Real Grass vs Artificial Turf: The 10-Year Cost Breakdown

The sticker shock of turf is real. A 1,200-square-foot install runs $18,000-$24,000 in the Portland metro and Willamette Valley. Compared to a $4,000 sod install, turf looks expensive.

Until you run it out 10 years.

Real grass: the actual annual cost

For a 1,200 sqft Oregon lawn, here's what most homeowners actually spend per year:

• Water: $220 (varies with rates and drought years)
• Mowing service or mower fuel + maintenance: $480–$1,200 (DIY) or $1,560 (service at $30/visit, 52 visits/year reduced to 26 in winter)
• Fertilizer + weed killer: $120
• Aeration + reseeding (every 2-3 years): $90 amortized annually
• Replacement sod for dead patches: $80 amortized

Realistic total: $1,000–$2,100 per year.

Over 10 years: $10,000–$21,000.

Plus the time. Mowing, edging, weeding, watering schedules, dethatching. The average homeowner spends about 50 hours a year on lawn care. Over 10 years that's 500 hours — over 20 full days of your life.

Artificial turf: the actual annual cost

• Water: $0
• Mowing: $0
• Fertilizer/weed killer: $0
• Annual rinse + brush (DIY): $0 (or $200 if you hire it out)
• Repairs/seam touch-ups: averages $50/year over the lifespan

Realistic total: $50–$250 per year.

Over 10 years: $500–$2,500.

The 10-year math

• Real grass: $4,000 sod + $15,000 maintenance = $19,000
• Artificial turf: $21,000 install + $1,500 maintenance = $22,500

After 10 years, turf is about $3,500 more expensive than grass.

But turf lasts 15-20 years. Grass needs full re-sodding every 7-10 years. So at year 11, you're paying for another lawn — and turf is now cheaper than grass through year 15+.

The numbers that don't show up on a spreadsheet

• 500 hours of weekends you didn't spend mowing
• No drought stress, no brown patches, no HOA letters
• Your kids and dog can use the yard year-round, including February
• Resale: a turfed yard typically adds $5,000–$8,000 to home value in the Portland metro

The right question isn't “is turf expensive?” It's “what would I do with 500 hours and a permanently green lawn?”

Related reading

• How Much Water Does Artificial Turf Save? (Oregon)
• Artificial Turf Cost in the Portland Metro (2026 Pricing)
• Oregon Water Restrictions: Why Turf Is the Long Answer

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