Protein head-to-heads · July 2026
Beef jerky vs Turkey breast (raw): which protein is cheaper?
USDA macros joined to current US grocery prices, reduced to the two numbers that decide it: dollars per gram of protein, and protein per calorie.
Turkey breast (raw) is 3.8x cheaper per gram of protein ($0.044/g vs $0.166/g), while it also carries more protein per calorie (21.6 g vs 8.1 g per 100 kcal), so it wins on both axes.
| Food | $/g protein | 30 g protein costs | You need | kcal that come with it | Protein/100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beef jerky | $0.166 | $4.97 | 90 g | 371 kcal | 8.1 g |
| Turkey breast (raw) | $0.044 | $1.31 | 125 g | 139 kcal | 21.6 g |
Full macros, per serving
| Food (per serving) | Price | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beef jerky (100 g) | $5.50 | 411 | 33.2 g | 11 g | 25.6 g |
| Turkey breast (raw) (100 g) | $1.05 | 111 | 24 g | 0 g | 1 g |
A week of protein from each
Hitting a common 100 g/day protein target from turkey breast (raw) alone costs $30.63 a week; from beef jerky alone, $115.96. That is a gap of $85.34 every week for the same protein. In practice you mix sources: the planner computes the cheapest mix for your exact target and calorie cap, live from the same dataset.
This one is not a trade-off
Turkey breast (raw) is both the cheaper protein ($0.044/g against $0.166/g) and the leaner one (21.6 g protein per 100 kcal against 8.1 g). Most matchups force you to pick a side. This one does not, so beef jerky has to win on taste, prep time or what else it brings to the meal, because it is not winning on the numbers.
One of these is a convenience purchase
Beef jerky ranks #25 of 25 on cost per gram of protein, near the bottom. It is not a bad food, it is an expensive way to buy protein: $4.97 per 30 g against $1.31 for turkey breast (raw). If it is in your basket for the protein, swap it. If it is there because it travels well or you enjoy it, that is a different and perfectly good reason.
Compare against other foods
- Beef jerky vs Oats (dry)Turkey breast (raw) vs Oats (dry)
- Beef jerky vs Peanut butterTurkey breast (raw) vs Peanut butter
- Beef jerky vs Lentils (cooked)Turkey breast (raw) vs Lentils (cooked)
- Beef jerky vs Tofu (firm)Turkey breast (raw) vs Tofu (firm)
- Beef jerky vs Black beans (cooked)Turkey breast (raw) vs Black beans (cooked)
- Beef jerky vs Whey protein (1 scoop)Turkey breast (raw) vs Whey protein (1 scoop)
- Beef jerky vs Greek yogurt (nonfat)Turkey breast (raw) vs Greek yogurt (nonfat)
- Beef jerky vs Eggs (~2 large)Turkey breast (raw) vs Eggs (~2 large)
- Beef jerky vs Chicken breast (raw)Turkey breast (raw) vs Chicken breast (raw)
- Beef jerky vs Canned tuna (in water)Turkey breast (raw) vs Canned tuna (in water)
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper for protein, beef jerky or turkey breast (raw)?
- Turkey breast (raw), at $0.044 per gram of protein against $0.166 for beef jerky (July 2026 US grocery prices). A 30 g protein serving costs $1.31 vs $4.97.
- Which has more protein per calorie, beef jerky or turkey breast (raw)?
- Turkey breast (raw), with 21.6 g protein per 100 kcal against 8.1 g for beef jerky, 2.7x leaner. That matters when you are cutting and calories are the binding constraint.
- Which should I buy, beef jerky or turkey breast (raw)?
- Turkey breast (raw) wins on both axes here: cheaper per gram of protein and more protein per calorie. Unless taste, prep or the rest of your macros say otherwise, it is the better default.
Prices are representative US grocery prices as of July 2026; your store will differ. Educational content, not medical or dietary advice. Dataset: free download, CC-BY.