Quoted prices and final invoices are two different things. The number a supplier gives over the phone covers the concrete; the bill that lands afterwards includes the delivery window you missed, the part load you ordered and the pump you needed because the truck could not reach the back garden.
Here is where the base rates sit in 2026, followed by the extras.
United States — price per cubic yard
| Mix strength | Typical use | Delivered price / yd³ |
|---|---|---|
| 2,500 psi | Footings, non-structural fill | $125–$145 |
| 3,000 psi | Patios, backyard slabs | $135–$155 |
| 3,500–4,000 psi | Driveways, garage floors | $145–$175 |
| 4,500 psi + | Structural, commercial | $165–$195 |
United Kingdom — price per cubic metre
| Grade | Typical use | Delivered price / m³ |
|---|---|---|
| GEN1 (C10) | Blinding, mass fill | £95–£120 |
| GEN3 (C20) | Shed bases, footings | £100–£130 |
| C25 / ST2 | Driveways, slabs | £110–£140 |
| C30–C35 | Structural, heavy duty | £120–£155 |
Europe — price per cubic metre
| Grade (EN 206) | Typical use | Delivered price / m³ |
|---|---|---|
| C16/20 | Fill, blinding | €85–€115 |
| C20/25 | Slabs, footings | €90–€125 |
| C25/30 | Driveways, structural | €100–€140 |
| C30/37 | Exposed, heavy duty | €110–€155 |
Germany, the Netherlands and the Nordics sit at the top of those ranges. Spain, Portugal, Poland and the Baltics sit near the bottom. Cement is heavy and moves badly, so prices track local plant capacity more than anything else.
The surcharges nobody quotes upfront
- Part load / short load: £30–£60 per empty m³ in the UK, $50–$150 per delivery in the US.
- Waiting time: free for the first 20–30 minutes on site, then metered — often £2–£4 or $3–$5 per minute.
- Pumping: from £300 or $500 for a line pump, considerably more for a boom.
- Saturday delivery: commonly 10–15% on top.
- Additives: fibres, retarder, accelerator and air entrainment each add a few pounds or dollars per cubic unit.
Bagged concrete is not the cheap option
An 80 lb bag at $6 yields 0.6 ft³. That works out at roughly $270 per cubic yard — nearly double the ready-mix rate, before you have mixed a single bag. The same maths applies in the UK: a £6 bag of 25 kg premix is about £520 per cubic metre.
Bags win on small jobs where a delivery makes no sense, and nowhere else. The crossover point is usually somewhere around 0.5 m³ or two-thirds of a cubic yard.
Run your own numbers with the concrete cost calculator — it compares ready-mix against bagged for the same volume, in dollars, pounds or euros.
Common questions
How much is a cubic metre of concrete in 2026?
£100 to £150 delivered in the UK depending on grade and load size, or €85 to €155 across the EU. Small loads carry a surcharge, so a single cubic metre costs disproportionately more than five.
How much is a yard of concrete delivered?
$125 to $195 in the US, with 3,000 to 4,000 psi mixes for domestic work sitting in the $135 to $175 range. Add a short-load fee under about 5 yards.
Why did my concrete quote change?
Almost always load size, distance from the plant, or an additive. Cement prices also move with energy costs, so quotes older than a month are worth re-checking before you book.
Is it cheaper to mix concrete myself?
On materials alone, yes — ballast and cement come to roughly £60 to £75 per cubic metre. On time and consistency, rarely. Above a cubic metre the labour stops being worth the saving.