How Much Do Colored Contacts Cost? Real Numbers
I spent $12 on my first pair of colored contacts in 2019. Green cat eyes from a pop-up shop. They lasted about 4 hours before my eyes started burning. I threw them in the trash before midnight.
Here is what colored contacts actually cost, no hype.
Cost by Lens Type
| Type | Price Per Pair |
|---|---|
| Costume lenses (non-prescription) | $8-15 |
| Daily disposable | $10-25 per box |
| Monthly | $15-30 |
| 6-Month (Yilala) | $9.90-16.00 |
| Toric (astigmatism) | $40-80 |
At $9.90 per pair, our INYX Series gives you 180 days for less than a coffee per month.
Hidden Costs
Contact lens solution: $8-12 per bottle, lasts about a month. Lens case: $5, replace every 3 months. Annual extras: about $120. Still far less than daily disposables.
Eye exam: $50-150 in the US without insurance. You need a current prescription for prescription colored contacts. Factor that in.
Why Yilala Costs What It Does
Our Berry Series at $9.90 is not the cheapest, and that is the point. Cheap lenses cut corners on material. Yilala uses HEMA+NVP hydrogel at 38% water content, FDA-registered manufacturing, and the pigment is sandwiched inside the lens so it never touches your eye. Those things cost money.
A $5 costume lens versus a $9.90 FDA-registered lens: the $5 looks like a bargain until you factor in what an eye infection costs.
How to Pay Less Safely
Buy 6-month disposables. At $10 per pair every 180 days versus $20 per month for dailies, the math speaks for itself. Our Earl Series natural brown lenses deliver subtle enhancement for 6 months.
Check if your vision insurance covers contact lenses. Many plans cover part of the cost even for colored lenses with prescription. Ask your eye doctor to write colored contact lenses on the prescription.
Shop FDA-registered collection. Starting at $9.90 per pair.