Party budget calculator

Pick the party and the guest count. You get a total and the cost per guest at three levels, and where the money goes.

Festidy's plan starts with this budget and shows the amount for each part of the party.

What things really cost

Rough prices for hired help and rentals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, checked October 8, 2026. They don't shrink to fit a small budget: if a hire doesn't fit your level, choose fewer hires instead. A photographer, for example, fits only a bigger budget.

Help and entertainment

Face painter: About $115 to $150 an hour
Bounce house: About $150 to $350
Party photographer: About $150 to $300 for 2 hours
Hands-on workshop instructor: About $75 or more a person
Server or helper: About $25 to $40 an hour; companies have 4-hour minimums. A teenage helper is about $15 to $20 an hour
Private bartender: About $30 to $60 an hour, or about $200 for an evening

Food and cake

Catering: About $18 to $25 a guest
Barbecue by the pound: About $10 to $15 a guest
Food truck: Minimum about $800 to $1,200
Decorated grocery cake: About $20 to $45
Custom bakery cake for 20: About $100 to $150

Rentals and extras

Tables and chairs: $20 a table and $4 a chair, plus $65 to $130 delivery and a $150 minimum
Cotton candy or snow cone machine: About $250 a day
Projector and screen: About $700
Lawn games package: About $700
Photo booth with prints: About $1,000 and up

How we calculate

Total: a planning amount a guest, times your guests. Each party type has its own amounts, the same ones Festidy's planner starts with.
Kids' birthday, a guest: Simple $15, Standard $30, Splurge $50.
Baby shower: $20, $35, $60. Birthday for grown-ups: $20, $35, $65. Graduation and house party: $10, $20, $40.
Levels: Simple is home food and homemade games. Standard is a bakery cake and one hired activity. Splurge is an entertainer, rentals and custom decor.
Where it goes: food and cake 40%, entertainment and activities 25%, decor and tableware 20%, favors and extras 15%.
Small parties: we count at least 2 guests, so the total never falls below two guests' worth.
Amounts are a starting point, not a quote. Prices change by city and by what you already own.

Last updated October 21, 2026. Free, no sign-up.

Festidy's free party planner puts the whole birthday in one place.

Tips for staying on budget

Pick your big two. Choose the two things your guests will remember, often the cake and one activity, and spend there.
Keep decor simple. It is the easiest place to save.
Count the grown-ups. Everyone who eats is a guest. At a kids' party, about 40% of guests are grown-ups.
Hire fewer things, not cheaper ones. The prices above stay the same however small the party is.

Questions

How much does a kids' birthday party cost?

About $15 a guest for a simple party at home, $30 for a standard one and $50 for a splurge. For 20 guests that is about $300, $600 or $1,000.

How much should I spend on a birthday party for 12 guests?

About $180 for a simple party, $360 for a standard one and $600 for a splurge at a kids' birthday.

How much does a baby shower cost?

About $20 a guest for a simple shower, $35 for a standard one and $60 for a splurge. For 20 guests that is about $400, $700 or $1,200.

How much does a graduation party cost?

About $10 a guest for a simple open house, $20 for a standard one and $40 for a splurge. For 30 guests that is about $300, $600 or $1,200.

Where does the party money go?

On a standard budget: food and cake 40%, entertainment and activities 25%, decor and tableware 20%, and favors and extras 15%. On $600 that is $240, $150, $120 and $90.

Can I hire a photographer or a face painter on a simple budget?

Usually not. A party photographer is about $150 to $300 for 2 hours and a face painter about $115 to $150 an hour, which is most of a simple budget for 12 guests ($180). Pick one hire, or ask a friend.