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Cardinal vs Ordinal Utility: Key Differences & Examples

Cardinal vs Ordinal Utility: Key Differences & Examples

5 min readMasters Economics Entrances
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Cardinal vs Ordinal Utility | A comprehensive Account

Customers are the ultimate user of any goods or services and the producer’s only aim is to satisfy their needs and desires.

However, the level of satisfaction differs from individual to individual and their mental position. The measurement of this utility and satisfaction has always been a topic of discussion.

Many theories describe the level of satisfaction. However, cardinal utility and ordinal utility are the two predominant theories of utility. The cardinal utility believes in measuring the satisfaction level in utils and the ordinal utility believes that the satisfaction level cannot be evaluated; however, it can be levelled.

This article is a ready reckoner for all the students who want to learn about cardinal vs ordinal utility.

What is an Ordinal Utility?

Ordinal Utility states that the satisfaction a consumer derives from consuming goods or services cannot be measured numerically but can be ranked based on preference. Introduced by English economists John Hicks and R.J. Allen in 1934, this theory argues that consumer behavior should focus on preference order rather than quantifiable utility.

Utility is a subjective concept, reflecting psychological factors like happiness and satisfaction, which vary among individuals and cannot be expressed in exact numbers.

Instead, ordinal utility evaluates which item is preferred over another rather than how much better it is.

A consumer’s preferences can be represented mathematically or graphically through indifference curves.

These curves illustrate combinations of two goods (x, y) that provide the same satisfaction level.

Curves farther from the origin represent higher utility levels. Preferences are ranked in relative terms like “better” or “worse.” For example, a consumer may rank a BMW above a Toyota without quantifying the difference.

What is Cardinal Utility?

Classical economists (like Alfred Marshall) pioneered the cardinal utility approach, treating satisfaction as a measurable quantity. They proposed a psychological unit called the "Util" to quantify utility – analogous to physical units like kilograms or meters.

Key Concepts Explained:

  1. The Util in Practice If pizza = 30 utils and chow mein = 20 utils: → Pizza delivers 1.5x more satisfaction than chow mein (30/20). → Critical Limitation: Utils are subjective and non-comparable. 30 utils for you ≠ 30 utils for me.

  2. Monetary Translation Marshall linked utils to money for practicality:  Assume 1 util = ₹1. → A ₹30 pizza = 30 utils | ₹20 chow mein = 20 utils. → Utility per rupee = Total utils / Price (e.g., pizza: 1 util/₹, chow mein: 1 util/₹).

  3. Demand Determinants Cardinal utility implies demand depends on:

    • Product’s own price (↓ price → ↑ quantity demanded)

    • Consumer income (↑ income → ↑ demand for normal goods)

    • Prices of related goods ▪ Substitutes (↑ chow mein price → ↑ pizza demand) ▪ Complements (↑ pizza price → ↓ soda demand)

Cardinal vs Ordinal Utility | The Difference

AspectCardinal UtilityOrdinal Utility
MeaningMeasures how much satisfaction a person gets from a good.Ranks preferences but does not measure how much satisfaction is gained.
Type of MeasurementQuantitative – assigns numbers to utility (e.g., 10 utils, 20 utils).Qualitative – only ranks preferences (e.g., prefers tea over coffee).
Utility ValuesExact utility levels can be calculated and compared.Only order or ranking of choices matters, not the difference between them.
Example"Ice cream gives me 20 utils, pizza gives 10 utils → I prefer ice cream twice as much.""I prefer ice cream over pizza, but we don’t know by how much."
AssumptionsAssumes utility can be measured numerically.Assumes utility can only be ranked or ordered.
Used InEarly economic theories (e.g., Marshallian utility analysis).Modern microeconomic theory (e.g., indifference curve analysis).
Tools UsedMarginal utility, total utility, utility functions with specific values.Indifference curves, preference rankings.
Can Compare Intensity?Yes – tells how much more one good is preferred over another.No – only tells which good is preferred, not by how much.
Consumer Behavior BasisBased on numerical maximization of utility.Based on choice consistency and preference ranking.
Units UsedUtils (hypothetical units of satisfaction).No units – only rankings like 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.
PracticalityLess practical – hard to measure satisfaction in real life.More practical – easier to observe consumer choices and rankings.
Relevance TodayMostly of historical interest in theory.Highly relevant in modern consumer theory.

The Bottom Line

Cardinal and Ordinal Utility are two important concepts in economics. The most simple response to cardinal vs ordinal utility would be:

Cardinal Utility assigns a numeric value to the satisfaction from different products, helping consumers rank their preferences by magnitude.

Ordinal Utility only ranks products by preference without giving a specific value to satisfaction.