Cost of owning a dog UK (2026): per month and per year, by size
What a dog costs to feed, protect against fleas and worms and vaccinate each month, by size, built from prices we have checked and dated, with the one-off first-year vet costs. Insurance is your own quote: we do not estimate it.
The short answer
Before insurance, a 20 kg dog cost £31–£64 a month (£369–£765 a year) for food, flea and worm treatment and the yearly booster, on prices we checked on 21 October 2026. Add your own insurance quote. The PDSA's minimum, with insurance, is £83 a month.
How much does a dog cost per month in the UK?
Each figure runs from the cheapest food and flea subscription we found to the dearest. Food is the biggest line and the one you control most: the complete dry foods on our list ran from £0.57 a day (Wainwright's Adult Chicken & Rice) to £1.54 (Arden Grange Sensitive) for a 20 kg dog. Fresh food subscriptions cost much more; see our dog food cost guide.
| Dog size | Food | Flea and worm | Booster | Total per month | Insurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small (up to 10 kg) | £10–£28 | £9–£10 | £4–£6 | £23–£44 | Your quote |
| Medium (10–25 kg) | £17–£47 | £10–£11 | £4–£6 | £31–£64 | Your quote |
| Large (25–40 kg) | £24–£63 | £10–£12 | £4–£6 | £37–£81 | Your quote |
| Giant (over 40 kg) | £32–£86 | £11–£13 | £4–£6 | £46–£105 | Your quote |
How much does a dog cost per year?
| Dog size | Food, flea and worm, booster per year | PDSA minimum per year (with insurance) |
|---|---|---|
| Small (up to 10 kg) | £279–£525 | £828 |
| Medium (10–25 kg) | £369–£765 | £996 |
| Large (25–40 kg) | £449–£977 | £1,392 |
| Giant (over 40 kg) | £555–£1,260 | Not published |
Our figures leave out insurance, which the PDSA's include. Put your own premium into the pet cost calculator to see your full monthly figure.
What does a dog cost in the first year?
A puppy's first year adds one-off vet costs. These are the lowest and highest published prices at the practices in our vet cost guides; the 2026 BVA and BSAVA advice puts spaying at 12 to 23 months, so neutering may fall in the second year (see dog neutering costs).
| One-off cost | Published price range | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Puppy vaccination course | £75–£115 | Vaccination costs |
| Microchip | £15.30–£37.80 | New puppy checklist |
| Neutering, small (up to 10 kg) | Spay £235–£335; castration £180–£270 | Neutering costs |
| Neutering, medium (10–25 kg) | Spay £235–£355; castration £190–£280 | Neutering costs |
| Neutering, large (25–40 kg) | Spay £280–£375; castration £220–£290 | Neutering costs |
| Neutering, giant (over 40 kg) | Spay £320–£620; castration £240–£475 | Neutering costs |
How much is dog insurance?
Pawwala is not authorised by the FCA. We explain how cover works and do not give advice or recommend insurers. Pawwala earns a fee when you get a quote through a link marked Ad. Always read the policy wording. How we make money
We do not estimate premiums: they depend on your dog's breed, age and postcode and on the cover you choose. Get quotes, then add your premium to the calculator. Before you buy, read our explainers on how dog insurance policies compare and whether pet insurance is worth it. Insurance does not pay for routine care such as food, flea treatment, boosters or neutering.
Not advice. Pawwala earns a fee if you get a quote through this link. Read the policy wording before you buy.
Costs that depend on you
Grooming depends on the coat: Battersea puts professional grooming at £240–£600 a year (Battersea, updated 13 October 2026). A dental scale and polish, if your vet advises one, cost £200–£565 at the practices in our dog dental cleaning guide. Unexpected treatment is the cost that varies most: see the average vet bill.
Ways to spend less
- Weigh your dog's food: the portion calculator gives grams and cost per day from your food's label.
- Compare a flea subscription with buying treatment yourself; our flea and worm comparison found little difference in price.
- Ask whether a practice health plan covers boosters and flea treatment for less than buying them separately.
How our figures compare with the PDSA and Battersea
The PDSA's minimum monthly cost is £69 for a small dog, £83 for a medium dog and £116 for a large dog. It includes yearly health checks and boosters, flea and worm treatment, insurance, food, toys, poo bags and toothpaste, and excludes the price of the dog, vet fees for illness or injury, special diets, microchipping, day care, boarding, grooming and training. Over a lifetime the PDSA puts the minimum at £6,200–£12,000 for a small dog, £9,000–£14,000 for a medium dog and £8,200–£18,800 for a large dog (PDSA, costs last calculated in 2024).
Battersea estimates it “typically costs around £1,800–£2,000 a year” to care for a dog, including insurance, routine healthcare at £26 a month (£312 a year), treats, poo bags and grooming (Battersea, updated 13 October 2026).
Is a cat or a dog cheaper to own?
On the PDSA's 2024 minimums, a cat at £79 a month costs less than a medium or large dog but more than a small one. Our cost of owning a cat guide builds the cat figures the same way. If you are deciding whether to get a dog, our first-time dog owner guide covers more than money.
What these prices do not include
- Insurance: enter your own quote in the calculator. We do not estimate premiums.
- Vet bills for illness or injury, which insurance or savings have to cover (see the average vet bill guide).
- Treats, toys, poo bags, training, walking, day care and boarding.
- Buying the dog, and equipment such as a bed, crate and lead.
How we worked out these figures
- Food: the cost per day of the 7 complete adult foods on our dog food comparison for a 20 kg dog (£0.57–£1.54 a day, checked 21 October 2026), × 365 ÷ 12 for a month. Other sizes are scaled from 20 kg with the AAHA energy formula our portion calculator uses (energy need rises with weight to the power 0.75), at 10, 30 and 45 kg. That makes them estimates.
- Flea and worm: the monthly prices of the Itch and VetBox subscriptions for each size, from our flea and worm comparison (checked 21 October 2026).
- Booster: the lowest and highest yearly booster price on the 11 practice lists in our dog vaccination guide, divided by 12.
- Totals add the cheapest options together for the low figure and the dearest for the high figure. We never average.
- Charity figures from the PDSA and Battersea are quoted as published, not mixed into our totals.
What we did not do: survey owners, estimate insurance premiums, or include items we have not priced ourselves, other than charity figures that are labelled as theirs.
Sources
- Pawwala dog food comparison (20 kg cost per day) · checked 21 October 2026
- Pawwala flea and worm subscriptions comparison · checked 21 October 2026
- Medivet Ashby, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire · no effective date shown; checked 21 October 2026
- Old Registry Vets, Scunthorpe · no effective date shown; checked 21 October 2026
- Canterbury Vets, Canterbury · no effective date shown; checked 21 October 2026
- Chantry Vets, Wakefield and West Yorkshire · no effective date shown; checked 21 October 2026
- Queen's Veterinary School Hospital general practice, Cambridge · no effective date shown; checked 21 October 2026
- Hill Park Vets, Harold Hill and Elm Park, east London · no effective date shown; checked 21 October 2026
- Medivet Coningsby, Coningsby, Lincolnshire · no effective date shown; checked 21 October 2026
- Medivet North Oxford, Oxford · no effective date shown; checked 21 October 2026
- University of Glasgow Pet Practice, Glasgow · no effective date shown; checked 21 October 2026
- Royal Veterinary College general practice, London (Camden) · Fees apply from 3 August 2026; checked 21 October 2026
- University of Liverpool Veterinary Practice, Liverpool · Prices correct as of September 2026; checked 21 October 2026
- PDSA: how much does a dog cost? · costs last calculated in 2024; checked 21 October 2026
- Battersea: the cost of owning a dog · updated 13 October 2026; checked 21 October 2026
Questions
What is the cost of owning a dog per month?
Before insurance, food, flea and worm treatment and the yearly booster came to £31–£64 a month for a 20 kg dog, using prices we checked on 21 October 2026. Add your own insurance quote and any grooming, walking or boarding. The PDSA's minimum, which includes insurance, is £83 a month for a medium dog (calculated in 2024).
What is the cost of owning a dog per year?
For a 20 kg dog, food, flea and worm treatment and the booster came to £369–£765 a year before insurance and extras. Battersea estimates around £1,800 to £2,000 a year including insurance, treats, poo bags and grooming (updated 13 October 2026).
How much does it cost to feed a large dog per month?
Scaling our 20 kg food costs to a 30 kg dog with the AAHA energy formula gives about £24–£63 a month for the complete dry foods we compared. Use the portion calculator with your food's label for a closer figure.
Is a cat cheaper than a dog?
On the PDSA's 2024 minimums, a cat (£79 a month) costs less than a medium or large dog (£83 and £116) but more than a small dog (£69). See our cost of owning a cat guide.