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DeepSeek R1 vs GPT-5.4 mini

Detailed pricing comparison and cost analysis.

Updated September 2026

Cost Simulator

DeepSeek R1 Cost
$0.36
GPT-5.4 mini Cost
$1.65
DeepSeek R1 is 78% cheaper
FeatureDeepSeek R1GPT-5.4 mini
ProviderDeepSeekOpenAI
Input Price (1M)$0.28$0.75
Output Price (1M)$0.42$4.50
Context Window64,000400,000

Verdict

DeepSeek R1 costs $0.28 per 1M input tokens and $0.42 per 1M output tokens. GPT-5.4 mini costs $0.75 per 1M input tokens and $4.50 per 1M output tokens. DeepSeek R1 is 63% cheaper on input tokens than GPT-5.4 mini. For output tokens, DeepSeek R1 is the more affordable option at $0.42/1M vs $4.50.

On context window, GPT-5.4 mini supports 400,000 tokens — meaning it can fit more conversation history, documents, or code in a single request. This matters for RAG pipelines, long document analysis, and agentic workflows where context builds up over many turns.

When to choose DeepSeek R1

  • ✓ You need the lowest input token cost ($ 0.28/1M)
  • ✓ Your workload is output-heavy — DeepSeek R1 generates text cheaper
  • ✓ You are already integrated with DeepSeek

When to choose GPT-5.4 mini

  • ✓ You need a larger context window (400,000 tokens)
  • ✓ You are already integrated with OpenAI

Use the calculator above to simulate your specific workload and find the exact break-even point. For most applications, the cheapest model is the one that minimises your total monthly bill given your input-to-output token ratio.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is DeepSeek R1 cheaper than GPT-5.4 mini?

DeepSeek R1 is cheaper on input tokens at $0.28/1M vs $0.75/1M for GPT-5.4 mini — a 63% saving.

What is the context window of DeepSeek R1 vs GPT-5.4 mini?

DeepSeek R1 has a 64,000-token context window. GPT-5.4 mini has a 400,000-token context window. GPT-5.4 mini supports the larger context, suitable for longer documents and agentic workflows.

Which model is better: DeepSeek R1 or GPT-5.4 mini?

The best choice depends on your use case. For cost efficiency on input tokens, DeepSeek R1 is the cheaper option. For maximum context length, GPT-5.4 mini supports 400,000 tokens. Use the comparison table above to find the right fit for your workload.