A dog in Australia typically costs several thousand dollars in its first year, then roughly $1,800 to $3,000 a year after that, depending mostly on its size, coat and health. Over a whole life, most popular breeds cost about $30,000 to $40,000.
Across 15 of Australia’s most popular breeds, the first year typically costs $4,874 to $8,024 including buying the puppy, then $1,827 to $2,909 a year for food, grooming and routine vet care. Over a whole life that adds up to roughly $29,803 to $40,012.
The table below shows our estimates for popular Australian breeds, worked out the same way for every breed so you can compare them fairly. Each breed links to its full profile, where the costs are broken down.
What popular breeds cost, 2026
| Breed | First year | Each year after | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maltese 12 to 15 years | $4,874 | $1,874 | $29,803 $20,987–$46,628 |
| Toy Poodle 12 to 15 years | $5,374 | $1,874 | $30,303 $21,487–$47,128 |
| French Bulldog 10 to 12 years | $6,158 | $2,158 | $30,862 $21,266–$49,657 |
| Miniature Dachshund 12 to 16 years | $7,327 | $1,827 | $32,604 $23,036–$51,276 |
| Australian Kelpie 12 to 15 years | $5,571 | $2,071 | $32,962 $23,384–$51,171 |
| German Shepherd 9 to 13 years | $6,372 | $2,872 | $33,236 $24,178–$50,062 |
| Staffordshire Bull Terrier 12 to 14 years | $5,839 | $2,039 | $34,033 $23,378–$54,815 |
| Border Collie 12 to 15 years | $6,006 | $2,206 | $34,592 $24,978–$52,614 |
| Cavoodle 12 to 15 years | $8,024 | $2,024 | $35,467 $25,427–$54,848 |
| Spoodle 12 to 15 years | $5,766 | $2,266 | $35,876 $25,254–$56,130 |
| Cocker Spaniel 12 to 15 years | $5,784 | $2,284 | $36,086 $25,422–$56,403 |
| Labrador Retriever 10 to 12 years | $7,251 | $2,751 | $36,328 $26,506–$54,660 |
| Golden Retriever 10 to 12 years | $7,909 | $2,909 | $38,406 $28,269–$57,212 |
| Labradoodle 12 to 14 years | $6,039 | $2,539 | $39,148 $27,872–$60,384 |
| Groodle 12 to 15 years | $6,569 | $2,569 | $40,012 $28,662–$61,356 |
First year: buying the puppy and setting up, plus a year of food, grooming and routine vet care. Each year after: food, grooming and routine vet care. Lifetime: our standard estimate over the breed’s typical lifespan, with the low and high scenarios underneath. Registration, insurance, boarding and emergency vet bills are not included. Sorted from cheapest to most expensive over a lifetime.
What goes into the cost of a dog
- Buying or adopting. Breeder prices for popular breeds and oodle crosses often run to several thousand dollars. Adopting from a shelter or rescue usually costs a few hundred, and the dog normally comes desexed, vaccinated and microchipped.
- Setting up. A bed, crate, lead and harness, bowls, toys and a first round of vaccinations, worming and flea treatment.
- Food. The biggest regular cost for large dogs. A 30 kg dog can eat two to three times as much as a 10 kg dog.
- Grooming. Low for short-coated breeds, but curly and long coats (Poodles, oodles, Maltese, Shih Tzus) need a professional groom every six to eight weeks, which adds several hundred dollars a year.
- Routine vet care. An annual check-up and vaccinations, plus flea, tick, worm and heartworm prevention. Dental care matters for small breeds.
- Registration. Every state requires it. In NSW it’s $84 once for life; in Victoria you pay your council every year, a median of $58 for a desexed dog. Over ten years it ranges from about $67 in the ACT to $630 in Hobart. See dog registration costs in every state.
Not included in our figures: pet insurance, boarding or dog walking, training classes, and emergency or specialist vet treatment. Emergency treatment is the cost most likely to catch owners out, so it’s worth keeping some money aside.
Why some breeds cost so much more
- Size. Bigger dogs eat more, and medication and anaesthetic doses are priced by weight.
- Coat. A low-shedding curly coat saves on vacuuming but costs more in grooming.
- Inherited health problems. Some breeds carry well-known conditions, such as heart disease in Cavalier crosses, breathing problems in flat-faced breeds and hip dysplasia in large breeds. Our breed profiles list these and how to screen for them.
- Lifespan. A long-lived small dog can end up costing as much over its life as a large dog that lives fewer years.
Ways to spend less
- Adopt. It saves the breeder price and usually includes desexing and vaccinations.
- Desex your dog. Registration for an entire dog costs about three times as much in most councils; in Victoria the difference is about $125 a year (every council’s fee).
- Keep up with prevention. Vaccinations, parasite prevention, dental care and keeping your dog lean are much cheaper than treating the problems they prevent.
- Choose a breed that suits your budget. Use the table above, or our breed match quiz, before you fall for a puppy.
Quick answers
How much does a dog cost per year in Australia?
For the popular breeds in our table, roughly $1,800 to $3,000 a year for food, grooming and routine vet care. Large dogs and breeds that need regular professional grooming sit at the top of that range.
How much does a dog cost in the first year?
Usually several thousand dollars, because the first year includes buying the puppy, setting up and its first vaccinations, as well as a year of food, grooming and vet care.
What is the cheapest dog to own in Australia?
Small, short-coated, healthy breeds cost the least to keep, and adopting rather than buying from a breeder saves the most up front. Of the breeds in our table, the cheapest over a lifetime is shown at the top.
Does desexing save money?
Yes. Registration for an entire dog costs about three times as much in most councils, and desexing lowers the risk of several health problems later in life.
How we worked this out
Every figure comes from the same cost model we use on our breed profiles: typical food, grooming and vet costs for the breed’s size, coat and health, priced in Australian dollars. The lifetime figure is our standard scenario over the breed’s typical lifespan; the low and high scenarios show the range. Read our methodology for details. Figures checked November 2026. This is general information, not financial advice.