Gravel costs about $15–$75 per ton for the stone at the quarry, or roughly $20–$105 per cubic yard, before delivery. Basic crusher run sits at the low end and decorative stone at the high end. Delivery adds $50–$150 per load, and small orders often carry a minimum.
How much does gravel cost per ton?
Per-ton gravel prices are set mostly by the type of stone and how much processing it takes. Crushed, single-source stone like crusher run is cheap; washed, screened or colored decorative gravel costs several times more. The table below shows typical 2026 US prices for the material at the yard — delivery is separate and covered below. Local quarry pricing varies with your region and haul distance, so treat these as planning ranges and confirm with a nearby supplier.
| Gravel type | Price / ton | Common use |
|---|---|---|
| Crusher run (crush & run) | $20–$35 | Driveway & patio base |
| Crushed stone #57 (¾") | $25–$45 | Driveways, drainage |
| Crushed limestone | $25–$40 | Bases, paths |
| Pea gravel | $30–$60 | Paths, patios, play |
| River rock | $45–$130 | Decorative, drainage |
| Colored / decorative | $50–$160 | Feature landscaping |
Gravel cost per cubic yard
If your supplier quotes by volume, convert with one step: a cubic yard of gravel weighs about 1.4 tons, so the per-yard price is roughly the per-ton price multiplied by 1.4. That puts most gravel at about $20–$105 per cubic yard for material. Whether you buy by weight or volume, the pile is identical — use whichever unit your supplier prefers, and let the gravel calculator show you both so nothing gets lost in translation.
How much does gravel delivery cost?
Delivery usually costs $50–$150 for loads within about 20 miles, and more as the distance grows, because you are paying for truck time and fuel. Two details catch people out. First, many suppliers set a minimum order of 1–3 tons, so a tiny job still pays for a near-full load. Second, delivery is often a flat fee per load rather than per ton — which means the more stone you fit in one truck, the lower your effective cost per ton. If you need several tons, one full delivery almost always beats two half-loads.
How much does gravel cost by project?
Putting material and delivery together, here is what typical jobs run in stone alone (before grading or fabric). These use the quantities from the how much gravel do I need guide.
| Project | Gravel | Material cost |
|---|---|---|
| Garden path (3 × 40 ft, 2") | ~1.1 tons pea | $35–$70 |
| Patio base (12 × 12 ft, 4") | ~2.8 tons crushed | $70–$125 |
| Single-car driveway top (12 × 40 ft, 4") | ~8.3 tons #57 | $210–$375 |
| Full single-car driveway (3 layers) | ~22 tons mixed | $500–$1,000 |
For a full driveway build, add delivery and machine grading; see the driveway calculator to size each layer.
What affects the price of gravel?
Five things move the number on your invoice:
- Stone type. Processing and appearance drive most of the range — decorative stone can cost five times crusher run.
- Distance from the quarry. Gravel is heavy and cheap, so trucking is a big share of the cost; the closer the pit, the less you pay.
- Quantity. Buying by the full truckload cuts the per-ton price by roughly 10–20% versus small loads.
- Region. Prices swing with local geology and demand — areas without nearby quarries pay more.
- Season. Spring and summer are peak building season; ordering in the off-season can shave the price.
How to estimate your total gravel cost
Your real bill is three numbers added together: material, delivery, and a little for waste. Work it in that order. First, size the job with the gravel calculator to get your tons. Second, multiply tons by the per-ton price for your stone from the table above. Third, add one delivery fee per load. A worked example makes it concrete:
Example — single-car driveway top layer. The calculator returns about 8.3 tons of #57 (with waste already included). At $35/ton that is roughly $290 in stone. Add one $100 delivery, and the job lands near $390 delivered — versus paying two delivery fees if you under-order and have to reorder. Buying the fuller load and getting the quantity right the first time is where the savings live.
Gravel vs sand, topsoil and mulch — how the costs compare
Gravel is priced in the same per-ton and per-yard way as most other bulk landscaping materials, which makes budgeting a multi-material job easier once you know the going rates. Bulk fill sand and screened topsoil usually run in a similar $15–$50 per ton range to basic gravel, with premium garden soils a little higher. Mulch is the outlier — it is sold by volume in 2 ft³ bags or by the cubic yard rather than by weight, because it is far too light for per-ton pricing to make sense. If your project layers materials — say crusher run under a gravel top, or a gravel path edged with mulch beds — size each one separately and add the costs, since their densities and prices are nothing alike.
Does gravel get cheaper in the off-season?
Often, yes. Quarries and landscape yards are busiest from spring through early fall, when demand — and sometimes price — peaks. Ordering in late fall or winter, when trucks and crews are idle, can shave a little off both the stone and the delivery, and you are more likely to get a flexible delivery slot. It is rarely a dramatic discount, but on a large order the difference adds up, and there is no quality downside to buying stone out of season.
How to save money on gravel
The biggest savings come from delivery, not the stone. Order a full load rather than several small ones, and split a truck with a neighbor if you both need stone. Pick the plainest gravel that does the job — crusher run under a decorative top layer is far cheaper than decorative stone all the way down. If you have a truck and a strong back, picking up by the ton at the yard skips the delivery fee entirely on small jobs. And always order the right amount the first time: the calculator’s 10% waste allowance is there so you do not pay twice for a short delivery.