The quick answer#
Most homeowners pay $10 to $50 per square foot to have tile installed in 2026. Of that, the tile is $2 to $30 per square foot and the labor $8 to $20, which is why two jobs with the same tile can be quoted far apart.
Installed
$10–$50per sq ftTile only
$2–$30per sq ftLabor
$8–$20per sq ft200 sq ft
$2,000–$10,000installedThese are HomeGuide's ranges, and they match the tile line in our flooring cost guide. HomeGuide notes that tile on a floor usually costs more than tile on a wall. Before you price anything, count the tiles and boxes, because a quote is only as good as the area behind it. The tile calculator does that from the room and the tile size.
Before you price anything
Tiles, boxes and grout for the room
Enter the room and the tile size to get the tile count with waste, the boxes, and an estimated grout weight.
Cost by tile material#
The material sets most of the spread. Glass and natural stone sit at the top, and plain ceramic and subway tile at the bottom.
| Tile | Installed per sq ft |
|---|---|
| Subway or rectangular | $7–$35 |
| Ceramic | $12–$40 |
| Porcelain | $15–$50 |
| Natural stone | $10–$50 |
| Terrazzo tile | $15–$35 |
| Glass | $20–$100 |
HomeGuide's installed figures. Porcelain is made from finer clay than ceramic, fired hotter, and is less porous. Slate and limestone sit at the low end of stone, and granite and marble at the top.
Cost by area#
Area totals are the per square foot range applied to the floor, so they carry the same spread.
| Area | Installed |
|---|---|
| 50 sq ft | $500–$2,500 |
| 100 sq ft | $1,000–$5,000 |
| 150 sq ft | $1,500–$7,500 |
| 200 sq ft | $2,000–$10,000 |
| 300 sq ft | $3,000–$15,000 |
HomeGuide's figures at $10 to $50 per square foot.
Cost by room#
A room's tile bill depends on how much surface it has, which is why HomeGuide gives each one as a range of square footage.
| Project | Typical area | Installed |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen backsplash | 20–40 sq ft | $200–$2,000 |
| Bathroom floor | 40–160 sq ft | $400–$8,000 |
| Shower | 42–120 sq ft | $420–$6,000 |
| Bathroom walls | 104–274 sq ft | $1,000–$13,700 |
| Kitchen floor | 130–184 sq ft | $1,300–$9,200 |
| Living area floor | 200–320 sq ft | $2,000–$16,000 |
HomeGuide's figures. It prices a backsplash at $10 to $50 per square foot, and retiling a shower or bathroom at $7 to $25, where a new waterproof membrane behind the tile may also be needed.
Removal, subfloor and extras#
These are the lines a per square foot price leaves out, and on an old floor they can come to as much as the tile.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Removing old tile | $2–$7 per sq ft |
| Removing old carpet | $0.70–$1.60 per sq ft |
| Subfloor replacement | $2.20–$4.75 per sq ft |
| Radiant floor heating | $7–$17 per sq ft |
| Reglazing existing tile | $4–$12 per sq ft |
| Tile and grout cleaning | $0.50–$3.50 per sq ft |
HomeGuide's figures, and the same removal and subfloor rates as our flooring cost guide. Heated floors go in before the tile, since adding them later means taking the new floor up.
Thinset, grout and the tile count#
The setting materials are a small share of the bill but an easy one to run out of. The tile calculator counts tiles and boxes with a waste allowance and estimates the grout from the tile size and joint width. The mortar under the tile is set by the trowel notch, not the tile, and the thinset calculator works out the bags: 120 square feet at a 1/4 by 3/8 inch notch, with 10 percent waste, is 3 bags of 50 lb.
DIY versus a tile setter#
Labor is $8 to $20 per square foot, so on a 100 square foot bathroom floor, laying it yourself keeps $800 to $2,000.
The substrate decides whether it lasts. A wood subfloor under tile needs backer board or an uncoupling membrane, which our flooring cost guide covers, and the thinset calculator sizes the mortar for whatever trowel your tile calls for.
Checking a quote#
Work out the area yourself, then hold the quote against $10 to $50 per square foot for the material you picked. Then ask three things: whether removal of the old floor is included, what is going under the tile, and whether the grout and setting materials are in the price. On a 100 square foot floor, removal alone can add $200 to $700.
A quote far below the range on an old floor is worth a question: is the old floor staying, and is anything being done to the substrate? Any deflection in the floor will crack grout and eventually tile. If you are still choosing between tile and a plank floor, our LVP vs. laminate vs. hardwood comparison covers where each one belongs.
Save the tile cost chart#
Installed tile cost for six materials, from subway to glass. Save it before you choose a tile, because the material sets most of the price.
Save to PinterestOpens Pinterest with the chart and link ready to go.
Common questions#
How much does tile installation cost per square foot?#
$10 to $50 per square foot installed in 2026. The tile is $2 to $30 per square foot and labor $8 to $20. Ceramic runs $12 to $40 installed, porcelain $15 to $50, and glass $20 to $100.
How much does it cost to tile a bathroom floor?#
$400 to $8,000 on HomeGuide's figures, for a bathroom floor of 40 to 160 square feet. Bathroom walls run $1,000 to $13,700 and a shower $420 to $6,000. Removing old tile first adds $2 to $7 per square foot.
Is tile labor more expensive than the tile?#
Often. Labor is $8 to $20 per square foot against $2 to $30 for the tile, so on a budget ceramic or porcelain the setter costs more than the material, and on glass or stone the material catches up. HomeGuide notes that small, intricate tile and floor tile cost more to lay.
Does tile removal cost extra?#
Usually, though some quotes include it. Removing old tile costs $2 to $7 per square foot, so $200 to $700 on a 100 square foot floor, and replacing a damaged subfloor adds $2.20 to $4.75 per square foot where it is needed.