“What is the cheapest pet?” sounds like a simple question, but the answer depends on whether you mean cheap to buy, cheap to set up or cheap to keep for years. A $20 frog can cost more over its life than a $300 rabbit costs in its first year. We compared the yearly running costs of twelve popular Australian pets using the prices in our own guides.
The cheapest pets to keep in Australia are quail and backyard chickens, at roughly $300 to $600 a year, and chickens partly pay for themselves in eggs. The cheapest indoor pets are a green tree frog, blue tongue lizard or gecko at about $400 to $1,000 a year, though reptiles and frogs need a licence and a proper setup first. Rabbits surprise people at $1,200 to $2,800 a year. Cats run $1,500 to $3,500 and dogs $2,000 to $4,500.
Yearly running cost by pet in Australia (after setup)
Ongoing costs once you have the enclosure or gear: food, vet care, power, licences and supplies. 2026 prices.
- Quail (small covey)$300 to $540
- Backyard chickens (3 hens)$360 to $590
- Green tree frog$400 to $600
- Blue tongue lizard$400 to $700
- Snake (Children’s python, corn snake)$400 to $900
- Gecko$360 to $960
- Lovebird$480 to $960
- Bearded dragon$600 to $1,200
- Cockatiel$800 to $1,400
- Rabbit$1,200 to $2,800
- Cat$1,500 to $3,500
- Dog$2,000 to $4,500
Ranges come from each pet’s cost guide on this site, linked below. Setup and purchase costs are extra.
Compare any three pets
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.
Cheapest to keep vs cheapest to start
Ranking by yearly cost hides the setup bill. Here is the full picture:
| Pet | To buy | Setup or first year | Per year after |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quail | $5 to $15 each | $200 to $500 all up | $300 to $540 |
| Chickens | $30 to $45 each | $500 to $1,200 first year | $360 to $590 for 3 hens |
| Green tree frog | $40 to $100 | $350 to $600 first year | $400 to $600 |
| Blue tongue lizard | $150 to $250 | $300 to $600 setup | $400 to $700 |
| Snake | From $200 | $800 to $2,500 first year | $400 to $900 |
| Gecko | $50 to $200 | $150 to $500 setup | $360 to $960 |
| Lovebird | $80 to $350 | $200 to $600 setup | $480 to $960 per bird |
| Bearded dragon | $80 to $600 | $1,800 to $3,500 first year | $600 to $1,200 |
| Cockatiel | $80 to $450 | Cage and setup extra | $800 to $1,400 |
| Rabbit | Adoption or breeder | $400 to $900 setup | $1,200 to $2,800 |
| Cat | Shelter $100 to $300 | $400 to $2,500 upfront | $1,500 to $3,500 |
| Dog | Rescue $300 to $600 | $3,000 to $6,000 first year | $2,000 to $4,500 |
The cheapest pets, ranked by what kind of owner you are
- Cheapest overall: backyard chickens or quail. Feed is cheap and hens give back eggs. You need a yard, a secure coop and council rules allow it in most areas. They are not cuddly indoor pets.
- Cheapest indoor pet: a frog, gecko or blue tongue lizard. Low food and vet costs and quiet, but you need a reptile or amphibian keeper licence in every state and a proper enclosure with heating. Many live 15 years or more.
- Cheapest bird: a lovebird or budgie-sized parrot. Cheap to buy, but they need daily attention and a good cage, and vet care for birds needs an avian vet.
- Cheapest furry pet: not the one you think. Rabbits need fresh hay and greens every day, desexing, vaccination and an exotic-savvy vet, which is why they cost more per year than many people expect.
- Cheapest cat or dog: adopt an adult from a shelter, already desexed, microchipped and vaccinated, and choose a short coat to skip grooming bills.
What about fish and shrimp?
An aquarium can be a cheap pet to run once it is set up, mainly food, water conditioner, filter media and power. The setup is the cost: a basic freshwater tank runs $200 to $800 and a beginner shrimp tank around $320. We have not included them in the ranking because running costs vary so much with tank size.
The hidden costs that make “cheap” pets expensive
- Licences: most reptiles and frogs need a state keeper licence, roughly $20 to $65 a year.
- Specialist vets: birds, reptiles and rabbits need an exotic or avian vet, often dearer than a standard consult.
- Electricity: heat and UVB for reptiles runs all year. Our reptile electricity calculator works it out.
- Lifespan: a cheap yearly cost over 15 to 20 years is still a big total commitment.
Try it with your own numbers: Price your own pet with our free cost calculators →
Think you know your pet costs? Try our 10-question pet cost quiz →
Common questions
What is the cheapest pet to own in Australia?
Quail and backyard chickens are the cheapest to keep, at roughly $300 to $600 a year. The cheapest indoor pets are frogs, geckos and blue tongue lizards at about $400 to $1,000 a year once set up.
What is the cheapest pet for a child?
For an indoor pet, a gecko or blue tongue lizard is low cost and hardy, but an adult must hold the keeper licence and manage heating. Fish are cheap to run once the tank is set up.
Is a rabbit cheaper than a cat?
Not by much. Rabbits typically cost $1,200 to $2,800 a year in Australia, compared with $1,500 to $3,500 for a cat, because of daily fresh food, hay and specialist vet care.
What is the cheapest dog to own?
A healthy adult rescue dog that is small to medium and short coated is usually the cheapest. Food, grooming and insurance all scale with size and coat.