Cost of a Pet Calculator

Compare the cost of bringing a pet home, caring for them each year and setting money aside for surprises.

All amounts are AUD. Both budgets start with the same illustrative figures, not market prices. Adjust them for your pets or two care options. Enter 0 for anything you do not need.

Budget name

Initial costs (one-off)

Adoption / purchase ($)

Bedding, enclosure & equipment ($)

Initial vet care & microchipping ($)

Initial training & other setup ($)

Monthly expenses (per month)

Food ($)

Litter, toys & supplies ($)

Insurance premiums ($)

Grooming ($)

Walking, daycare & boarding ($)

Annual expenses (per year)

Routine vet & preventative care ($)

Registration ($)

Other recurring costs ($)

Emergency allowance

Annual emergency savings allowance ($)

Money to set aside each year, separate from expenses. Choose your own allowance for unexpected bills and insurance excesses; it is not a predicted vet bill or a guarantee of sufficient cover.

First-year budget comparison

Initial costs + 12 months of expenses + emergency savings.

Pet A

$5,100.00

Pet B

$5,100.00

Both first-year budgets are equal.

Where the money goes

Pet costs and savings comparison in AUD
Cost	Pet A	Pet B
Initial costs	$1,200.00	$1,200.00
Ongoing expenses / year	$3,300.00	$3,300.00
Ongoing expenses / month	$275.00	$275.00
Emergency savings / year	$600.00	$600.00
First-year expenses	$4,500.00	$4,500.00
First-year budget incl. savings	$5,100.00	$5,100.00
Following-year budget incl. savings	$3,900.00	$3,900.00
Monthly budget incl. savings	$325.00	$325.00

How this estimate works

Ongoing annual expenses = monthly entries × 12 + annual entries. First-year expenses add initial costs once. Budgets add your annual emergency savings allowance. Monthly budgets divide annual expenses and savings by 12; they exclude initial costs and are not a bill schedule.

Emergency savings remain your money until spent. The following-year budget assumes you keep contributing the same allowance every year. Adjust it when your reserve is sufficient or needs replenishing.

Include only initial vet work not already covered by the adoption or purchase fee. Keep initial and routine vet costs separate. Convert occasional boarding or grooming bills to a monthly average. Include annual preventative treatments in routine vet care.

The estimate assumes a full year of care at your entered prices. It does not forecast inflation, changes with age, lifespan or actual emergencies. Insurance premiums do not remove the need to budget for exclusions, excesses or out-of-pocket costs.