How much will my dog or cat cost per year?

Pick your pet's size and food, then adjust vet, insurance and extras. Food cost is worked out from the calories your pet needs and real prices we checked for the foods we grade.

Dry foods we grade, cheapest first. Prices checked October 2026.
Average for dog owners, APPA survey.
Average policy is about $62 for dogs, $32 for cats.
Toys, grooming, litter, walker, boarding.
?a year

Yearly cost

About a month
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Food a year
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Food a day
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Calories a day
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Vet, insurance and extras
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Food assumes a spayed or neutered adult on dry food. Vet costs vary a lot by region and by year.

How the food cost is worked out

The calculator estimates daily calories with the standard formula vets use: resting energy (70 × body weight in kg0.75) times 1.6 for a neutered adult dog or 1.2 for a neutered adult cat. It multiplies that by the food's price per 1,000 kcal, which we worked out from the bag price, bag size and calorie content of each food we grade, checked October 2026.

Where the other numbers come from

The routine vet default is the average dog owners reported spending on routine vet visits in the American Pet Products Association owner survey (about $242 a year for dogs and $178 for cats). Surgical and emergency visits averaged more ($458 for dogs, $201 for cats) but vary hugely, so they aren't included by default. The North American Pet Health Insurance Association puts the average 2024 accident and illness policy at about $62 a month for dogs and $32 for cats.

Ways to spend less without cutting corners

Measure food instead of free-feeding; overfeeding wastes money and leads to weight-related vet bills. Compare foods by cost per 1,000 kcal, not cost per bag. Keep treats under 10% of calories. And look after teeth early, since advanced dental disease is expensive to treat. Our cost of owning a dog guide covers the rest.

Questions

How much does a dog cost per year?

For a 40 lb neutered adult, food alone runs about $156 to $750 a year across the dry foods we grade. Add routine vet care (about $242 a year on average), treats, extras and any insurance.

How much does a cat cost per year?

Dry food for a 10 lb cat runs about $50 to $290 a year across the foods we grade, plus routine vet care (about $178 a year on average), litter, treats and any insurance.

Is pet insurance included?

Only if you enter it. Set the monthly premium to 0 if you don't have a policy.

Sources
  1. American Pet Products Association, Industry trends and stats
  2. NAPHIA, State of the Industry 2025 report
  3. Hill's Pet Nutrition, Estimated Energy Requirements (canine and feline)

Last reviewed October 20, 2026. Estimates for healthy pets only, not veterinary advice.