How much does a ton of pea gravel cost?

Bulk pea gravel runs $30–60 per ton at the yard in most markets, plus $50–150 for delivery. Since a ton covers about 125 ft² at 2 inches deep, material for a typical garden path lands under $100 before delivery. Quarry-direct gate prices can run well below landscape-yard prices.

How much is pea gravel per cubic yard?

A cubic yard weighs about 1.3 tons, so yard pricing is roughly 1.3 times the ton price — figure $40–80 per cubic yard bulk. Always confirm which unit a quote uses; comparing one supplier's ton price against another's yard price is the classic estimating trap.

How many bags of pea gravel equal a ton?

About 42 standard 0.5 ft³ bags. At $4–7 per bag that is $170–290 for the same stone that costs $30–60 in bulk — a 4–6× markup. Bags win only on small jobs where a delivery fee would dominate, roughly anything under 15 bags.

What does pea gravel delivery cost?

Typically $50–150 as a flat fee within a supplier's radius, sometimes waived above a tonnage minimum. The fee is per trip, not per ton, so consolidating base stone and pea gravel into one delivery — or one order with a split load — cuts the effective cost per ton substantially.

Why is colored or polished pea gravel so expensive?

Decorative grades — white marble pea, polished river pebble, jet black — are specialty products that ship long distances from specific deposits, and most sell bagged only. Expect 2–4 times the price of ordinary local pea gravel. Use them as accent top layers over cheap stone, not full-depth fill.

Is pea gravel cheaper than pavers or concrete?

Dramatically. A pea gravel patio installs for $2–5 per square foot DIY including base and edging, versus $15–30 per square foot for pavers and $8–15 for plain concrete. The trade is maintenance: raking, top-ups and edging repairs that hard surfaces never ask for.

Gravel · Pea Gravel

Pea gravel cost (2026)

The same stone costs $35 a ton at the quarry gate and $290 a ton in bags at the big-box store. Here is the full price map — and the crossover point where bulk starts winning.

$30–60
per ton, bulk: $4–7
per 0.5 ft³ bag: ≈42
bags in a ton: ~15 bags
bag-to-bulk crossover

Contents

1.Bulk pricing: per ton and per yard
2.Bagged pricing
3.Bags vs bulk: a 200 ft² patio
4.The crossover math

Bulk pricing: per ton and per yard

2026 bulk pricing. One ton covers ≈125 ft² at 2 in or 83 ft² at 3 in.
Item	Unit	Low	High	Average
Pea gravel, bulkLandscape yard or quarry; regional deposits set the price	per ton	$30	$60	$45
Pea gravel, bulkA yard ≈ 1.3 tons — yard price ≈ 1.3× ton price	per yd³	$40	$80	$60
DeliveryFlat fee; often waived above a tonnage minimum	per trip	$50	$150	$100

Bulk prices swing with hauling distance more than anything else, which is why the wider gravel price guide and the delivery cost guide are worth ten minutes before you order — the delivery line item routinely exceeds the material on small jobs.

Bagged pricing

Retail bag pricing. Bags trade a 4–6× material markup for zero delivery fee and sedan-trunk logistics.
Item	Unit	Low	High	Average
Pea gravel, bagged≈42 bags per ton; covers 3 ft² at 2 in	0.5 ft³ bag	$4	$7	$6
Pea gravel, palletModest per-bag discount; forklift unload	≈56 bags	$200	$350	$275
Colored / polished peaSpecialty deposits — 2–4× ordinary pea	0.5 ft³ bag	$10	$25	$18

Bags vs bulk: a 200 ft² patio

Total cost, 200 ft² patio at 3 in deep (50 ft³ of stone)

Bags (100 × $5)500$

Bulk delivered (2.4 t + $75)180$

At patio scale the answer is not close: 50 ft³ is 100 bags at roughly $500, or about 2.4 tons of bulk stone at $45/ton plus a $75 delivery — around $180 landed. Bulk saves 60% and spares you lifting a hundred 50 lb bags.

The crossover math

Worked example

Where exactly do bags stop making sense? Compare a bag order against the smallest sensible bulk order — 1 ton delivered.

1
Bulk floor price
1 ton ($45) + delivery ($75) = $120 minimum, covers 125 ft² at 2 in
2
Bag equivalent
$120 ÷ $5.50 avg per bag ≈ 22 bags = 11 ft³
3
But bags also cost time
22 bags ≈ 2 store runs, loading, hauling — call the practical break-even ~15 bags
4
The rule
Under ~15 bags (7.5 ft³, ~50 ft² at 2 in): buy bags. Over: order bulk

Result: Roughly 15 bags is the crossover. Below it, bags dodge the delivery fee; above it, bulk wins on both money and your back.

Cost questions

Price your exact project

Get tonnage, yardage and bag counts from your dimensions, then apply local prices.

Open the Pea Gravel Calculator

Budget the rest of the job

Pea Gravel CoverageCoverage tables at every practical depth.Guide Pea Gravel Installation GuideBase, edging and depth — the 90-minute skill.Guide Gravel Price Guide2026 pricing across every common type.Guide

Sources & references

[1]Crushed Stone and Sand & Gravel Statistics and Information — US Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, 2025
[2]The Aggregates Handbook, 2nd ed. — National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, 2013