How Much Are Gunpla Models Worth? Looking at the Usual Price per Grade

One of the roadblocks for people trying to get into Gunpla models is its price. When I was starting to build these models, I was often surprised by how much they cost, considering they are made with plastics. As a result, I often wished for a guide on the average price of these models to know if I was getting a good deal. Thus, I decided to write an average price guide for Gundam models to help new modelers.

The Gundam model’s worth depends on numerous factors such as grade, rarity, size, and design. The average price for HG Gundam models is usually $30, SD Gundams are usually $15, RG Gundams are worth $42.5, MG Gundams are about $80, and PG Gundams are typically worth $310.

This post will give the average price of Gundam models and their price range. This can help beginners assess if they are getting a good deal. Furthermore, I introduced factors that can greatly affect the model’s price.

How much is Gundam worth?

Gundam Type Grade	Price Range	Average Price
HG Gundam	$20-40	$30
SD Gundam	$10-$20	$15
RG Gundam	$35-$50	$42.5
MG Gundam	$60-$100	$80
PG Gundam	$220-$400	$310

Generally speaking, a Gundam model’s worth depends on many factors such as the type of Gundam, rarity, grade, size, etc. The grade is the biggest factor, with the highest grade being the most expensive. For example, the highest grade models usually cost around $310, while low-grade models can be bought for as low as $10.

Recommended Read: For an extensive guide discussing the differences between Gundam grades, please check this post: What are the different Gunpla Grade? A Fully Detailed Guide.

Since grade is the most significant factor in the Gundam model’s price, I separated their price range based on grade.

But what are grades? Some beginners think that grades are the model’s scale. However, that’s incorrect.

A model can have the same scale but different grades.

For example, both RG and HG models are on the 1/144 scale.

But what separates these grades are the details.

In this case, RG is generally more detailed than HG models.

That’s why if you check the price, RG Gundams will usually be more expensive than HG models.

Among these grades, the cheapest is the Super Deformed (SD) grade. It is easy to find SD models worth only $10 in stores.

SD Gundams are considered the “Chibi” Gundam because they often have large heads and are small in size.

They are often preferred by people who like Chibi models.

Here is a sample of an SD Gundam.

SD Gundams aren’t realistic. Thus, most beginners who would like to build realistic Gundam models opt for HG models.

On the other hand, the highest grade Gundam is the PG or Perfect Grade Gundam. As the name implies, these models are the best, and Bandai only produces PG Gundams if the model passes their quality standards.

Thus, these PG Gundams are generally the most expensive among the grades and would usually cost about $300.

On average, they cost around $310, but you can get some PG Gundams for $220, while some can even reach $400.

Grades are a big factor in knowing a Gundam’s worth, but more factors can affect their price. We will discuss these in the next section.

Here is a photo of a PG model.

Recommended Read: I created an in-depth post discussing PG models. If you’re interested, please check this post: What is the Highest Gunpla Grade?

Factors that Affect Gundam Model’s Worth

Here are the factors that can affect a Gundam model’s worth.

1. Gundam Model’s Grade

As we discussed earlier, Grades are one of the biggest factors affecting a Gundam’s price.

The Perfect grade models are considered the most expensive, followed by MG, RG, HG, and SD.

Basically, the more detailed the models, the more expensive they can be.

However, grades aren’t the only ones that can affect a model’s price. So let’s look at other factors.

2. Gundam Model’s Size and Scale

Size is a big factor in a model’s price.

The larger the model, the more materials are used in producing them. This makes them more expensive than smaller models.

For example, SD or the Chibi models are considered the smallest commercially available Gundam model. Since these models only require a few plastics to produce, they are considered the cheapest grade Gundam.

On the other hand, PG is considered to be the largest since they are on the 1/60 scale. Thus, they require more raw materials to produce.

Let’s also not forget that larger models require more parts, leading to higher costs.

That’s also why if we go back to my arrangement from the most expensive to the least expensive, we can see a pattern.

PG is the most expensive since it is the largest (1/60), followed by the MG since they are also large (1/100), followed by RG and HG, which are both (1/144).

3. Gundam Model’s Rarity

One thing we could notice in the table is the price range. While I gave the average price, some models would cost less than average, and some would cost more.

This is because rarity also matters.

Furthermore, some rare models would reach higher than the price indicated above.

For example, models such as Ver. Ka or P-Bandai are expensive as they are considered limited edition models.

These models’ prices can cost a lot more than their ordinary counterparts.

These models’ prices are driven by demand. The more demand, the higher the price.

For example, this is my photo with MG Sinanju Ver. Ka which costs around $160, but ordinary MG models cost about $80.

4. Gundam Model’s Design

Another factor that can affect a Gundam model’s price is design.

For example, well-painted models can cost a lot since people often buy them for display purposes.

This is where Gundam modelers improve their painting skills.

Furthermore, this is where modelers are talking about concepts such as kitbashing, where they combine different models to create their unique Gundam.

These are advanced concepts but generally speaking, the better your model looks, the more expensive it can get when you sell it on places such as eBay or Facebook.

5. Gundam Model’s Condition

When you check Gunpla kit marketplaces, you will see that sellers would often indicate the condition of the model.

Is it an unbuilt kit? If it is an unbuilt kit, what is the box’s condition? Is the box well preserved, or is it a damaged box?

Generally speaking, built Gunpla kits cost 50% less than unbuilt kits. This is because most modelers prefer building their own kits.

Some people would also buy rare kits, keep them for some time, and then sell them when the demand is higher.

However, some modelers that are good at designing their models can often sell their models higher than the cost of the kit since some people buy these models for display purposes.

What’s next? Now that you know the worth of Gundam models per grade, how about understanding the factors that make these models expensive. Why would a product that’s entirely made of plastics reach hundreds of dollars? I made a post discussing this topic and if you’re interested, you may check it here: Why are Gundam Models expensive?