What the numbers show
- Cost per stated burn hour ranged from $0.13 (Yankee Candle Original Large Jar) to $2.81 (Penhaligon's Halfeti), about 21 times as much.
- By price, the median was $0.34 per hour for candles under $30 (15 candles), $0.84 per hour for candles $30 to $59 (8 candles), $1.58 per hour for candles $60 and up (6 candles).
- Paying more bought more stated hours: the median stated burn time was 60 hours for candles $60 and up, longer than the 36 hours for candles under $30.
- Stated burn time per ounce ran from 1.3 hours (Threshold Black Label 3-Wick Ceramic Jar) to 10.6 hours (Vacation High Ceiling Resort Lobby) across the 28 candles that list a size, so stated hours are hard to compare between brands.
- A bigger jar did not always mean more hours: Chesapeake Bay Candle rates its 14.5 oz three-wick jar for 36 hours and its 8 oz jar for 51, and Threshold rates its 15 oz three-wick jar for 20 hours and its 8 oz jar for 30.
All 29 candles
Where our candles land
We sell candles, so ours aren't counted above. Measured the same way:
| Candle | Price | Stated hours | Per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 oz amber jar | $16 | 30 | $0.53 |
| 9 oz amber jar | $24 | 50 | $0.48 |
| 11 oz glass tumbler | $28 | 55 | $0.51 |
| 16 oz glass jar | $32 | 80 | $0.40 |
All 4 are below the $0.56 median, but not the lowest: Yankee Candle Original Large Jar is $0.13.
How we compared them
- Each price and burn time came from the same product page, read on November 5, 2026. Prices are that seller's.
- Cost per hour is the price divided by the longest burn time the page states.
- Burn times are the makers' figures. We did not burn these candles, and hours say nothing about how strong a scent is.
- Sizes are as listed, which may mean wax weight or jar size.
- This isn't a random sample. We could only include pages that stated both numbers and that we could read. We couldn't confirm both numbers for Bath & Body Works, Diptyque, Homesick, P.F. Candle Co. or Voluspa, so they aren't here.
To compare another candle, use the cost per hour calculator.
To cite: Colorado Candle Co., "What Candles Cost per Burn Hour," November 2026, https://coloradocandleco.com/guides/candle-cost-per-burn-hour/.
— Colorado Candle Co.