Black beans (cooked) vs Whey protein (1 scoop): which protein is cheaper?

Budget says one, calories say the other

Black beans (cooked) costs $0.025 per gram of protein against $0.031, so it saves $4.57 a week at a 100 g/day target. Whey protein (1 scoop) answers a different question: 20.0 g of protein per 100 kcal against 6.7 g, which is what matters once calories, not dollars, are the thing you run out of first.

The amount you actually have to eat

Thirty grams of protein means 337 g of black beans (cooked), against 38 g for whey protein (1 scoop). That is a real constraint, not a footnote: a price per gram only counts if the serving is one a person will finish. Treat black beans (cooked) as the base of a meal that other protein is added to, not as the protein itself.

What the calories cost you

Getting 30 g of protein from black beans (cooked) brings 445 kcal with it. On a 2,000 kcal day, three servings would be most of your budget before anything else goes on the plate. That is fine when you are eating at maintenance or building, and it is the reason this food falls apart on a cut no matter how good the price per gram looks.

On a cut these are not comparable

Whey protein (1 scoop) carries 3.0x the protein per calorie that black beans (cooked) does. When you are eating at a deficit, that ratio is the whole game: the same 30 g of protein arrives with 150 kcal from one and 445 kcal from the other. The cheaper option stops being cheaper once you count what you had to give up elsewhere to fit it in.

Compare against other foods

• Black beans (cooked) vs Oats (dry)Whey protein (1 scoop) vs Oats (dry)
• Black beans (cooked) vs Peanut butterWhey protein (1 scoop) vs Peanut butter
• Black beans (cooked) vs Lentils (cooked)Whey protein (1 scoop) vs Lentils (cooked)
• Black beans (cooked) vs Tofu (firm)Whey protein (1 scoop) vs Tofu (firm)
• Black beans (cooked) vs Greek yogurt (nonfat)Whey protein (1 scoop) vs Greek yogurt (nonfat)
• Black beans (cooked) vs Eggs (~2 large)Whey protein (1 scoop) vs Eggs (~2 large)
• Black beans (cooked) vs Chicken breast (raw)Whey protein (1 scoop) vs Chicken breast (raw)
• Black beans (cooked) vs Canned tuna (in water)Whey protein (1 scoop) vs Canned tuna (in water)

Frequently asked

Which is cheaper for protein, black beans (cooked) or whey protein (1 scoop)?

Black beans (cooked), at $0.025 per gram of protein against $0.031 for whey protein (1 scoop) (July 2026 US grocery prices). A 30 g protein serving costs $0.74 vs $0.94.

Which has more protein per calorie, black beans (cooked) or whey protein (1 scoop)?

Whey protein (1 scoop), with 20.0 g protein per 100 kcal against 6.7 g for black beans (cooked), 3.0x leaner. That matters when you are cutting and calories are the binding constraint.

Which should I buy, black beans (cooked) or whey protein (1 scoop)?

Depends on your constraint. On a tight budget with room in your calories, black beans (cooked) is cheaper per gram of protein. On a calorie-capped cut, whey protein (1 scoop) gives you 3.0x more protein per calorie and is usually worth its $0.031/g price.