A pet is one of the most rewarding, and most expensive, decisions you'll make. Run your actual numbers below, then read the guides to understand them.
The #1 unplanned expense for dog owners is a single emergency vet visit averaging $1,500–$5,000.
The actual lifetime number, broken down year by year — and why most "dog cost" articles understate it by half.
Cats are cheaper than dogs — but not as cheap as Reddit told you. Real numbers from kitten to senior.
The math, the marketing, and a simple framework for deciding. (Spoiler: it depends, but here's how to know.)
Why a Great Dane costs a fortune per year — but a Yorkie can cost more over a lifetime.
Year one of a dog typically costs 2–3× any other year. Here's what to actually budget for, line by line.
French Bulldog, Golden, German Shepherd and more — real lifetime cost and the health bills each breed actually faces.
Maine Coon, Persian, Ragdoll, Bengal, Siamese, Sphynx — lifetime cost and the health bills each cat breed actually faces.
Custom calculator for dogs (4 size tiers) and cats. Adjusts for your zip code, food quality, and life choices.
The full directory — breed costs, vet procedure prices, cost by city and state, and the buy-or-budget comparisons.
This calculator adds up the full lifetime cost of a pet — acquisition, year-one setup, annual care, and the health conditions that actually drive the bill.
It's free to use, with the math shown, so you can see where every dollar comes from.
Built from AVMA cost-of-care reports, breed-specific health data, and pet insurance industry filings.
Most calculators ignore emergency vet bills — the single biggest variable in lifetime pet cost.
Run as many scenarios as you want. We don't email you, retarget you, or sell your data.
Pet costs rise. Inflation matters. We refresh figures yearly so the math stays current.