The Price of Pet Ownership

Having a pet is a popular choice for many across the world, with over 88 million households in Europe owning a furry friend. Before making the commitment to get your own, it’s important to consider all of the financial costs involved across their lifetime, and how much more you could be paying for certain breeds.

To help you figure out the true cost of pet ownership, Savoo has broken down the total costs you can expect to pay to own a cat or dog by breed, as well as analysed the top locations to have a pet In Europe, to ensure you are well prepared to welcome the latest addition to your family.

Analysing the most popular 10 breeds of cats and dogs, the study looks into the following costs to determine how much you could be looking to spend over their lifetime.

• Cost to buy / adopt
• Annual food costs
• Annual insurance costs
• Vaccination and average annual booster vaccine
• Annual grooming costs
• Training classes (if applicable)
• Cost of bedding, a collar, crate and scratching post (if applicable)
• Annual cost of toys
• Annual cost of a litter tray (if applicable)

The average cost of a cat vs. dog across their lifetime

	Lifetime cost	Annual cost	Monthly cost	First 12 months
Dog	£17,848	£1,339	£112	£3,656
Cat	£23,077	£1,601	£133	£2,514

Whilst many may think dogs require more financial maintenance, our research reveals that cats are significantly more expensive, costing £23,077 over their lifetime, compared to dogs at £17,848, over £5,000 more expensive!

The cost of the most popular dog breeds in the UK includes:

Bulldogs rank as the most expensive dog breed to own, costing £24,207 across their lifetime

Known for being full of love, dependable and even goofy at times, Bulldogs rank as the most expensive dog breed analysed, costing a staggering £24,207 across their lifetime, just over £5,000 less than the average UK annual salary of £29,600. Not only is this breed the most expensive to buy as a puppy, averaging at £4,241, insurance costs make bulldogs particularly pricey, stacking up to £12,522 across their 12 year life span.

Rottweilers ranks second with a lifetime cost of £20,329

One of the most ancient breeds, Rottweilers rank as the second most expensive dog breed to have, costing over £20,000 across their lifetime. Whilst the initial cost of this breed sits below the average at £1,419, it is its large size that means costs for food are some of the highest, at £6,539 across its lifetime. In addition, initial costs for this breed will be slightly higher due to them needing a larger bed and crate for example at £50 and £200 respectively.

Golden Retrievers rank as the third most expensive breed, with a lifetime cost of £20,004

One of the UK and USA’s most popular dog breeds, Golden Retrievers come out as the third most expensive puppies to take home. Known for their friendly and gentle nature, these dogs are well worth the investment for those looking for the latest family member.

Golden Retriever puppies average at just under £2,000 (£1,901), and have some of the lowest insurance costs at £5,087 on average across their 11 year lifetime. Famous for their long golden coats, grooming is the highest of all breeds, costing an average of £248 per year and £2,728 across their lifetime.

German Shepherds, Beagles and Dachshunds rank as the most affordable pets

Over £10,000 cheaper than Bulldogs, German Shepherds rank as the most affordable dog breed for future pet owners, costing just £13,811 across their 11 year lifetime. Ranking as the third cheapest breed to buy as a puppy overall at £1,259 this noble and loyal dog can offer the perfect choice for those looking for a slightly bigger pet.

Beagles rank as the second cheapest dog overall costing £14,175 across their lifetime and Dachshunds, also known as the sausage dog, rank as the third most affordable dog breed with a lifetime cost of £14,749.

The cost of the most popular cat breeds in the UK includes:

Savannah cats are the most expensive breed costing £28,762

Both athletic and intelligent, Savannah cats are one of the largest cat breeds, costing owners more than any other feline at £1,077 as a kitten. Interestingly, the average cost to adopt a Savannah cat is £300, the second cheapest of all cat breeds for those looking to save money and wanting this breed. Due to its size and lifespan of 15 years, food costs alone for this cat will reach £7,026 across its lifetime.

Maine Coons rank as the second most expensive cat, costing £26,449 across their lifetime

Known for its large size and pointed ears, this breed can be another pricier option, costing an average of £1,808 per year, £555 of that to be spent on grooming alone. Maine Coons are also the second most expensive to buy as kittens at £954.

Ragdoll cats are the third most expensive, costing an average of £24,363 over their lifetime

One of the most regal and luxurious looking breeds, Ragdoll cats rank in third. This breed is the third most expensive to buy at £917, beating the likes of Siamese cats at £610 and Bengal cats at £769.

British Shorthair, Bengal and Siamese cats are the cheapest cat breeds

Of all 10 breeds analysed, just two cost under £20,000, with the British Shorthair coming out as the most affordable, costing an average of £16,296 across their lifetime. The third cheapest to buy as a kitten at £730 and the cheapest to adopt at £234, this breed also has the lowest insurance costs, making it both an adorable and affordable addition to your family.

Bengal and Siamese cats come in as the second and third cheapest costing £17,398 and £22,702 respectively.

London named the most pet friendly city in the UK

If you’re looking to own a pet in a major city, pet friendliness is an important criteria when determining the best location. A lot of parks, pet-friendly rental accommodation, and day care places are all important, so your pet can live a happy city life.

We analysed 20 cities across Europe as well as 15 cities in the UK to reveal the most pet friendly cities in 2022. By examining metrics including dog-friendly restaurants, the number of vets and parks, pet stores and groomers as well as rental units that allow pets, we were able to determine the best cities to live with your furry friends.

With the number of pet owners on the rise in the UK, particularly since the pandemic, we’ve also determined the best cities in the UK to own a pet.

Take a look at the best cities across the UK:

Rank	City	Dog friendly restaurants	Number of vets	Number of parks	Number of pet stores	Number of grooming shops	Number of training classes	Number of day care places	% of pet friendly rentals
1	London	408	221	284	183	240	117	9	17.74%
2	Birmingham	27	140	55	91	161	52	1	1.55%
3	Manchester	47	142	24	87	46	58	5	5.85%
4	Newcastle- Upon-Tyne	28	102	26	103	34	24	6	1.28%
5	Liverpool	42	116	45	77	35	35	1	7.12%
6	Glasgow	31	88	45	56	29	39	3	5.94%
7	Leeds	49	126	45	72	14	24	0	1.69%
8	Nottingham	22	88	27	99	30	35	0	0.75%
9	Sheffield	32	80	53	46	28	32	2	2.16%
10	Bristol	30	103	39	19	15	42	1	7.87%

Thanks to its 284 parks, 408 dog friendly restaurants and 221 vets available, pet friendly London has emerged as the leader of the pack. Birmingham comes in second place with the second highest number of parks (55) and grooming shops (161) whilst Manchester comes in third with the second highest number of vets (142) and local training classes (58) after London.

Paris comes out on top as the most pet friendly city in Europe

Rank	City	Dog friendly restaurants	Number of vets	Number of parks	Number of pet stores	Number of grooming shops	Number of training classes	Number of day care places	% of pet friendly rentals
1	Paris	291	213	287	57	145	57	2	8.33%
2	Berlin	169	116	94	107	25	112	1	24.81%
3	Barcelona	223	134	138	47	24	41	1	18.81%
4	Milan	400	133	114	59	17	29	0	13.95%
5	Vienna	135	117	72	51	28	22	3	33.54%
6	Madrid	277	137	73	55	39	60	0	7.71%
7	Rome	475	41	134	32	34	32	1	12.66%
8	Stockholm	32	43	70	142	8	61	1	46.51%
9	Warsaw	151	240	57	40	15	38	0	4.49%
10	Lisbon	82	129	56	36	27	37	0	29.52%

Besides London, the French capital takes the crown as the top most pet friendly city in Europe, with both the highest number of parks (287) and grooming shops (145) out of any other city. Berlin comes in second place in our analysis and offers the highest number of local pet training classes, 112 overall, and the second highest number of pet stores (107).

Finding a home for you and your furry friend should be relatively easy in Stockholm, as almost half of the available rentals are pet friendly, the highest amount in the overall ranking (46.51%). Prague is the city with the next highest number of pet-friendly rentals on offer.

Our analysis has also shown that pets can come with a big price tag, so Savoo created some tips on how to keep your cost low.

Tips on how to keep the cost of your pet low

Buy pet food in bulk - Buying pet food in bulk can massively cut costs in the long run, rather than buying food individually each week. Alternatively, explore offers on food and any additional vouchers only that can help cut down the costs of your pet. Check out our Zoo Plus discount code, Jollyes discount code and Pets at Home discount code pages.

Ensure you have pet insurance – In the unfortunate event that your pet falls ill or has an accident, having pet insurance can save you hundreds if not thousands of pounds in vet bills, and as a result, a lot of financial stress. Factoring insurance in your monthly outgoings is key, and searching online for the best deal that suits your pet's needs and budget is advised to ensure you save money.

Buy pet medication online – There are trusted websites that sell prescription and non-prescription medication for up to 50% less than the average vet charge, so it’s important to explore all options before making your purchase. It makes sense to look for deals on our Pet Drugs Online discount code, VioVet discount code and YuMove discount code pages.

For more great offers on pet care products, pet food, insurance and more head to our Animals and Pets category page. Also, if you're looking for general ways to save money, perhaps so you can afford to treat your pet, don't forget to check out the Savoo Cost of Living Guide.