How much does it cost to mail a letter?

What one stamp covers

One First-Class stamp mails a standard envelope weighing up to 1 ounce anywhere in the United States. That's roughly 4–5 sheets of regular letter paper plus the envelope. Heavier letters cost 29¢ per extra ounce, up to the 3.5-ounce letter limit — beyond that, it's priced as a large envelope (flat), starting around $1.63.

International letters

A letter to another country needs a Global Forever stamp, currently $1.70, which covers 1 ounce to any country. Heavier international letters cost more depending on the destination group.

The real cost of doing it yourself

The stamp is the cheap part. Mailing a letter yourself also means:

• Printing — paper, ink or toner, and a working printer.
• An envelope — and a return address written or printed on it.
• The trip — to a postbox or post office, during your day.
• Timing — miss the day's collection and your letter waits until tomorrow.

For a one-off letter, most people spend 20–30 minutes on the whole errand. If you mail letters rarely, a print-and-mail service is often cheaper than keeping stamps, envelopes and printer ink around.

Ways to save

• Keep it under 1 ounce — four sheets of paper is the safe maximum for a single stamp.
• Use a standard envelope — square or rigid envelopes cost extra because machines can't sort them.
• Skip certified or tracking unless you need proof — those extras cost several dollars more.
• Mail online — services like Postmark Today print, stamp and mail your letter for one flat price, with no supplies to buy.