API cost decision in 10 seconds

Llama 3 8B Lunaris vs GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini

Pick Llama 3 8B Lunaris for lower cost; pick GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini only if the larger context window matters more.

Page updated:  Data confirmed:  Prices normalized to USD per 1M tokens Sample workload: 1M input + 500K output

Budget verdict

Pick Llama 3 8B Lunaris for lower cost; pick GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini only if the larger context window matters more.

On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Llama 3 8B Lunaris is estimated at $0.07 vs $1.25 for GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini, saving $1.19 (94.8% lower).

Cost-first pickLlama 3 8B Lunaris
Context-first pickGPT-5.1-Codex-Mini
Sample savings$1.1994.8%
10x traffic gap$11.85

GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini has more context, but Llama 3 8B Lunaris saves $1.19 on the standard workload. At 10x that traffic, the same price gap is about $11.85. Use the calculator below to replace the sample workload with your own token volume.

Cost sensitivity

Workload Sensitivity

Same prices, different token mixes.

Llama 3 8B Lunaris stays cheaper across input-heavy, balanced, and output-heavy sample workloads.

Workload shapeToken mixBetter pickLlama 3 8B LunarisGPT-5.1-Codex-Mini
Input-heavy / RAG5M input + 500K outputLlama 3 8B Lunaris$0.23$2.25
Balanced workload1M input + 1M outputLlama 3 8B Lunaris$0.09$2.25
Output-heavy chatbot1M input + 5M outputLlama 3 8B Lunaris$0.29$10.25
Cheaper input Llama 3 8B Lunaris $0.04 vs $0.25 / 1M

Llama 3 8B Lunaris is $0.21 cheaper per 1M input tokens (84% lower; 6.25x difference).

Cheaper output Llama 3 8B Lunaris $0.05 vs $2 / 1M

Llama 3 8B Lunaris is $1.95 cheaper per 1M output tokens (97.5% lower; 40x difference).

Larger context GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini 8.19K vs 400K

GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini has 391.81K more context (48.8x larger).

Sample workload Llama 3 8B Lunaris $0.07 vs $1.25

Llama 3 8B Lunaris is $1.19 cheaper on the standard workload (94.8% lower).

Estimate your workload cost

Your Workload Cost

Prices are normalized to USD per 1M tokens.
Llama 3 8B Lunaris Calculating… Estimated API cost
GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini Calculating… Estimated API cost
Cheaper for this workload Calculating… Difference: calculating…

This estimate uses normalized public API pricing per 1M tokens. It is a planning aid, not a billing quote. Verify provider pricing, limits, and terms before production use.

Quick Decision

Verdict

Llama 3 8B Lunaris has the lower input price; Llama 3 8B Lunaris has the lower output price; GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini offers the larger context window. For the 1M input plus 500K output sample, Llama 3 8B Lunaris is cheaper for the standard workload.

For a 1M input token plus 500K output token workload, the estimated API cost is $0.07 for Llama 3 8B Lunaris and $1.25 for GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini.

Best Fit

Choose Llama 3 8B Lunaris when you care most about lower input-token price, and lower output-token price.

Choose GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini when you care most about larger context window.

Decision Notes
  • On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Llama 3 8B Lunaris is estimated at $0.07 vs $1.25 for GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini, saving $1.19 (94.8% lower).
  • Llama 3 8B Lunaris is $1.19 cheaper on the standard workload (94.8% lower).
  • Llama 3 8B Lunaris is $0.21 cheaper per 1M input tokens (84% lower; 6.25x difference).
  • Llama 3 8B Lunaris is $1.95 cheaper per 1M output tokens (97.5% lower; 40x difference).
  • GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini has 391.81K more context (48.8x larger).
Head-to-Head Specs
FeatureLlama 3 8B Lunaris
(Sao10K)		GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini
(OpenAI)
Input Price
prompt tokens per 1M		$0.04$0.25
Completion Price
per 1M tokens		$0.05$2
Sample Workload Cost
1M input + 500K output		$0.07$1.25
Context Window8.19K400K
Release Date
Popularity#115#141

Use-Case Decision Matrix

Use caseBetter pickWhy
Budget-constrained productionLlama 3 8B LunarisOn the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Llama 3 8B Lunaris is estimated at $0.07 vs $1.25 for GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini, saving $1.19 (94.8% lower).
High-volume input processingLlama 3 8B LunarisLower prompt-token price matters most when prompts, retrieved passages, or documents dominate the bill.
Long responses and chatbotsLlama 3 8B LunarisLower output-token price matters most when assistants generate many completion tokens.
RAG or long-document workGPT-5.1-Codex-MiniA larger context window leaves more room for retrieved passages, conversation history, or source files.

Related Alternatives

Same-provider lower-cost swaps
  • gpt-oss-120b (free) can replace GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
  • gpt-oss-20b (free) can replace GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
  • gpt-oss-20b can replace GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.1.
  • gpt-oss-120b can replace GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.13.
Larger context near this budget

Cheaper alternatives

Review low-cost models sorted by a standard 1M input plus 500K output workload.

Open cheapest models

Larger context alternatives

Find models with larger context windows for RAG, long documents, and codebase review.

Open largest context models

Provider catalogs

Compare models within provider hubs before choosing a final API vendor.

Open provider hubs

Sao10K catalog

Review all tracked Sao10K models before deciding whether this matchup is the right shortlist.

Open Sao10K models

OpenAI catalog

Check other OpenAI models with comparable pricing, context, or release timing.

Open OpenAI models
Llama 3 8B Lunaris

Lunaris 8B is a versatile generalist and roleplaying model based on Llama 3. It's a strategic merge of multiple models, designed to balance creativity with improved logic and general knowledge....

GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini

GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini is a smaller and faster version of GPT-5.1-Codex