Decant or full bottle? The price per ml, worked out
A full bottle almost always costs less per ml. A decant costs less in total and lets you stop once you know. Here is the maths from our own catalogue, so you can decide which matters more to you.
How to compare the two
Divide the price by the millilitres. That gives the price per ml, the only fair way to compare a 10ml decant with a 100ml bottle.
For example, a 100ml bottle at €150 works out at €1.50 per ml, and a 10ml decant at €30 at €3.00 per ml. Those are round numbers to show the sum, not prices; do the same sum with the prices in front of you.
What our decants cost per ml
Across the 1,071 perfumes in our catalogue today, this is the price per ml for each size. The median is the middle price: half the perfumes cost less per ml, half cost more.
| Size | Perfumes | Median per ml | Range per ml |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3ml | 1,066 | €4.63 per ml | €2.30 – €28.63 |
| 10ml | 1,066 | €3.69 per ml | €1.59 – €23.49 |
| 30ml | 880 | €2.66 per ml | €1.40 – €10.43 |
The bigger the decant, the less each ml costs. At the median, a 30ml costs 15% less per ml than a 10ml of the same perfume, and a 10ml costs 17% less per ml than a 3ml.
The perfume price per ml index breaks these figures down by designer and niche house, with a CSV of every price.
Three bestsellers, size by size
The table reads straight from the catalogue, so it always shows what these perfumes cost today.
| Perfume | 3ml | 10ml | 30ml |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creed Aventus | €13.90 €4.63 per ml | €42.90 €4.29 per ml | €127.90 €4.26 per ml |
| Amouage Guidance | €17.90 €5.97 per ml | €52.90 €5.29 per ml | €132.90 €4.43 per ml |
| Parfums de Marly Valaya | €15.90 €5.30 per ml | €43.90 €4.39 per ml | €112.90 €3.76 per ml |
When a decant is the better buy
- You have not worn the scent for more than a few minutes.
- You like to rotate and would never finish 100ml.
- You want it for a season, a trip or one special week.
- It is a gift and you are not sure of their taste.
When the full bottle wins
- You have worn it for weeks and still reach for it.
- It is your daily scent and you go through it fast.
- The lowest price per ml matters most to you.
That is the honest trade. A decant costs more per ml; in return you only buy as much as you know you will wear. Our alternative to blind buying goes further.
Questions people ask
Is a decant cheaper than a full bottle?
Per ml, usually not: a full bottle almost always has the lower price per ml. In total, yes: you pay for 3ml, 10ml or 30ml instead of 50ml or 100ml.
Which 10ML size has the best value per ml?
The 30ml. At the median it costs 15% less per ml than the 10ml, which is why we call it the size to keep.
How do I work out the price per ml?
Divide the price by the size in ml. €30 for 10ml is €3.00 per ml.
Is the perfume in a decant the same as in the bottle?
Yes. Every 10ML decant is filled from the original bottle, with nothing added or diluted.
10ML is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the perfume houses whose fragrances we sell.