Rabbit, guinea pig, hamster, or bearded dragon — priced to the end
| Species | Acquisition | Setup | Monthly food/bedding | Typical first year | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rabbit | $25-$75 adopt / $50-$150 store | $150-$300 (xpen, litter, hides) | $50-$80 | $1,580 typical | 8-12 yrs |
| Guinea pigs (pair) | $20-$50 each | $120-$250 (C&C cage) | $50-$70 | $1,240 typical | 5-7 yrs |
| Hamster | $15-$30 | $60-$120 (40-gal tank) | $20-$30 | $480 typical | 2-3 yrs |
| Bearded dragon | $40-$100 | $400-$700 (120-gal, lighting) | $35-$55 | $1,430 typical | 10-15 yrs |
Typical figures reflect national 2025-26 pricing including a spay/neuter for rabbits ($200-$500) and exotic vet visits ($50-$150 each) where relevant. Guinea pigs are priced as a pair because they shouldn't live alone; hamsters are priced as one because they must. Metro vet pricing runs higher.
The pet store sells you the animal for $20 and the real bill starts arriving after: the right-size enclosure, exotic vet care, and a decade of hay or bugs. This calculator prices the full ownership arc — first year, steady state, and lifetime — so "cheap pet" claims survive contact with arithmetic.
First year = acquisition + habitat setup + one-time medical (spay/neuter, clearances) + initial vet visit + 12 months of food and bedding + annual vet + annual extras. After year one: monthly × 12 + annual vet + extras. Lifetime = first year + (annual × (lifespan − 1)). Swap any number for your own quotes; the species dropdown just loads honest starting points.
Pick your species, then adjust the setup line to the enclosure you're actually buying — the minimums (a 40-gallon tank for a hamster, 120 gallons for an adult bearded dragon, an exercise pen rather than a cage for a rabbit) cost more than pet-store kits, and the kits get replaced within a year anyway. The one-time medical field matters most for rabbits, where spay/neuter is standard care, not optional.
A bonded pair of guinea pigs: $70 adoption ($35 each), $180 for a proper C&C cage setup, $120 for an initial pair vet check, then $60 a month in hay, pellets, greens, and bedding plus $150 of annual vet care. First year: $1,240. Steady state: $870 a year. Over a typical 6-year life: 1,240 + 870 × 5 = $5,590, or about $78 a month all-in. The pet store's "$80 starter kit" covered about 6% of the actual commitment.
Now the rabbit on the same math: $50 adoption, $250 setup, $350 spay, $65 a month, $150 vet a year. First year $1,580, then $930 a year, and with rabbits living 10 years, $9,950 lifetime — a hamster's whole life costs less than the rabbit's first year, while the rabbit ultimately prices like a cat.
About $1,580 the first year and $930 a year after that, with a typical 8-12 year lifespan running close to $10,000 all-in. Adoption runs $25-$75, an exercise-pen setup $150-$300, and spay or neuter $200-$500 — which is non-negotiable, since it prevents cancer and spraying. Hay, pellets, and veggies run $50-$80 a month.
Plan on about $1,240 the first year for a bonded pair — they're social animals that shouldn't live alone, so budget two of everything. Two adoptions at $35 each, a C&C cage setup around $180, and $60 a month in hay, pellets, veggies, and bedding adds up to roughly $870 a year after that, about $5,590 over a typical 5-7 year life.
A hamster, at roughly $480 the first year and $350 a year after. They live alone (housing two means fighting, not company), the setup is a $60-$120 large tank or cage, and food plus bedding runs about $25 a month. Bearded dragons are the opposite: $1,430 the first year and $720 a year after, mostly insects and electricity.
More than people expect: about $1,430 the first year with the 120-gallon adult enclosure, UVB and heat fixtures, and thermostat, then $720 a year after — $45 a month of insects and greens plus vet care and twice-yearly UVB bulb replacement. Over a 10-15 year lifespan that approaches a rabbit's lifetime cost.
Yes, and it's priced as exotic care, which runs $50-$150 a visit — often more than a cat exam. Rabbits and guinea pigs need exotics-savvy vets (their digestive systems fail fast when anything goes wrong), and an emergency GI-stasis case in a rabbit can hit four figures. Budget $150 a year routine, and treat pet insurance or an emergency fund as part of the real cost.
Three: the right enclosure is two to three times bigger than the pet-store kit (a 40-gallon tank for a hamster, 120 gallons for an adult beardie, an exercise pen for a rabbit); chewables are a permanent budget line (rabbits and guinea pigs destroy hides, cords, and baseboards); and pet-store starter kits are usually undersized, so most buyers replace them within a year.