Bridge to Layer-2 Gas Fee: Live Cost to Deposit ETH on Arbitrum, Optimism or Base
Right now, to bridge ETH to a layer-2 on Ethereum mainnet costs about $0.022 at the standard gas price of 0.081 gwei.
Depositing ETH into a rollup through its canonical bridge is a transaction on Ethereum mainnet, so it is paid at mainnet gas prices. It typically uses about 70,000 to 150,000 gas. Once your funds are on the layer-2, everyday transactions there cost a fraction of a cent.
How the cost is calculated
Fee = gas used × gas price × ETH price. With the current standard price: 110,000 gas × 0.081 gwei = 0.00000890 ETH, which is $0.022 at $2,492 per ETH. Across the typical range of about 70,000 to 150,000 gas, the standard cost is between $0.014 and $0.030.
How to pay less
- Bridge during a low-gas period. It is the one step of using a layer-2 that pays mainnet prices.
- Withdrawing back to mainnet through an optimistic rollup's canonical bridge takes about a week.
- Check the cheapest hours to transact and avoid known demand spikes.
What it cost on recent days
Cost of this action at each day's average and peak standard gas price, using that day's average ETH price.
| Day | Avg gas | Cost at avg | Cost at peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 10, 2026 | 0.088 gwei | $0.024 | $0.038 |
| October 9, 2026 | 0.212 gwei | $0.058 | $0.339 |
| October 8, 2026 | 0.940 gwei | $0.260 | $3.40 |
| October 7, 2026 | 0.682 gwei | $0.195 | $1.68 |
| October 6, 2026 | 0.544 gwei | $0.162 | $1.32 |
| October 5, 2026 | 0.467 gwei | $0.139 | $1.03 |
| October 4, 2026 | 0.122 gwei | $0.036 | $0.278 |
Compare with other Ethereum actions
| Action | Typical gas | Standard cost |
|---|---|---|
| Send ETH | 21,000 | $0.0042 |
| Send USDT (ERC-20) | 63,000 | $0.013 |
| Send USDC (ERC-20) | 60,000 | $0.012 |
| Approve a token | 46,000 | $0.0093 |
| Swap on Uniswap | 150,000 | $0.030 |
| Mint an NFT | 120,000 | $0.024 |
| Transfer an NFT | 70,000 | $0.014 |
| Buy an NFT on a marketplace | 200,000 | $0.040 |
| Deposit into Aave | 220,000 | $0.044 |
| Wrap ETH into WETH | 46,000 | $0.0093 |
| Stake ETH with Lido | 85,000 | $0.017 |
| Bridge ETH to a layer-2 | 110,000 | $0.022 |
| Register an ENS name | 300,000 | $0.060 |
| Deploy a smart contract | 1,200,000 | $0.242 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to bridge ETH to a layer-2 right now?
About $0.022 at the standard gas price of 0.081 gwei with ETH at $2,492, using a typical 110,000 gas.
How much gas does it use?
Typically about 70,000 to 150,000 gas. Exact usage depends on the contract and on whether new storage is written.
Why does the cost change during the day?
The gas price follows demand for Ethereum block space. Busy hours and market events push it up; quiet hours bring it down.