Last reviewed: July 2026

Cottage cheese vs Greek yogurt: the protein-per-euro fight

Plain low-fat cottage cheese and plain Greek yogurt are near twins on the numbers that matter. On real Dietly labels both land around 10 to 12 g of protein per 100 g for roughly 70 to 100 kcal, which is why the fitness internet has argued about them for years without a winner. The macros do not settle it because the macros are almost the same. What actually separates them is sodium, where cottage cheese is much higher, added sugar in the flavoured versions of both, and the plain question of which texture you will still be eating in a month.

Verdict: A near tie on protein and calories. Pick Greek yogurt if you want minimal sodium and a spoonable, sweet-leaning base; pick cottage cheese for a savoury, satisfying texture and often a lower price per gram of protein. In both cases choose plain, not flavoured, and let sodium tolerance and taste break the tie.

Dietly label, per 100 g	Energy	Protein	Sugar	Sodium
Cottage cheese 1%	72 kcal	10.4 g	4.8 g	216 mg
Cottage cheese 2%	80 kcal	10.4 g	5.6 g	224 mg
Cottage cheese 4%	103 kcal	10.3 g	3.4 g	265 mg
Greek yogurt, plain 0%	53 kcal	10.0 g	4.1 g	35 mg
Greek yogurt, flavoured	106 kcal	7.6 g	10.0 g	44 mg

Figures come from the linked product labels. Fat percentage and, above all, flavoured versus plain move the numbers more than the choice between the two foods, so read the specific pack.

The protein is a near tie

Line the plain low-fat versions up and the protein column barely moves: cottage cheese around 10.4 g and plain Greek yogurt around 10 g per 100 g. Both are strained or curdled dairy that concentrates casein, the slow-digesting milk protein, which is part of why both sit near the top of the high-protein dairy shelf. The variation you see between brands, and between fat percentages, is bigger than the gap between the two categories, so the useful move is to compare the two specific tubs you are considering in the comparison tool rather than to crown a category winner. For how casein timing plays into muscle repair, see the protein timing explainer.

Where they genuinely differ: sodium and sugar

The sodium column is the real headline. Cottage cheese is salted as part of making it, so it runs roughly 200 to 400 mg per 100 g, while plain Greek yogurt sits near 35 mg. Over a big 200 g serving that is a few hundred milligrams of sodium difference, which matters if you are managing blood pressure, as the sodium vs salt explainer lays out. The second divergence is self-inflicted: flavoured versions of both foods can double the calories and pile on sugar. The flavoured yogurt line above jumps to 10 g of sugar and drops in protein compared with the plain 0 percent tub. The lesson is identical for both foods: buy it plain and add your own fruit.

Texture, use and price decide the rest

Texture: cottage cheese is lumpy and savoury; Greek yogurt is smooth and tangy. This is the single biggest reason people stick with one, so pick the one you will actually keep eating.
Best uses: cottage cheese shines savoury, on toast, in eggs, blended into a high-protein sauce; Greek yogurt flexes sweet or savoury, from breakfast bowls to a substitute for soured cream.
Price per gram of protein: cottage cheese is often the cheaper way to buy dairy protein, though this varies by country and brand. The protein cost calculator settles it with your local prices.
Fullness: both score well because protein per calorie is high, the mechanism behind the satiety effect that makes either a strong snack.

Bottom line

On protein and calories, cottage cheese and Greek yogurt are close enough to call a tie, which is why no amount of arguing has produced a winner. The differences that are real are sodium, much higher in cottage cheese, and added sugar, which is entirely in your hands once you choose plain over flavoured. Pick by texture, by how you cook, and by price per gram of protein, and you cannot go far wrong with either. For the wider strained-dairy field including the Dutch entry, see Greek yogurt vs skyr vs kwark.

Common questions

Which has more protein, cottage cheese or Greek yogurt?

They are close. Plain low-fat versions of both cluster around 10 to 12 g protein per 100 g. Differences between brands are larger than the difference between the two foods, so read the label rather than the category.

Is cottage cheese saltier than Greek yogurt?

Yes, clearly. Cottage cheese carries roughly 200 to 400 mg sodium per 100 g from the salting step, while plain Greek yogurt has almost none. If you are watching sodium, that is the main reason to lean yogurt.

Which is better for weight loss?

Either, because both are high in protein per calorie, which supports fullness. Choose plain over flavoured to avoid added sugar, and pick by texture, sodium tolerance and price rather than expecting one to outperform the other.

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