Thinking about getting a dog or cat? This pet cost calculator for Australia estimates what a pet really costs — the first year, every year after, and across a lifetime. It starts from the most recent national averages (the AMA Pets in Australia 2025 survey, as published by ASIC’s Moneysmart), and every figure is editable, because your pet’s costs will not be exactly average.
Use it before you commit: pick your pet, adjust the lines that will differ for you — a large dog eats more than the average, a long-haired breed needs professional grooming, insurance is optional — and look honestly at the lifetime total, not just the purchase price.
Estimated ongoing cost: $2,520 per year ($210 per month)
Estimated first-year cost: $4,000
Estimated lifetime cost: $34,240
For comparison, the AMA 2025 average is $2,520 per year for a dog.
Where the Default Numbers Come From
Every pre-filled figure is a published Australian average — nothing here is invented. The category amounts are the average annual spend per owner from the AMA Pets in Australia 2025 report, as published by ASIC Moneysmart (checked October 2026):
- Food and dietary supplements: $1,214/year (dogs), $968 (cats)
- Vet services and medicines: $354 (dogs), $234 (cats)
- Flea, worming and tick treatments: $122 (dogs), $102 (cats)
- Pet insurance: $145 (dogs), $70 (cats)
- Grooming, training and memberships: $353 (dogs), $138 (cats)
- Products and accessories: $117 (dogs), $87 (cats)
- Boarding and transport: $96 (dogs), $55 (cats)
- Dog walking: $119 (dogs)
Those lines add up to about $2,520 a year for a dog and $1,656 a year for a cat — the headline ongoing averages Moneysmart quotes from the same report. Two honest caveats: the AMA averages include owners who spent nothing in a category, so a committed owner’s real bills in lines like vet care will often run higher; and no average includes a major emergency — a single surgery can cost $3,000–$10,000+, which is why many owners insure (compare the options in our best pet insurance Australia 2026 guide).
The pre-filled one-off first-year figure of $1,480 is the gap between Moneysmart’s ~$4,000 average first-year cost for a dog and the $2,520 ongoing average — purchase or adoption fees, desexing, microchipping, first vaccinations and setup gear. Replace it with your real quotes where you have them. Moneysmart notes a cat’s first year costs slightly less than a dog’s.
How to Use the Results
Budget on the ongoing figure, save toward the first-year figure, and treat the lifetime figure as the true size of the commitment — for an average dog it exceeds $34,000. If the numbers do not fit your budget comfortably, the kindest outcome is to wait, choose a smaller or lower-maintenance pet, or adopt an adult pet whose first-year costs are partly behind it. The RSPCA Knowledgebase has more on choosing a pet that fits your life.
This calculator provides general information and estimates only, based on published national averages. It is not financial advice. Your actual costs will vary with your pet’s breed, size, health and where you live.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a dog cost per year in Australia?
On AMA 2025 figures published by ASIC Moneysmart, about $2,520 a year on average after the first year — covering food, vet care, parasite treatments, insurance, grooming, products and boarding. Larger dogs and insured or professionally groomed pets cost more.
How much does a cat cost per year in Australia?
About $1,656 a year on average on the same AMA 2025 figures, after a first year that costs slightly less than a dog’s roughly $4,000.
Why is the first year so much more expensive?
The first year stacks one-off costs on top of the usual ongoing ones: purchase or adoption fees, desexing, microchipping, the full vaccination course, council registration and setup gear like bedding, a crate or carrier, bowls and leads.