We've tested quite a few mattresses, everything from under $500 to more than $5,000 and a few things stand out. For one, you can't always tell the difference between a $1,000 mattress and a $2,000 mattress. What you get with the extra money depends, but generally you can expect better warranties, longer sleep trials and quite possibly a product that lasts longer.
What's more, it can be hard to tell these differences based on a image on a website. A $2,000 mattress and a $700 one can look nearly identical on a product page. Here’s what separates them and what a good one costs.
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How much should you spend on a mattress?
On average, you should budget $1,500 to $2,000 for a quality queen mattress bought
online. That range is the sweet spot, according to Derek Hales, founder and editor-in-chief of the mattress review site NapLab. “These mattresses will give you excellent performance and quality, without overpaying,” he says.
What can you expect at different mattress price points?
The ranges below are based on pricing data from the sleep health and product review site Sleep Foundation. You’ll notice that the tiers overlap, so use the average queen price in each one as your guide.
Budget mattresses
Tuft & Needle
King mattresses starting at $799.
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Budget mattresses cost about $250 to $1,000, and a queen averages $600. Most are all-foam or innerspring models made with basic materials. “There are definitely good or even great mattresses that are at $1,000 or less, but that is also where we find the lowest average performance,” Hales says. Cheaper foams break down faster, so plan on replacing a budget bed sooner.
Midrange mattresses
Amerisleep
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Midrange mattresses run about $500 to $1,500 and average around $1,000 for a queen. You’ll find the same all-foam and innerspring designs here, plus some hybrids, but built with higher-quality materials, such as denser foams that hold their shape longer.
Luxury mattresses
Bryte
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Luxury mattresses start around $1,200 and can go up to $3,000 or more, averaging about $1,800 for a queen. Most are hybrid or latex models made with high-end materials. According to Hales, $1,500 to $2,000 is the sweet spot for a queen, even though that cost falls at the lower end of this tier.
Latex costs more because it’s a natural, sometimes organic material. Spend well past that sweet spot, though, and you hit diminishing returns, Hales says.
How much do mattresses cost by type?
All-foam and innerspring queens average about the same, while latex and hybrid beds cost nearly twice as much, according to the Sleep Foundation.
How much do mattresses cost by size?
Bigger beds use more materials, so prices climb with each size increase. Here’s the average cost for each standard mattress size.
What factors affect mattress prices?
Two mattresses in the same size can be hundreds of dollars apart. Here’s why.
Materials and construction
What’s inside matters most. Hybrids with pocketed coils generally cost more than all-foam beds, and natural latex costs more than standard memory foam. Foam quality varies too and Hales says high-density foam is worth the extra money. Comparing it is the hard part. “It’s often hard to determine the difference in foam specs, as few manufacturers publish this data,” he says.
Where you buy
Online brands usually charge less than showrooms because they skip the overhead of running a store, according to the Sleep Foundation. In-store prices can be negotiable, though.
Cooling and specialty features
Cooling layers, gel-infused foams and breathable covers all add to the price. For hot sleepers, they can be worth it. Cheaper all-foam beds tend to trap heat, and a warmer sleeping surface can disrupt sleep, says Dr. Waiz Wasey, a board-certified sleep medicine physician and lead physician at The Insomnia and Sleep Institute of Arizona.
Delivery, trials and warranties
The sticker price isn’t always the final cost. When shipping isn’t included, expect to pay about $50 to $100, and more for in-home setup, according to the Sleep Foundation. Longer warranties can raise the upfront cost, and some brands charge return shipping or restocking fees, so read the policy before you buy.
Is an expensive mattress worth it?
Sometimes. “Price does not buy you better sleep,” Wasey says, but the right mattress for your situation does help. People with chronic back, neck, hip or shoulder pain may benefit from spending more, he says, because a bed that lets the spine sag night after night can lead to misalignment and more pain. People with a higher body weight should also invest in denser foam or a hybrid with coils, since cheaper beds break down faster under more weight.
When can you spend less on a mattress?
Not every bed needs to be an investment. Younger, healthier people without back pain can often get by on a budget model, Wasey says, and so can lightweight adults, who put less strain on a mattress over time. The same goes for short-term use, such as a guest room or vacation rental, where no one sleeps on the bed every night.
How to get the best mattress for your budget
Mattress sales happen often, but catching the right sale at the right time is the trick.
- Time your purchase. Holiday sales from Memorial Day through Black Friday bring some of the year’s deepest mattress discounts.
- Haggle in stores. In a 2023 Consumer Reports survey, 63% of members who haggled over a mattress succeeded, saving a median of $258.
- Don’t trust a quick test. “A mattress might feel amazing for five minutes in a showroom but leave you stiff and uncomfortable after eight hours,” says Dr. Sean Lordan, a physical therapist and CEO of Concierge Physical Therapy.
- Put your money where you sleep. Prioritize support and materials over extras such as adjustable firmness or smart features.
- Give it time at home. Your body needs three to four weeks to adjust to a new mattress, and some early soreness is normal, Wasey says. Use that window of your sleep trial before deciding to return it.
Frequently asked questions
Is $1,000 enough for a good mattress?
It can be, though mattresses at that price often use less durable materials, so you may need to replace one sooner than a midrange model.
Is $2,000 too much to spend on a mattress?
Not usually, since $2,000 sits at the top of the recommended range for a queen, though spending much beyond that may not buy a noticeably better night’s sleep.
Does a more expensive mattress last longer?
Generally, yes, though construction matters more than the price tag, Hales says, since higher-density foams and thicker coils hold up better than cheaper materials.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How much should you spend on a mattress? Experts reveal the sweet spot
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