Party Budget Calculator
Work out the cost per head for any party and see exactly where the money should go. Enter your guest count and budget and we'll split it across food, drink, venue, entertainment and decorations — with sensible defaults you can change.
Party budget planner
Cost per head, with a food/drink split.
Defaults suit a relaxed home party. Shift money to the venue or entertainment for a bigger event.
How to budget for a party
Whether it's a birthday, an anniversary or just a good excuse, the maths of a party is simple once you fix two numbers: how many people and how much in total. Everything else — food, drink, the room, the music — flows from the cost per head.
A relaxed party at home costs around £15–£25 per head for food and drink. With a hired venue and entertainment, budget £30–£60 per head. Food and drink together are usually about two-thirds of the spend.
A typical party budget split
| Category | Share |
|---|---|
| Food | ~40% |
| Drinks | ~25% |
| Venue / hire | ~15% |
| Entertainment | ~12% |
| Decorations & extras | ~8% |
How much food and drink per person
For a buffet, allow about 8–10 finger-food items per person as a main meal, or roughly 400–500g of food a head for a substantial spread. For drinks, a good rule for an evening is 3–4 drinks per adult in the first two hours and one more per hour after — about half a bottle of wine per drinking guest across the night. Always cater for non-drinkers and have plenty of soft drinks and water.
The guest list rules everything. Because food and drink are per person, adding ten guests adds real money. If you need to trim, the easiest lever is the headcount — followed by making it bring-a-bottle.
Throwing a great party for less
Host at home, buy drinks on multi-buy offers, batch-cook instead of buying in catering, and borrow rather than hire decorations. To keep the celebration within your wider finances, the budget calculator shows your monthly surplus, and for the bigger day there's the wedding budget calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I budget per head for a party?
A relaxed party at home costs roughly £15–£25 per head for food and drink. A bigger celebration with a venue and entertainment is often £30–£60 per head.
How much drink do I need per person?
For an evening party, allow about 3–4 drinks per adult for the first two hours and one more per hour after. For wine, roughly half a bottle (3 glasses) per drinking guest across the night.
How do I split a party budget?
A typical split is around 40% food, 25% drinks, 15% venue or hire, 12% entertainment and 8% decorations — shifting depending on whether you host at home or hire a space.
How much food per person at a buffet?
Allow about 8–10 finger-food items per person for a main meal, or 5–6 alongside other food. Roughly 400–500g per adult covers a substantial spread.
How can I throw a party on a budget?
Host at home, make it BYOB or bring-a-dish, buy drinks on multi-buy offers, batch-cook, and borrow decorations. Food and drink are the bulk of any party cost, so that's where savings count most.