If you see a big difference between the price of live crab and cooked crab, you’re paying for more than just the crab itself. Cooking and cleaning takes time and labor, and you are also paying for the convenience of having the crab ready to eat. Cooked and cleaned Dungeness crab can easily cost $20 to $30 per pound or more depending on the seller. If you’re comfortable cooking and cleaning the crab yourself, buying it live is usually the cheaper option.