Cheapest Dog Breeds to Own: What Actually Keeps Costs Down
I went looking for a clean list of the cheapest dog breeds to own in the US and found out there isn’t one. The studies that rank breeds by cost come mostly from UK and other insurers, they use different methods, and they don’t agree on a winner. What they do agree on is why some dogs cost less, and that’s the part worth knowing.
Updated October 2026. I’m using published studies and breed guides, which I link below. Their dollar and pound figures don’t convert to US prices, so I’m using them for rankings and patterns, not as price quotes.
What makes a dog cheaper to own
Size. Rover’s 2026 report found small-breed adult dogs cost up to 63% less per year than large and giant breeds. Food is the big reason, plus smaller doses of medication and lower boarding costs.
Coat. Short, low-maintenance coats cost less. Rover says breeds with high-maintenance coats can run $300 to $975 a year in professional grooming.
Health. Dogster notes some breeds are prone to problems like hip dysplasia, heart disease or breathing trouble in flat-faced dogs, and those mean bigger vet bills. Hepper’s breed guide makes the same point: breeds with few genetic issues and little grooming cost the least.
Mixed breeds. Hepper says mixed breeds tend to be healthier and cheaper than purebreds, though it varies dog to dog. Shelters also have plenty of mixes, which usually costs less to bring home. See the adoption cost guide.
Lifespan. Small dogs live longer, so the yearly cost is lower but you pay for more years. SpotPet makes this point about small breeds, and Rover says dogs commonly live 10 to 13 years.
What the studies found
- Sambla (UK): ranked the Patterdale Terrier cheapest over a lifetime, at £5,763 across a 13-year life, ahead of the Border Terrier at £6,365. A Jack Russell came in at £7,623 over 16 years, against an all-breed average of £14,060. The Newfoundland sat near the expensive end at £28,332.
- A separate UK study: named the Chihuahua cheapest, then the Pomeranian and Toy Poodle. It counted only the starting price, lifetime insurance and lifetime food, so it leaves out vet bills and grooming.
- Compare the Market (South Africa, 2026): ranked the Shiba Inu cheapest and the French Bulldog most expensive among 25 popular breeds, and said insurance and vet costs were key drivers.
Different methods give different winners, which is the honest takeaway. But a few patterns repeat: small, sturdy, short-coated dogs rank low, and flat-faced breeds like the French Bulldog rank high once vet and insurance costs are counted.
Breeds that show up on “affordable” lists
Breed guides from SpotPet and Hepper commonly name Beagles, Dachshunds, Chihuahuas, Rat Terriers and mixed breeds. Treat these lists as a starting point, since they rely on general traits and don’t track real US bills. Hepper adds that a breed like the Bichon Frise needs regular grooming, so it isn’t automatically cheap.
The cheapest dog in practice
Going by the patterns above, the lowest-cost route is usually a healthy adult small or medium dog with a short coat, adopted from a shelter, from a vet you trust, and fed an appropriate diet. Even then, Rover’s 2026 yearly range for an adult dog is $1,930 to $5,305, so no dog is truly cheap. Choose a dog you can afford at the high end of the range, and you won’t be caught out.
Run your numbers
Use the dog ownership cost calculator and read the full dog cost guide. Building a pet emergency fund matters more than any breed choice.
Sources
- Oxford Times: Sambla study on dog breed lifetime costs
- Gazette: Most expensive and cheapest breeds to own
- Witness: Compare the Market lifetime dog cost ranking (2026)
- Dogster: Most affordable dog breeds
- Hepper: Most affordable dog breeds
- SpotPet: Top 20 cheapest dog breeds
- Rover: The Cost of Dog Parenthood in 2026