What Is a Good Budget for Kitchen Cabinets?

If you’re planning a kitchen remodel or refresh, one of the first big decisions is: how much should I plan to spend on the cabinets? When you hear numbers like $3,000 one place and $15,000+ somewhere else, it can feel confusing. My goal here is to help you understand what a fair budget looks like for your kitchen, so you can make confident decisions—and feel good about your investment.

Why the Budget Matters — and What It Means for Your Home

As a homemaker, the kitchen is one of your most important spaces—it’s where meals are made, memories formed, mornings start and evenings unwind. Cabinets aren’t just storage; they set the tone for the whole room, affect how you cook and use the space, and influence how long you’ll feel happy with that kitchen.
If your budget is too low, you might end up with cabinets that don’t hold up or that limit the style you want. Too high, and you may lose money on other parts of the kitchen—countertops, lighting, flooring. To strike the perfect balance between cost and quality, check out our Affordable Kitchen Cabinets Tips, which shows how to save smartly without sacrificing style.

So let’s aim for balanced.

What Budget Ranges Should You Expect in the U.S. Market?

Based on current U.S. kitchen-cabinet cost data:

• According to one review, homeowners spend $3,000 to $12,000 for mid-range cabinets.
• Another source shows average new cabinets land between $5,500 and $13,000.
• Price per linear foot (a useful measure) varies widely. One site lists stock/RTA cabinets at around $81–$143 per linear foot; semi-custom much higher.

So here’s what I often say to my clients (the “kitchen-project-moms” I work with):

• For a smaller or simpler kitchen, aim for perhaps $2,500-$5,000 on cabinets if you’re comfortable with more budget-friendly materials and simpler finishes.
• For a “normal” full family kitchen with good materials and moderate style, budgeting around $5,000-$10,000 is reasonable.
• If you’re going for luxury materials, special finishes, island cabinetry, two-tone colour scheme, then $10,000-$15,000+ for the cabinets alone is not unusual.

For ideas on how to stretch your budget without sacrificing durability, see our guide on Affordable Kitchen Cabinets Tips that shows how smart choices can make a big difference in cost vs. value.

What Drives the Cost? What You Control and What You Don’t

Here are the major factors that affect how much you’ll spend:

1. Cabinet Type & Materials

• RTA (Ready-to-Assemble) or stock cabinets cost less.
• Semi-custom or custom cabinetry costs more.
• The material matters: solid wood, high-grade plywood, premium hardware all raise cost.

2. Size & Layout of Your Kitchen

A small galley kitchen will cost less than a large open-plan space with an island, pantry, and lots of upper + lower runs.

3. Finish & Style Details

• Simple, clean door style, one colour, minimal hardware = more budget-friendly.
• Two-tone cabinets (e.g., upper one colour, lower another), wood veneer, custom colours, premium pulls = higher cost.

4. Installation & Site Work

If old cabinets need removal, floors or walls need leveling, or you’re changing layout significantly—that adds cost.

5. Region & Supply

Material and labour costs vary across the U.S., shipping of big cabinet runs counts too.

When I talk to the homeowners I help, I liken it to “where you’d like to be, where your budget allows, and how much you value your time, upkeep, and style over the next 10+ years.”

Matching Your Budget to Your Kitchen and Family Needs

Since you’re the one living in the space, here’s how you can think about it:

For everyday family use

If durability and ease matter more than luxury, you might choose a good value cabinet line, keep the door style simple (e.g., Shaker-style, white or light grey) and focus more budget on things like good lighting or storage solutions. Budget around $5k-$8k for cabinets could be sufficient.

For style-forward but balanced budget

Say you want a two-tone look (white uppers, navy lowers) or wood tone lowers with painted uppers. That upgrade means you might move the cabinet budget toward $8k-$12k. Then you have enough budget for materials that look premium and hold up. You can also explore the art of choosing kitchen cabinets to better balance aesthetics and practicality before finalizing your selections.

For luxury/aspirational kitchen

If you love wood grain finishes, custom door styles, integrated lighting within cabinets, all the bells and whistles—then you’re looking in the $10k-$15k+ range just for cabinets. It’s fine if your total kitchen budget supports that—just know it’s an investment.

Thinking About a Remodel or Refresh?

If you’re doing a refresh (not full gut-renovation) — e.g., keeping base cabinets, maybe replacing doors or hardware — your budget for “cabinet work” could be lower. You might use some of the savings to upgrade finish or hardware.
But if you’re doing a full new install—layout changes, island, custom finishes—plan for the higher end of the budget spectrum. Also leave some “wiggle room” (I usually say 10-15%) for unexpected costs before they eat up your budget for finishes. For a smoother process and smarter space planning, take a look at our Kitchen Planning Rules guide to make sure your layout and budget decisions work hand in hand.

Designer’s Friendly Tips & “Big-Sister” Suggestions

• Measure carefully: Know your linear feet of cabinetry (measure lengths of walls with cabinets). That helps you estimate realistic cost ranges.
• Choose your style early: Colours, door styles, hardware matter. Once you pick your palette, you can decide how much budget goes to materials vs style.
• Budget splits: Imagine your total kitchen renovation budget in parts. If you allocate too much to cabinets, you may not have enough left for countertop, lighting, backsplash. Try to keep the cabinet portion sensible relative to total.
• Don’t forget installation costs: Cabinet cost is one thing; installation, removal of old, site prep matter too.
• Plan for future use: If you’ll live in the home long-term and the kitchen gets heavy use (kids, daily cooking), it may pay off to invest more now in quality materials so you don’t remodel again soon.

Final Thoughts

So what is a good budget for kitchen cabinets? It depends on your kitchen size, style wishes, material quality, installation complexity—and of course, how long you plan to stay in your home and how you use the space.

As your “kitchen design-big sister,” I’ll say: pick a budget that gives you confidence, not anxiety. Let it reflect how you live and how you want your kitchen to feel for years. And once that budget is set, you’ll shop with clarity—not just chase the “cheapest” or overspend without reason.

Your cabinets are the foundation of your kitchen—use them wisely, pair them with great style, good colour choices, and solid materials—and they’ll serve you beautifully for years to come.

Here’s to a kitchen you love, every day.