Trying to decide between pets? This tool puts up to three side by side, using real Australian costs: what the first year costs, what every year after costs and roughly what you will spend over a typical lifespan.
Switch between per year, first year and lifetime to see how the picture changes. A cheap-to-buy pet that lives 20 years can cost more in total than a pricier one that lives 10.
Compare Pet Costs: Which Pet Fits Your Budget?
Choose up to three pets to compare the first year, every year after and the total over a typical lifespan.
Ranges come from each pet’s cost guide on this site (2026). Lifetime = first year + yearly cost for the rest of a typical lifespan, which varies a lot between individual animals and species.
How this calculator works
Each pet uses the ranges from its own cost guide on this site, and the comparison uses the middle of each range.
- First year includes buying or adopting, setup (enclosure, cage or gear) and the first year of running costs.
- Per year is the typical running cost after setup: food, vet care, insurance where relevant, power for reptiles and supplies.
- Lifetime is the first year plus the yearly cost for the rest of a typical lifespan for that species.
Lifespans vary a lot between individual animals, so treat the lifetime figure as a guide to scale, not a prediction. For a detailed, personalised figure, use the dog or cat cost calculator.
Where the numbers come from
Every figure in this calculator comes from our own researched guides, which list their sources and are re-checked against current Australian prices. The main one is What is the cheapest pet to own in Australia?. Related guides:
Prices last checked 13 October 2026. See how we research our prices.
Common questions
Is a cat cheaper than a dog in Australia?
Usually. A cat typically costs $1,500 to $3,500 a year and a dog $2,000 to $4,500, but cats often live a few years longer, so the lifetime gap is smaller.
Is a rabbit a cheap pet?
Not really. Rabbits cost about $1,200 to $2,800 a year in Australia because of fresh hay and greens, desexing, vaccination and exotic vet care.
Which pet is cheapest over its lifetime?
Quail and chickens, mainly because of their shorter lifespans and cheap feed. Among long-lived pets, frogs and geckos have low yearly costs but can live 15 years or more.