Resource Notes
Use, understand, and apply the model
Key takeaway
Gas cost reference: ETH transfer $1.89, ERC-20 transfer $4.05-$5.85, Uniswap V3 swap $9.90-$27, NFT mint $9-$18, DeFi contract deployment $180-$450 at 30 Gwei, $3,000 ETH. L2 costs are 95-99% lower: Arbitrum ETH transfer $0.02-$0.08, Polygon ETH transfer $0.001-$0.01. Gas optimization can save 30%+ — at 10,000 transfers/day, saving $18,000/day.
Gas Cost Reference Table
Reference Table
| Operation | Gas Cost | At 30 Gwei, ETH=$3000 |
|---|---|---|
| Simple ETH transfer | 21,000 | $1.89 |
| ERC-20 transfer | 45,000–65,000 | $4.05–$5.85 |
| ERC-20 approval | 45,000 | $4.05 |
| Uniswap V3 swap (simple) | 110,000–150,000 | $9.90–$13.50 |
| Uniswap V3 swap (complex route) | 200,000–300,000 | $18–$27 |
| Aave deposit | 180,000–250,000 | $16.20–$22.50 |
| Aave borrow | 210,000–280,000 | $18.90–$25.20 |
| NFT mint (ERC-721) | 100,000–200,000 | $9.00–$18.00 |
| NFT mint (ERC-721A, batch 10) | 120,000–150,000 | $10.80–$13.50 |
| Contract deployment (simple) | 500,000–1,000,000 | $45–$90 |
| Contract deployment (DeFi) | 2,000,000–5,000,000 | $180–$450 |
The Gas Calculation Formula
Transaction fee = Gas Used × Gas Price (in Gwei) × (1 Gwei / 1,000,000,000 ETH) × ETH price. Example: Gas Used: 150,000, Gas Price: 30 Gwei, ETH Price: $3,000. Fee = 150,000 × 30 / 1,000,000,000 × $3,000 = 0.0045 ETH × $3,000 = $13.50.
L2 vs L1 Gas Comparison (Same Operations)
Reference Table
| Chain | ETH Transfer | ERC-20 Transfer | Simple Swap | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethereum L1 | $1.89 | $4.05–$5.85 | $9.90–$27 | At 30 Gwei |
| Arbitrum | $0.02–$0.08 | $0.05–$0.15 | $0.20–$0.80 | Post-EIP-4844 |
| Optimism | $0.01–$0.05 | $0.04–$0.12 | $0.15–$0.60 | Post-EIP-4844 |
| Base | $0.01–$0.03 | $0.03–$0.08 | $0.10–$0.40 | Post-EIP-4844 |
| Polygon PoS | $0.001–$0.01 | $0.003–$0.02 | $0.02–$0.10 | Separate gas token |