 | $800–2,800 |
Mid-size patio, 16×20:
| Material | Installed per sq ft | 16 × 20 ft total |
|---|---|---|
| Plain concrete | $6–12 | $1,900–3,850 |
| Concrete pavers | $8–22 | $2,550–7,050 |
| Stamped concrete | $8–28 | $2,550–8,950 |
Large patio, 20×20:
| Material | Installed per sq ft | 20 × 20 ft total |
|---|---|---|
| Plain concrete | $6–12 | $2,400–4,800 |
| Concrete pavers | $8–22 | $3,200–8,800 |
| Stamped concrete | $8–28 | $3,200–11,200 |
On a 20×20 patio the gap between plain concrete ($2,400–4,800) and pavers ($3,200–8,800) grows in dollars, though the per-foot rates stay the same.
Pavers vs. Concrete Cost
Plain poured concrete costs $6–12 per square foot installed. Concrete pavers cost $8–22. On a 12×16 patio that is $1,150–2,300 versus $1,550–4,200.
| Material | Installed per sq ft | 12 × 16 ft total |
|---|---|---|
| Plain concrete | $6–12 | $1,150–2,300 |
| Exposed aggregate concrete | $8–16 | $1,550–3,050 |
| Concrete pavers | $8–22 | $1,550–4,200 |
Concrete wins on upfront cost. Pavers win on repairs: a sunken or stained paver can be lifted and replaced, while a cracked slab is patched or replaced in sections. For a detailed concrete quote, use the concrete patio cost calculator on our sister site SlabCalc. Our concrete patio vs pavers guide and concrete patio cost guide go deeper.
Stamped Concrete vs. Pavers Cost
Stamped concrete ($8–28 per sq ft) overlaps with concrete pavers ($8–22). A 12×16 stamped patio comes to about $1,550–5,400, against $1,550–4,200 for pavers.
| Material | Installed per sq ft | 12 × 16 ft total |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete pavers | $8–22 | $1,550–4,200 |
| Stamped concrete | $8–28 | $1,550–5,400 |
| Clay brick pavers | $12–26 | $2,300–5,000 |
Stamped concrete gives a paver or stone look without joints for weeds, but it needs resealing and shows cracks. Price it in detail with the stamped concrete cost calculator, browse finishes on our stamped concrete page, and compare upkeep in stamped concrete vs pavers.
Flagstone vs. Concrete Patio Cost
Flagstone is priced by how it's laid. Dry-laid on gravel and sand it costs $15–32 per square foot; mortared onto a concrete slab it costs $20–45. A dry-laid 12×16 flagstone patio comes to about $2,900–6,150, against $1,150–2,300 for plain concrete.
| Material | Installed per sq ft | 12 × 16 ft total |
|---|---|---|
| Plain concrete | $6–12 | $1,150–2,300 |
| Flagstone (dry-laid) | $15–32 | $2,900–6,150 |
| Flagstone (mortared) | $20–45 | $3,850–8,650 |
Stone itself can be cheap: raw flagstone runs $2–15 per sq ft. The fitting and leveling make it expensive. Read flagstone vs concrete cost comparison for the full comparison, see our flagstone material page, and get tons of stone from the flagstone calculator.
Brick, Travertine and Porcelain Patio Cost
The premium paver options cost more for the material and take longer to cut and lay.
| Material | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete pavers | $8 | $14 | $22 |
| Clay brick pavers | $12 | $18 | $26 |
| Travertine pavers | $15 | $20 | $27 |
| Porcelain pavers | $16 | $24 | $35 |
On a 12×16 patio, clay brick runs about $2,300–5,000, travertine $2,900–5,200 and porcelain $3,050–6,700. Travertine stays cool underfoot, which suits pool surrounds; see our travertine page.
All three are laid like concrete pavers, on compacted gravel and bedding sand, but larger porcelain and stone units need a wet saw and careful leveling. Clay brick keeps its color for decades because the color is fired through the unit, while concrete pavers can fade over time. If you want a classic red-brick look on a tighter budget, stamped concrete in a brick pattern is the usual alternative.
Patio Cost by Region
Regional labor rates shift every material by roughly the same factor, so the ranking doesn't change. Only the totals move. Here is a 12×16 concrete paver patio by region:
| Region | Multiplier | 12 × 16 ft installed |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. average | ×1.00 | $1,550–4,200 |
| Northeast | ×1.10 | $1,700–4,650 |
| Pacific / West Coast | ×1.18 | $1,800–5,000 |
| Midwest | ×1.00 | $1,550–4,200 |
| South | ×0.90 | $1,400–3,800 |
| Mountain / Southwest | ×1.00 | $1,550–4,200 |
The West Coast runs about ×1.18 the national average and the South about ×0.90. Set your region in the calculator above to see every material adjusted. These are broad averages, not ZIP-level quotes; dense metro areas usually sit above their region's figure, and rural areas below it.
What Drives the Price Difference
Three things separate a cheap patio from an expensive one:
- Base: pavers and dry-laid stone sit on compacted gravel and sand. Mortared stone needs a full concrete slab underneath, which is why it costs the most.
- Labor: concrete is poured and finished in a day; pavers and stone are set piece by piece and cut at every edge.
- Material: concrete pavers cost $3–8 per sq ft before installation; porcelain costs $6–15.
At the typical estimate, labor is about 39% of a 12×16 concrete paver patio's installed price and about 44% of a 20×20. The table shows materials (DIY) and labor as separate estimates next to the installed total:
| Size | Materials (DIY) | Labor (est.) | Installed total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 × 12 ft | $680–1,750 | $310–860 | $960–2,650 |
| 12 × 16 ft | $1,000–2,600 | $590–1,650 | $1,550–4,200 |
| 20 × 20 ft | $1,900–4,950 | $1,400–3,900 | $3,200–8,800 |
The paver installation cost calculator breaks the labor down step by step.
Patio Site Prep and Removal Costs
Every price above assumes bare, roughly level ground. Clearing the site first adds to any material choice:
- Removing lawn or sod: $0.5–2 per square foot. A 12×16 concrete paver patio goes from $1,550–4,200 to about $1,650–4,600.
- Breaking out an old concrete patio: $2–6 per square foot including haul-away. The same paver patio then comes to about $1,900–5,400.
Concrete paver patios built where an old concrete patio has to be broken out first, including removal:
| Size | Area | Installed cost |
|---|---|---|
| 10 × 12 ft | 120 sq ft | $1,200–3,350 |
| 12 × 16 ft | 192 sq ft | $1,900–5,400 |
| 16 × 20 ft | 320 sq ft | $3,200–8,950 |
| 20 × 20 ft | 400 sq ft | $4,000–11,200 |
Removal costs the same whichever new surface you choose, so it narrows the percentage gap between cheap and premium materials. Slopes, drainage work and tight access are priced per job, so ask each contractor to list them separately rather than folding them into the per-foot rate.
Which Patio Material to Choose
- Lowest budget: plain concrete, or exposed aggregate for more grip and texture ($8–16 per sq ft). See our exposed aggregate page.
- Easiest repairs: concrete pavers. Single units lift out, and there's no slab to crack.
- Best look for the money: stamped concrete or clay brick.
- Natural, high-end look: flagstone or travertine.
Once you've picked pavers, the paver patio cost calculator prices the full project and the paver calculator builds the material list. Browse patio designs for ideas.