OpenAI Cost Per Token (Practical Guide)
Understand OpenAI cost drivers and how to estimate cost per token for input and output.
The problem
Most “OpenAI cost per token” confusion comes from mixing pricing units, token types, and billed retries.
What “cost per token” really means
OpenAI pricing is typically split into input and output token rates. Your bill scales with both.
Cost breakdown
- Input tokens: prompt + tool context
- Output tokens: model response
- Extra calls: retries and tool chains multiply total tokens
Example estimate
If your workflow uses 10k input tokens and 3k output tokens per request, multiply by the input/output rates and then by your request count.
Common mistakes
- Ignoring output tokens
- Assuming one model call equals one user action
- Not accounting for retries/tool amplification
Next step
Use the calculator pages to turn token estimates into daily/monthly cost.