Savings calculator
Is a greenhouse actually worth it?
Adjust the numbers below to estimate your own payback period. This won't be exact — but it'll get you in the right neighborhood.
% of full potential yield — first-year growers should expect the low end; an experienced gardener with good climate control gets closer to 100%.
Estimated results
$491 / year
net savings, after estimated seed/soil/water costs
8.7 yrs
estimated payback period
$614
net, over 10 years
Modeled from 2026 Statistics Canada retail vegetable pricing and typical home-garden yield ranges per plant, on 70% of the footprint (the rest is aisle and staging space), less an estimated $2/sq ft/year for seeds, soil amendments, and water. Real results depend on your climate control, crop choice, and growing skill — this is a planning estimate, not a guarantee.
Where these numbers come from
Instead of guessing a flat "% of your grocery bill," we build the estimate crop by crop: typical home-garden yield per plant, spacing per square foot, and 2026 Statistics Canada retail vegetable pricing (fresh tomatoes averaged $6.18/kg, cucumbers $2.21/kg this year, for example). We apply that to about 70% of the greenhouse's footprint — the rest is aisle and staging space — then subtract a realistic annual cost for seeds, transplants, soil amendments, and water (roughly $2/sq ft/year, based on published home-garden budget guides).
It's still a planning tool, not a guarantee — a first season rarely hits full potential yield, which is why "growing experience" is a separate input. Your actual results depend on your climate control, crop choice, and how much you tend the beds.