A laundered dress shirt cost an average of $4.15 at U.S. dry cleaners in January 2025, and a two-piece suit averaged $18.18, according to a survey of 894 cleaners in the 2025 State of the Dry Cleaning Industry Report from Cleaner’s Supply. Pants, blouses, and sweaters all landed close to $8. Western and urban shops charged more, and prices have kept climbing since that survey.
Key Takeaways:
- National averages in January 2025 ran from $4.15 for a laundered shirt to $38.30 for a queen comforter.
- Cleaners in the West and in urban areas charged more than the national average for every item the survey tracked.
- The federal price index for laundry and dry cleaning services rose 5.1% in the year to August 2026.
- Fabric, construction, and hand labor explain most of the gap between a $4 shirt and a $20 suit.
- OrangeBag prices dry cleaning by the piece in Los Angeles, from $7.95 for a shirt, with pickup and delivery.
Average dry cleaning prices per item
The Cleaner’s Supply report is one of the few surveys that breaks prices out by garment and by region. Here’s the average dry cleaning cost it recorded in January 2025, with the national figure first and the Western states, where California sits, second.
- A laundered shirt averaged $4.15, or $4.93 in the West.
- A blouse averaged $7.91, or $8.42 in the West.
- Pants averaged $8.06, or $8.42 in the West.
- A sweater averaged $8.43, or $9.08 in the West.
- A sport coat averaged $11.58, or $13.44 in the West.
- A plain dress averaged $14.87, or $15.23 in the West.
- A two-piece suit averaged $18.18, or $20.58 in the West.
- A queen comforter averaged $38.30, or $42.99 in the West.
The laundered shirt is the cheapest line by a wide margin. This shirt is washed in water and pressed, and it never goes through the solvent process, which helps explain the low price.
The regional gap grows on larger pieces. A suit cleaned in the West cost $5.42 more than the same suit cleaned in the South, where the average was $15.16.
Why is dry cleaning so expensive?
Most of what you pay for is skilled hand work. Every piece gets inspected, spotted, cleaned, pressed, and bagged, and a suit jacket takes far more pressing time than a flat cotton shirt. The Drycleaning & Laundry Institute, the industry’s trade group, says cleaners price garments by fabric type, construction, and details that need special handling.
Running a cleaner also costs more. In the Cleaner’s Supply survey, 58% of cleaners reported higher sales in 2024 than in 2023. Only 29% reported higher profits. Cleaners planning to raise prices in 2025 expected an average increase of 7.5%.
Federal data points the same way. The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks laundry and dry cleaning services as one Consumer Price Index category. According to the FRED series from the St. Louis Fed, that index rose 5.1% between August 2025 and August 2026, and it’s up about 58% over the past 10 years.
Do you pay more for dry cleaning in Los Angeles?
In most cases, yes. Western cleaners charged more than the national average on all eight items in the survey, and urban cleaners did too. Los Angeles checks both boxes. Urban shops averaged $4.66 for a laundered shirt and $19.70 for a two-piece suit.
Those figures are from January 2025, and the price index for laundry and dry cleaning climbed 8.9% between January 2025 and August 2026. Today’s averages likely sit a bit higher.
Convenience is the other variable. A pickup and delivery service pays for a driver, as a separate fee or folded into the per-piece rate. In return, you skip two drives across town in LA traffic.
What OrangeBag charges for dry cleaning
OrangeBag prices dry cleaning by the piece for Los Angeles residents. A shirt or vest is $7.95, pants are $13.75, a blouse is $11.45, and a sweater is $13.75. A dress is $24.95, a two-piece suit is $27.50, and a blanket or comforter is $55.00. These prices sit above the survey averages and include a driver who collects from your door and brings the order back.
Each à la carte order adds a $9.95 service fee and a $3.00 delivery fee, and prices are subject to change. Every line, from ties to shoes, is on OrangeBag’s list of dry cleaning and wash and fold prices. Since the two fees are charged per order, sending a week of pieces together costs less per item than sending one shirt at a time.
Dry cleaning isn’t currently available in the San Fernando Valley, Glendale, or Silver Lake. You’ll confirm coverage for your address when you schedule, and the page on laundry pickup and delivery in Los Angeles lists the areas on the route. OrangeBag is also a Certified California Green Business. New to delivery? Here’s how a laundry delivery service handles your order, and how to treat a spot on a dry-clean-only piece at home before pickup.
Dry cleaning cost FAQ
How much does dry cleaning cost per item?
Most everyday pieces cost between about $4 and $9 each, based on national averages from January 2025. A laundered shirt averaged $4.15, pants $8.06, and a sweater $8.43. Structured pieces cost more, with a sport coat at $11.58 and a two-piece suit at $18.18. Prices in Los Angeles and other Western cities run higher.
Is dry cleaning worth the money?
For tailored, lined, or delicate clothes, it usually is. Wool, silk, and rayon can shrink, lose shape, or change color when washed against their care label, and replacing a good jacket costs far more than cleaning it. If the label says to dry clean, follow it. If it allows machine washing, save the cleaner for pressing and stains.
Do you pay for dry cleaning before or after?
It depends on the cleaner, so ask when you drop off. Whatever the policy, confirm the price up front for anything unusual, like a leather jacket, a gown, or a comforter. Specialty pieces vary the most from shop to shop, and a quick question at the counter avoids an unexpected charge at pickup.
Ready to skip the trip to the cleaner?
Put the pieces that need cleaning in a bag and a driver will collect them from your door. Every item on the price list has a set price, so you’ll know what you’re paying before you book.
