Is a cat really the cheap option? Is a mobile groomer a rip-off? What does an emergency vet actually charge at 11pm? Most people guess wrong on at least a few of these, and those guesses end up in budgets.
Take the quiz below. Every answer comes from the prices in our researched Australian cost guides, with a link to the full guide if you want the detail.
The Australian Pet Cost Quiz
10 questions. Guess the answer, then see the real figure from our cost guides. No sign-up needed.
Loading the quiz…
Answers use 2026 Australian prices from our cost guides and calculators. Real prices vary by clinic, suburb and pet.
Where the answers come from
Each answer uses the same 2026 figures as our guides and calculators, which list their sources and are re-checked against current Australian prices. Lifetime figures for dogs and cats come from our dog cost calculator and cat cost calculator on their default settings: a medium dog living 12 years and a cat living 15, the dog on premium dry food and the cat on wet and dry food, both with basic insurance and about a week of boarding a year. See how we research our prices.
Common questions
Is a cat cheaper than a dog in Australia?
Usually, yes. A cat typically costs $1,500 to $3,500 a year against $2,000 to $4,500 for a dog. But cats often live longer, so over a lifetime the gap is smaller than the yearly figures suggest.
What is the biggest cost of owning a pet?
For dogs and cats it is usually food, which can be 35 to 45% of everything you spend over their life. Insurance and routine vet care come next.
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. For indoor pets, frogs, geckos and blue tongue lizards run about $400 to $1,000 a year once set up. See the cheapest pets to own in Australia.