How Much Our Pets Cost in a Lifetime

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If you have a small dog, you know much you love the little stinker. But, how much are you spending to meet its needs? A small dog isn’t the most expensive pet in the world, but it certainly will cost you money. Every year, you can expect to spend $400. During the first year, you can expect to spend $780. With the long life expectancy of a small dog, an average of 14 years, that little dog adds up big- to the tune of $5,980.

Medium Dog

A medium dog, as you might expect, carries medium costs per year. They don’t live quite as long, however, so the total cost isn’t much more than with a small dog. With a $545 annual cost and a $1,115 first-year expense, you might expect to pay a lot more, but with a life expectancy averaging 11 years, you can expect to pay $6,565 during the life of your medium-sized dog.

Big Dog

If you thought big dog = big expenses, we can’t fool you. Big dogs tend to cost a lot more, and their average life expectancy isn’t much shorter than a medium dog’s. Big dogs cost $700 a year, with first year expenses adding up to a whopping $1,500. Over the life of your big guy or gal, that comes to $7,800. But the slobber and attention is free!

Cat

Cats have a long life expectancy and a lot of needs, from litter and toys to a carrier. But, being small, they don’t eat much. (Well, maybe yours does…) Would you believe the average cat costs $500 a year, with $640 in first-year costs? Cats are long lived, with an average life expectancy of 15 years. Over the total life of the cat, that comes to $7,640. That’s not too much to pay to be ignored, now is it?

Rabbit

Rabbits are popular pets because they are fluffy and soft and tasty. Oops, hold the tasty part. While they are cute, they are also expensive. They eat a lot and need a lot of specialized litter. They live an average of 10 years and have annual costs of $675. That first year can be rough, though, with expenses of $885. Over the life of a rabbit, you can expect to pay $6,960.

Guinea Pigs

If you want a small pet that you can actually pet, a guinea pig is a good choice. Those guys may be small, but they can cost you big per year. You can expect to pay $565 per year, more than a medium dog, and to pay $645 the first year. How could a guinea pig cost that much to maintain? You won’t believe it—click on the graphic to see what the single biggest cost is! But with just a five-year life expectancy, a guinea pig won’t eat into that college fund. A guinea pig will cost just $2,905 over its lifetime.

Cockatoo

If you’ve ever seen the cockatoos at a pet store and thought about keeping these large and magnificent birds- don’t. Yes, they are beautiful, and yes, they are relatively smart. But, they will cost you $1,035 a year after spending $1,535 the first year. And these guys are no guinea pigs. Expect your cockatoo to live for 50 years, costing you a total of $52,250.

Small Bird

Still want a bird but also want to retire someday? A small bird may be the answer. Small birds, well, eat like birds, costing you little each year. After $170 the first year, owning a small bird will cost you just $95. Over the average 10-year life expectancy, expect to pay $1,025. That’s less than you’ll probably spend on lattes, and the bird won’t add to your waistline.

Fish

Still too much? There is indeed a cheaper pet. A fish will cost you $185 that first year and $35 each year after that. Over 10 years, that comes to just $500. And, they don’t chirp, soil the rug or demand to be scratched behind the ears. Whew, after all that, a fish seems like a pretty good deal to us.