Cost of Owning a Dog or Cat Calculator
Updated October 10, 2026
Estimate routine pet-ownership costs for the first year and over the pet's remaining planning horizon. This is a budgeting estimate, not a quote or a maximum-cost forecast.
Tell us about your pet
Advanced planning options
Add optional costs to build a more complete annual budget. These are planning allowances, not quotes.
Your pet plan starts here
Adjust the details to get a practical first-year and lifetime planning range.
- Takes less than a minute
- No email or account required
- See every cost category
How this estimate is calculated
PetCostCalc estimates core routine ownership costs using documented planning assumptions for food, routine veterinary/preventive care, supplies and optional professional grooming. A local-price adjustment changes the estimate for lower- or higher-cost areas. If you are getting a pet now, one-time startup costs are added separately. The remaining-cost estimate uses a planning lifespan and the pet's current age. Major emergencies, surgery, chronic disease, major dental care, boarding, training and other irregular costs are excluded. See the full methodology and sources for the assumptions and limitations.
Full breed size reference: 50 dog breeds & 15 cat breeds
Not sure whether your dog counts as small, medium, large, or giant for the calculator above? Find your breed below. This is a general guide based on typical adult weight — mixed breeds and individual dogs can vary.
Dog breeds by size
Small (under 25 lbs)
- Chihuahua
- Yorkshire Terrier
- Pomeranian
- Maltese
- Shih Tzu
- Pug
- Papillon
- Toy Poodle
- Miniature Pinscher
- Miniature Dachshund
- Boston Terrier
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Havanese
- West Highland White Terrier
- Jack Russell Terrier
Medium (25–50 lbs)
- Beagle
- Cocker Spaniel
- French Bulldog
- Border Collie
- Australian Shepherd
- Bulldog (English)
- Shiba Inu
- Basset Hound
- Whippet
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi
- Brittany
- Siberian Husky
- Australian Cattle Dog
- American Staffordshire Terrier
- Miniature Schnauzer
Large (50–90 lbs)
- Labrador Retriever
- Golden Retriever
- German Shepherd
- Rottweiler
- Doberman Pinscher
- Boxer
- Standard Poodle
- German Shorthaired Pointer
- Weimaraner
- Vizsla
- Rhodesian Ridgeback
- Belgian Malinois
- Alaskan Malamute
- Bernese Mountain Dog
- Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Giant (90+ lbs)
- Great Dane
- Mastiff (English Mastiff)
- Saint Bernard
- Newfoundland
- Irish Wolfhound
Cat breeds by size
Small
- Singapura
- Devon Rex
- Cornish Rex
- Munchkin
- Siamese
Medium
- American Shorthair
- British Shorthair
- Abyssinian
- Russian Blue
- Scottish Fold
- Sphynx
- Bombay
Large
- Maine Coon
- Ragdoll
- Norwegian Forest Cat
Want photos, health notes, and a fit rating for the 20 most-searched breeds? See the full Breed Guide.
How to calculate the cost of your pet
To work out the cost of your pet by hand, list what repeats every year: food, routine veterinary care, supplies and grooming. Add one-time startup costs if the pet is new, then decide which optional categories, such as dental care, training, boarding or insurance, apply to you. The calculator above follows the same steps and lets you change size, age, care level and local prices.
Two habits make the result more useful. First, replace our planning assumptions with real quotes from your own clinic and food retailer. Second, keep an emergency reserve as its own line instead of burying it in the yearly total, because one serious accident or illness is not an ordinary annual expense. If you are still choosing a pet, the breed guide compares cost, health-risk and care ratings for 20 popular breeds.
Pet cost calculator FAQ
How much does it cost to own a dog per year?
It depends heavily on dog size, care needs, location and optional expenses. This calculator estimates a routine annual budget and lets you change the assumptions rather than relying on one national average.
How do I calculate the cost of my pet?
Start with routine annual costs such as food, veterinary care, supplies and grooming, then account for your pet’s age, expected lifespan, local price level and any optional care. If you are getting a new pet, add startup costs separately.
What is included in the annual estimate?
The core model includes food, routine veterinary care, supplies and grooming. You can also add dental care, training, boarding or pet sitting and pet insurance as separate planning categories.
Are emergency vet bills included?
Major emergencies are not treated as a predictable annual expense. The calculator shows an emergency reserve separately so you can plan for unexpected bills without presenting a false average.
Are these actual prices or quotes?
No. These are educational planning assumptions. Prices vary by city, provider, pet health, breed and care choices. See the methodology for the assumptions and sources.