Kitchen vs bathroom remodel: which has the better ROI?
If you can only do one, which pays back better at resale — the kitchen or the bathroom? The short answer: a minor kitchen remodel usually edges out a bathroom remodel on return, but the bathroom wins on lower cost and lower risk. The trap to avoid in both rooms is going “major.”
Quick verdict: minor kitchen remodel ≈ 85% recouped · midrange bathroom remodel ≈ 74% · major kitchen ≈ 50% · bathroom addition ≈ 50%. Smaller, cosmetic updates beat full gut-jobs in both rooms.
The numbers, side by side
| Project | Typical cost | Recouped |
|---|---|---|
| Minor kitchen remodel | $27,000 | ~85% |
| Bathroom remodel (midrange) | $25,000 | ~74% |
| Major kitchen remodel | $80,000 | ~50% |
| Bathroom addition | $60,000 | ~50% |
National midrange averages; ROI varies by market. Run your own figures in the calculator.
Why the minor kitchen usually wins
The kitchen is the room buyers judge a house by, so a refresh that makes it feel current pays off — refacing or repainting cabinets, new hardware, an updated countertop, and one or two appliances, without moving walls or plumbing. Because the cost stays moderate while the visual impact is high, the recoup rate lands around 85%. Push it to a full major remodel — custom cabinets, new layout, premium everything — and the cost roughly triples while the recoup rate falls to about half.
When the bathroom is the smarter call
A midrange bathroom remodel recoups a little less (~74%) but costs less and carries less risk: it's a smaller, more contained project, and a clean, modern bathroom removes a common buyer objection. If your kitchen is already decent and a bathroom is dated or the home is short on bathrooms, the bathroom is the better spend. Note that a whole new bathroom addition is a different animal — it adds function but only recoups about half its cost.
How to choose
- Selling within ~2 years? Fix whichever room is most dated, keep it minor/midrange, and use neutral, timeless finishes.
- Staying long term? ROI matters less — do the room you'll use most, and enjoy it.
- Tight budget? The bathroom is cheaper to bring up to standard; the minor kitchen returns a touch more per dollar.
- Either way: resist scope creep. The jump from “minor” to “major” is where ROI collapses.
Compare them for your home
Use Compare mode to put a kitchen and bathroom side by side, or enter your own quote.
Open the calculator →Methodology: figures are national midrange “Cost vs. Value” averages compiled from published remodeling data, adjusted for finish, scope and region. Planning estimates, not appraisals or quotes. Sources: Remodeling/JLC Cost vs Value, NAR Remodeling Impact Report. Reviewed by the Return on Reno research team, June 2026. General information, not financial or real-estate advice.
Last reviewed: June 2026 · Return on Reno