One of the things that has stood out during the time the UK spent in and out of lockdown, was how pet ownership rose during the pandemic – with an extra 3.2 million households across the UK buying a pet from March 2020 to March 2021.
Puppy demand increased the average cost of buying a dog considerably, however, five years on and we’re still in a cost-of-living crisis which is stretching peoples’ everyday budgets to their limit.
With many people struggling with the costs of food and other everyday essentials, could owning a pet make a positive impact on your mental health? A 2023 report has revealed that 94% of pet owners say that owning a pet makes them happy, with 44% going as far to say that their four-legged friend has been a lifeline during the cost-of-living crisis.
With this in mind, if you’re considering welcoming a new furry friend to your home you may be wondering what are the cheapest dog breeds to own versus the least affordable? Good question, but thanks to our team of data analysts here at The Insurance Emporium, we’ve done all the hard work by looking at our top 30 most popular dog breeds and ranking them from the most affordable to the least.
Our methodology
Before we get into the heart of which dog breed tops our list for affordability, let’s talk you through the factors we’ve taken into consideration.
Our list looks at the 30 most popular UK dog breeds that we insure here at The Insurance Emporium, we’ve then analysed the overall costs against each breed for the following factors:
- The average cost owners paid for their pooch according to our data from 1/01/2024 to 31/12/2024.
- The annual cost to insure each breed according to our data (correct at the time of writing this: 25.03.25) – based on each breed being under 8 years of age, located in York, on a Time Limited Bronze Yearly policy with Illness & Accidents cover. Of course, pet insurance is optional, for further guidance take a look at our article on the importance of pet insurance.
- Pet food costs are based on the typical weight of the breed, feeding 2% of the bodyweight per day with a mid-range dry dog food costing £3.65 per kg.
Our ranking table is purely to demonstrate which dog breeds work out cheaper to buy and look after, versus those which are more expensive. It does not reflect the whole cost of owning a dog; for example, routine vaccinations, flea and tick treatment, neutering (if the owner decides to do this), dog grooming, toys and treats, and holiday care if you go away.
Plus, we can’t account for whether your canine has a penchant for expensive dog food, or for the several dog chew toys that will inevitably end up being destroyed within minutes of being brought home from your local pet shop.
The cheapest dog breeds in the UK
From our research we can reveal that the top 5 dog breeds that are the most affordable to own are:
Topping our list of the most affordable dog breeds is the small but mighty Jack Russell Terrier Cross. Examples of a Jack Russell Terrier Cross includes Jack-a-Poo (Jack Russell x Poodle), Jack-a-Pug (Jack Russell x Pug), or Jackshund (Jack Russell x Dachshund) to name a few. It’s the cheapest on our top 30 to buy, and relatively inexpensive to look after, costing around £16 a month to feed. The same applied to its pedigree equivalent – which came in at number two with the average purchase price slightly higher than the cross.
In at number three is the Yorkshire Terrier – while it’s not the cheapest to buy its small stature means it is one of the cheaper breeds to feed, at approx. £7 per month, as long as you’re not the type of pet parent to feed your beloved pooch only the finest dog food there is.
Last, but by no means least, it’s no surprise that the Lhasa Apso and Shih Tzu make up the rest of the pack of most affordable dog breeds due to their smaller size.
Our research also reveals which parts of the UK favours the cheapest dog breeds as the most popular breed by location*:
- Jack Russell Terrier Cross – Dunbeath, Scotland and Warlingham, Surrey
- Jack Russell Terrier – Holyhead, Wales
- Yorkshire Terrier – Feltham and Northolt, West London
- Lhasa Apso – Isle of Arran, Scotland
- Shih Tzu – Liverpool
The most expensive dog breeds in the UK
On the other end of the scale, we’ve got the dog breeds which are likely to cost you the most:
At the bottom end of the scale the German Shepherd (Alsatian) is the most expensive breed to own. Although this dog breed is the cheapest to buy of the five, feeding one dog alone will cost you £85 on average a month due to their size and love for the great outdoors – making them ideal for owners that enjoy being outside.
A new entry for 2025 in our ‘expensive dog breeds to own’ list is the Labradoodle Cross. The Labradoodle is thought to be one of the first ‘designer dog’ breeds that was created as a solution for a lady who needed a suitable guide dog, as her husband was allergic to long-haired dogs. An Australian, called Wally, came up with the idea of “a dog with the working ability of the Labrador and the coat of the poodle”. Since then, an increased demand for designer crossbreeds has taken off in the UK.
In at number three is the Hungarian Vizsla. These red-haired dogs are known for being extremely active, so their monthly feed intake is in the higher cost bracket. At the same time, the cost to purchase is also relatively high compared with the other dog breeds on our list.
At number four of our five most expensive dog breeds to own is the French Bulldog. Those considering purchasing this breed should be aware they come with a designer price tag. Furthermore, brachycephalic breeds such as French Bulldogs are prone to several health issues that can incur costly visits to the vets, including breathing difficulties, skin and ear conditions, and eye problems. These health conditions subsequently make this breed more expensive to insure.
And finally, taking the last spot on our table is a household favourite – the Golden Retriever. It’s their popularity that puts this breed as one of the most expensive to purchase, and with a healthy appetite the cost to keep this pooch’s hunger at bay will soon stack up.
Our research also reveals which parts of the UK favours the most expensive dog breeds as the most popular breed by location:
- German Shepherd (Alsatian) – Dagenham, Essex
- Hungarian Vizsla – Walsingham, Norfolk
- French Bulldog – Jersey, Channel Islands
- Golden Retriever – Whitby, North Yorkshire
Cheapest versus most expensive dog breeds to buy
Outside of our top 30 most popular dog breeds, we also explored which UK breeds were the most and least expensive to buy where we insure 100 of more of each breed to get a fair representation on cost. Again, this was according to our data from 1/01/2024 to 31/12/2024.
Buying a dog from the offset can be a considerable investment, with some breeds costing closer to two thousand pounds. What’s more, buying a pedigree or popular breed of dog can also make your dog more desirable to pet thieves.
A recent study, found that French Bulldogs were the most stolen breed in 2024, an increase of 38 per cent compared to the year before.
Thankfully, on May 24th, 2024, new legislation came into effect to make pet abduction a criminal offence in England and Northern Ireland. Under the Pet Abduction Act 2024 – which was a Private Member’s Bill sponsored by Anna Firth MP – anyone found guilty of stealing a pet will face up to five years in prison, a fine, or both.
To help prevent your pet from being taken, first make sure your dog is microchipped as this is a legal requirement and failure to do so could result in a fine of up to £500; always remember to keep their details up to date too. Never leave your dog tied up outside a shop or in a car unattended and keep them on a lead in busy areas, especially if the area is unfamiliar to you and your pet. Finally, when considering pet insurance, it’s worth checking if your cover includes ‘loss by theft or straying.’
Cheapest versus most expensive dog breeds to treat
From our affordable dog breeds list, when it comes to common injuries, illnesses and conditions, based on customer claims, the Jack Russell Terrier Cross is the cheapest dog breed to treat, whereas Miniature Smooth Hair Dachshunds are the most expensive to treat.
Francis Martin, CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of The Insurance Emporium commented: “Our research into global pet insurance adoption rates revealed that only around 30% of British pet owners have pet insurance, leaving 70% uninsured. Similar to our own health, we cannot predict if and when our pets fall ill or have an accident. Therefore, without pet insurance owners are 100% financially responsible for the veterinary fees incurred and will need to ensure they commit to saving a lot of money to protect themselves from emergencies.”
The most popular dog names in 2025
In addition to our analysis of the cheapest versus most expensive dog breeds we’ve also been looking at the most popular names owners give their dogs as follows:
Our top 30 UK dog breeds in full
So which dog breeds made our top 30? Take a look here to see the full run down of breeds and how they ranked overall in terms of cost to own, from least expensive to most expensive. When looking to purchase a new dog we’d always advise people to do their own research to help them decide which breed of dog is going to suit their lifestyle the best.
If you’re due to welcome a new dog to your home – here at The Insurance Emporium our range of pet insurance cover gives owners the flexibility to choose what suits their pet’s needs the best. We also offer owners a 10% multi-pet discount, plus 20% introductory offer*** – paw-fect!
*Most popular dog breed by location uses The Insurance Emporium’s own internal data of live Pet / Dog & Senior Dog policies from 01.01.24 – 31.12.24
**The multi-pet discount is either applied at inception of any new pet policies or at renewal of existing pet policies.
***The 20% Introductory Discount is available from the start of the policy until its first review/renewal date.
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We offer a variety of cover levels, so please check the policy cover suits your needs before purchasing. For your protection, please ensure you read the Insurance Product Information Document (IPID) and policy wording, for information on policy exclusions and limitations.
