What a small scale cannabis grow costs
Expect $300 to $700 for a 1 to 2 plant tent setup, $500 to $1,200 for a 2 to 4 plant setup, and $900 to $2,000 for a 4 to 6 plant setup. Those totals cover the tent, light, exhaust fan, carbon filter, timer, meters, medium, and nutrients. Electricity adds about $20 to $40 per month. Seeds or clones add $30 to $150 per run. A 2x4 tent yields roughly 4 to 8 ounces per cycle, which is why most home growers break even against retail flower within one or two harvests.
Before you buy
Three facts set your budget ceiling, so check them first.
small scale cannabis grow equipment cost
- Your state's home grow limit. Plant count caps tent size, and some states also cap square footage.
- Your lease or local rules on cultivation.
- Your available circuit. A 4x4 setup with a 400W LED plus fans draws about 4 amps at 120V, which a standard bedroom circuit handles. Larger HID setups often need a dedicated circuit.
Typical equipment cost by grow size
- 1 to 2 plants, 2x2 tent: $300 to $700 total
- 2 to 4 plants, 2x4 tent: $500 to $1,200 total
- 4 to 6 plants, 4x4 tent: $900 to $2,000 total
- 6 or more plants, small room build: $2,000 and up
Line item prices
- Tent, 2x2 to 4x4: $70 to $200
- LED grow light, 100W to 480W: $120 to $500
- Inline exhaust fan and carbon filter: $110 to $260
- Clip fan for air movement: $25 to $60
- Timer and power strip: $20 to $45
- Thermometer and hygrometer: $15 to $40
- pH pen and TDS meter: $40 to $120
- Pots, saucers, and trays: $25 to $70
- Medium, 1 to 2 cubic feet: $25 to $60
- Nutrients for one full run: $40 to $120
- Seeds or clones: $30 to $150
- Drying rack and curing jars: $30 to $70
How to budget a small grow, step by step
- Set your plant count from your state limit, then pick the tent size that fits it.
- Choose the light first and buy the tent that matches its footprint. The light is the largest single cost and it sets yield.
- Size the exhaust fan to the tent volume. A 4x4 tent needs 150 to 200 CFM with a filter attached.
- Add the small parts: timer, hygrometer, clip fan, pots, saucers, and trays.
- Price nutrients and medium for one full run, not one month.
- Estimate electricity from your own rate. Multiply light watts by hours per day, divide by 1000, then multiply by your price per kWh.
- Add 10 to 15 percent for shipping, tax, and one replacement part.
Ongoing monthly costs
- Electricity, 200W to 400W LED: $20 to $40
- Nutrients and medium top-offs: $15 to $40 averaged across a run
- Carbon filter replacement every 12 to 18 months: $40 to $90
- Seeds or clones each run: $30 to $150
How to cut cost without hurting the grow
- Buy a kit for your first run. Kits cost less than parts bought one at a time and remove sizing mistakes.
- Skip the 4x4 if you only need 2 plants. A 2x4 with a 200W to 240W LED covers personal use.
- Run lights at night on a time-of-use plan. This also moves heat production into cooler hours.
- Reuse medium once with fresh nutrients.
- Buy one good pH pen instead of three cheap ones. Drifting pens cost more in lost plants.
What not to cut
Ventilation and odor control. A carbon filter plus inline fan keeps smell contained and moves humid air out, which prevents mold. Skipping it risks a complaint, a lease violation, or a lost harvest. A ruined 4 ounce harvest costs far more than the $150 filter.