Self publishing pays a royalty, not a price. The difference is where most first time expectations go wrong.
Rates and printing costs change by marketplace and over time. Check the current published schedule before relying on any figure below.
Ebook royalties
Amazon pays a 70 per cent royalty inside a set price band, commonly 2.99 to 9.99 US dollars, and 35 per cent outside it. Inside the higher band a delivery fee based on file size is also deducted.
A 4.99 ebook at 70 per cent is about 3.49, less a delivery fee that is usually small for a text only book. Call it 3.35 retained.
The same book priced at 1.99 falls into the 35 per cent band and pays about 0.70. Pricing below the band is rarely worth it outside a short promotion.
Paperback royalties
Paperbacks pay 60 per cent of the list price minus the printing cost, and printing is the part that surprises people.
A 200 page black and white paperback might cost around 2.60 to print. At a list price of 9.99, the calculation is 60 per cent of 9.99, which is about 5.99, minus 2.60 printing, leaving roughly 3.39.
Colour interiors change this completely. The same book with colour printing can cost more to produce than the list price supports, which is why colour titles are usually priced far higher.
What a beginner actually sells
The distribution is heavily skewed. A large share of self published titles sell in single digits per month. A book that finds a genuine niche and has a competent cover might sell ten to fifty copies a month in its first year.
At roughly 3.40 retained per copy, thirty sales a month is about 100 euro. That is a real result and a long way from a replacement income.
Costs before the first sale
A usable cover from a freelance designer is commonly 100 to 400 euro. Editing for a full length book is more, often 500 euro and upward, though a short practical title can be handled with a careful proofread.
Advertising is optional and easy to overspend on. A first campaign frequently costs more than it returns while the targeting is learned.
Break even
With a 250 euro cover and no paid editing, break even at 3.40 per copy is about 74 copies. Many books take six to twelve months to reach that, and some never do.
What improves the odds
A specific subject with a clear buyer. A cover that reads at thumbnail size. A title that matches what people actually search for. A second and third book in the same subject, because series and author depth do most of the work.
The honest position
Self publishing is a slow, low cost route with a wide range of outcomes and no guaranteed income. It rewards repetition rather than a single attempt, and the platform can change its royalty and advertising rules at any time.