Everybody loves a steak dinner, and while it is packed with protein, it's definitely not your cheapest option. Even slightly cheaper cuts - like rump - still set you back around $12 for 300 grams of beef.
Protein in 100 grams: 22 grams
Amount of protein for $1: 5.5 grams
Once upon a time quinoa was a superfood, but now it's little more than a side dish on the average Aussie's plate. But that doesn't mean you should write it off, because quinoa is packed with protein, bringing in almost 15 grams a serve. A 500 gram bag of quinoa will set you back around $9.30, giving it one of the priciest dollar to protein ratio.
Protein in 100 grams: 13.1 grams
Amount of protein for $1: 6.9 grams
Equally perfect for both breakfast and dessert, Greek yoghurt is a wonderful addition to your diet if you do any kind of high-intensity strength training. A two kilo tub of Greek yoghurt will set you back around $11, and give you a total return of around close to 100 grams of protein.
Protein in 100 grams: 10 grams
Amount of protein for $1: 9 grams
It's deliberately designed to boost your diet, but is whey protein as expensive as you think? Probably not, considering that you can get a 450 gram tub of the world's most popular protein powder for around about $34.90. Considering it's more than three quarters pure protein, that's not too bad.
Protein in 100 grams: 76.8 grams
Amount of protein for $1: 9.9 grams
Tempeh seems to make it onto every list of common, nutritious foods - and for good reason. In 100 grams of tempeh (made from soybeans) there's almost 20 grams of protein. Despite being relatively "exotic", tempeh is still reasonably cheap, with a 300 gram block costing you about $5.
Protein in 100 grams: 15 grams
Amount of protein for $1: 10 grams
Despite being part of the protein-packed dairy family, Swiss cheese is often overlooked when it comes to choosing muscle-building foods. It's a shame, because Swiss cheese is almost a third protein, and a 200 gram block will only set you back around $5.
Protein in 100 grams: 27 grams
Amount of protein for $1: 10.8 grams
Whether you're meal-prepping for the week or want an easy, protein-packed dinner, beef mince is a cheap and fast way to make something equally tasty and healthy. For half a kilo of lean beef mince, you'll pay around $9.50 and receive about 70 grams of protein.
Protein in 100 grams: 22.4 grams
Amount of protein for $1: 11.8 grams
It's the saviour of many a vegetarian's diet, but tofu could also make a welcome addition to any carnivore's eating plan. A 350 gram block of tofu will set you back about $5, and can be fried off or steamed with the rest of your vegetables while you cook your main source of protein.
Protein in 100 grams: 15.9 grams
Amount of protein for $1: 11.8 grams
Sometimes referred to as "the healthy man's ice-cream", cottage cheese is packed full of protein and can be bought reasonably cheap. A 500 gram tub of creamed cottage cheese will set you back around about $4.50 while giving you a substantial 55 grams of protein.
Protein in 100 grams: 11 grams
Amount of protein for $1: 12.2 grams
A 400 gram packet of unsalted almonds will set you back around $8, which means you'll have a week's worth of snacks on hand with the upward potential of around 84 grams of protein. Almonds are also a great option to throw into blended smoothies and protein shakes for added texture.
Protein in 100 grams: 25.3 grams
Amount of protein for $1: 12.65 grams
Offal might not be what your mind immediately thinks of when you run over the grocery list for optimum muscle building, but cuts like tongue and cheek offer a lot of protein at fairly lowly prices. Ordering a half kilo of organic beef liver will only set you back about $8, and give you an impressive 130 grams of protein.
Protein in 100 grams: 26 grams
Amount of protein for $1: 16.25 grams
There's no bodybuilding staple in history more recognisable than the humble egg. From tales of raw egg shakes to scoffing down a dozen eggs with breakfast, everybody loves the estimated 10 grams of protein inside two eggs. Depending on who you buy from, a dozen eggs will set you back around $5.
Protein in 100 grams: 13 grams
Amount of protein for $1: 18 grams
There's pretty much no reason under the sun why you would still eat peanut butter with preservatives when there's all natural peanut butter available. Not only is it ultra-delicious, it's also a handy way to get your protein in without sacrificing flavour. A jar of peanuts-only butter can cost you an arm or a leg, but it's possible to get around 375 grams for just $5.
Protein in 100 grams: 26 grams
Amount of protein for $1: 19.5 grams
When it comes to eating a high-protein diet, many people forget about plain old white-fleshed fish, despite it being both cheap and extremely nutritious. Take Basa illets for example - at around $10 per kilo, someone could theoretically buy a weeks worth of protein for less than $40.
Protein in 100 grams: 24 grams
Amount of protein for $1: 24 grams
It's an absolute protein staple, but chicken breast can soak up a large portion of your grocery budget if you're looking to build muscle. The price of chicken varies with season (and level of competition) but we found the going price was about $6 for around 500 grams, which would return you 155 grams of protein.
Protein in 100 grams: 31 gramsÂ
Amount of protein for $1: 25.8 grams
Absolutely packed full of fat, sunflower seeds are a great snack to have between meals when you feel like nibbling on something healthy. You can pick up a 150 gram bag for about $1.20.
Protein in 100 grams: 21 grams
Amount of protein for $1: 26.2
Whole milk is a muscle building institution, so much so that some people drink four litres a day just to put on muscle. Thankfully, it is cheap, with a litre costing you only $1.35, and giving you a huge 30 grams of protein.
Protein in 100 ml: 3.2 grams
Amount of protein for $1: 28 grams
Another vegan favourite, lentils are a great way of bulking up dishes while also adding a handy dose of protein. In a 400 gram can of brined lentils you'll be able to consume 36 grams of protein, which isn't too bad considering you'll pay around 80 cents for the can.
Protein in 100 grams: 5.8 grams
Amount of protein for $1: 29 grams
Love it or hate it, canned tuna is a seriously cheap option when it comes to bulking up. In each 95 gram tin of tuna, there's a whopping 27 grams of protein, making it worth stomaching lunch after lunch. It's super easy to pick up 100 grams of canned tuna for under $1, making it a great shoestring bulking source.
Protein in 100 grams: 30 grams
Amount of protein for $1: 34 grams
If you're vegetarian, finding sources of protein that give you a good bang for your buck can be pretty tough. That is of course, unless you like chickpeas, in which case you can close to 30 grams of protein for just 80 cents. This makes it the cheapest source of protein you could ever imagine - but you would have to eat a lot of chickpeas.
Protein in 100 grams: 7 grams
Amount of protein for $1: 35 grams