City IndexHow much does it cost to own a pet in cities around the world?
We spoke to vets and shops around the world for a global view on the costs of keeping pets. From New York to Barcelona, here are the basic annual costs, and a few things extra.

To get a good idea of a nation’s economy, just take a look at its cats and dogs. While three-quarters of the world’s dogs are estimated to be strays and found in rapidly urbanizing areas without the resources to manage them, the other quarter lead more pampered lives as pets of a growing middle class. Pet ownership is a luxury most commonly enjoyed by populations with funds to spare. And as countries get richer, new classes of workers, including dog walkers and pet-sitters, spring up to accommodate the wealthy and their furry friends.
We spoke to vets and shops around the world for a global view on the costs of keeping pets in cities from New York to Barcelona.
Note: Costs are subjective and our costs are averages based on several competing brands or services, converted into US dollars. We generally went with the lowest costs we could find. Basic expenses for a dog include an average amount of food consumed per year and the annual vet check up. Basic expenses for cats also included cat litter. Flea medication, dog walking services, getting your pet neutered or spayed (once) and registration costs are not included, but are listed here for perspective. Spending on grooming, day care, snacks, clothes, accessories and extrecurricular pageantry were not calculated, as they vary significantly by owner.
on the cover
A Yorkie and her owner at the Doggies and Tiara pageant in New York City. Photo by Amy Lombard.
Buenos Aires
Argentina
Average basic annual expenses
Dog
$802
Cat
$479
$19.19/3.5 lb
Average cost of cat food
$8.54/7 lb
Average cost of cat litter
$9.73/3.5lb
Average cost of dog food
$5.93
Average cost of dog walker
$28.94
Average cost of flea medication
$18.82
Average cost of vet check up
$125.46
Average cost of getting pet neutered/spayed
N/A
Cost to register pet
Source: (1)
Dog walkers (passeaperros) are found everywhere on the streets of Buenos Aires. These urban animal wranglers walk up to a dozen canines at a time.
Note: We weren’t able to find wet cat food prices, so dry food prices are provided instead. Basic annual expenses accounts for daily calorie needs. Other cities use cat food prices. We realize this may be a point of contention for cat owners.
New York City
New York, USA
Average basic annual expenses
Dog
$763
Cat
$729
$0.74/3oz
Average cost of cat food
$4.15/7lb
Average cost of cat litter
$8.29/3.5lb
Average cost of dog food
$17.66/30mins
Average cost of dog walker
$60.99/3ct
Average cost of flea medication
$96
Average cost of vet check up
$513.33
Average cost of getting pet neutered/spayed
$8.50/yr
Cost to register pet
As befits this fast-paced metropolis, New York dog walkers offer some of the fastest walk slots in the world at only 15 minutes per pet. We priced out 30-minute walks to stay consistent with some of our other cities.
Los Angeles
California, USA
Average basic annual expenses
Dog
$621
Cat
$690
$0.75/3oz
Average cost of cat food
$3.99/7lb
Average cost of cat litter
$7.05/3.5lb
Average cost of dog food
$22.33/30mins
Average cost of dog walker
$59.66/3ct
Average cost of flea medication
$53.33
Average cost of vet check up
$389.33
Average cost of getting pet neutered/spayed
$20/yr
Cost to register pet
Of the 3 million households in Los Angeles County, nearly 2 million keep a dog, cat, and/or bird. The high proportion of pets in the city have resulted in some unique opportunities for animal-lovers, including a North Hollywood apartment building that only rents to owners of shelter-adopted pets.
London
UK
Average basic annual expenses
Dog
$405
Cat
$706
$0.80/3oz
Average cost of cat food
$6.20/10L
Average cost of cat litter
$4.47/3.5lb
Average cost of dog food
$23.70/1hr
Average cost of dog walker
$12.87/3ct
Average cost of flea medication
$77.77
Average cost of vet check up
$378.31
Average cost of getting pet neutered/spayed
N/A
Cost to register pet
In 1987, Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government made the controversial move to end dog licensing, as pet registration raised less money than it cost to enforce. The RSPCA pushed back with a poster of a heap of dead animals and the tagline: “When the government killed the dog licence, they left us to clean up their mess.” Next year will reverse the registration decision when a compulsory microchipping system comes into effect.
Note: cat litter measurements provided in volume, not mass.
Paris
France
Average basic annual expenses
Dog
$307
Cat
$630
$0.47/3oz
Average cost of cat food
$10.70/7lb
Average cost of cat litter
$3.21
Average cost of dog food
$12.96/30mins
Average cost of dog walker
$31.16
Average cost of flea medication
$49.28
Average cost of vet check up
$328.58
Average cost of getting pet neutered/spayed
$94.38
Cost to register pet
For 20 years, Paris offered an unparalleled pooper-scooper service: its fleet of Caninettes. These small motorized vehicles patrolled the streets and sidewalks to vacuum up dog feces. The Caninettes, which were discontinued in 2002, were estimated to clean only 20% of the city’s poop at an annual cost of $4.6 million—but they looked stylish doing it.
Barcelona
Spain
Average basic annual expenses
Dog
$302
Cat
$740
$0.74/3oz
Average cost of cat food
$6.93/7lb
Average cost of cat litter
$3.19/3.5lb
Average cost of dog food
$11.76/1hr
Average cost of dog walker
$15.42
Average cost of flea medication
$44.53
Average cost of vet check up
$350
Average cost of getting pet neutered/spayed
$63.15
Average to register pet
To improve “co-existence between residents and animals,” this Spanish city recently outlawed walking dogs off-leash, leaving cats home alone for more than three days, and feeding strays on the street. Fines for these crimes can reach $1,645.
Melbourne
Australia
Average basic annual expenses
Dog
$268
Cat
$795
$0.89/3oz
Average cost of cat food
$3.91/7lb
Average cost of cat litter
$2.60/3.5lb
Average cost of dog food
$19.29/walk
Average cost of dog walker
$19.04/3ct
Average cost of flea medication
$59.08
Average cost of vet check up
$87.83
Average cost of getting pet neutered/spayed
$35.73/yr
Cost to register pet
Melbourne boasts two “cat belts," or areas densely packed with small apartments where residents choose to keep cats rather than bigger animals like dogs. In the suburb of Brunswick, cats outnumber dogs six to five.
Additional research: Sophie Weiner and Kelsey Lawrance. ADDITIONAL SOURCES: Catster, Dog Advisor