How Much Does Dog Food Cost?

• Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.

The cost of dog food is one of the top three biggest expenses pet parents face, followed by treats, toys, and vet visits. On average, pet guardians spend $58-$268 per month and $1,111-$2,870 per year for a medium-sized adult dog.

We know there’s a lot of variability within that range. That’s why we’ve taken a deeper dive into the cost of dog food, breaking pet expenses down per day while considering factors like your dog’s size, age, and diet. We also examine how buying in bulk and shopping at different stores can affect total costs. Here’s what we found out.

Cost of Dog Food Per Day

How much a bag of dog food costs will depend on the size of your dog. The type of food and the specific brand will also determine the price. Here’s the daily cost of some of most popular dog foods on the market.

Dog Food Brand	Small Breed	Medium Breed	Large Breed
Purina Pro Plan Dry	$0.76/day	$2.40/day	$4.86/day
Purina Pro Plan Wet	$1.27/day	$2.84/day	$9.48/day
Hill’s Science Diet Dry	$0.77/day	$2.90/day	$5.36/day
Hill’s Science Diet Wet	$1.29/day	$3.65/day	$11.22/day
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Dry	$0.67/day	$2.40/day	$5.12/day
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Wet	$0.96/day	$2.97/day	$8.82/day
Ollie Baked/Dry	$1.33/day	$5.14/day	$9.28/day
Ollie Fresh	$4.28/day	$6.29/day	$11.14/day
Farmer’s Dog (Fresh)	$1.85/day	$4.89/day	$9.78/day
Nom Nom (Fresh)	$4.78/day	$6.57/day	$13.14/day
Sundays for Dogs (Dry/Air-Dried)	$2.88/day	$4.92/day	$8.15/day

Bag size

While a big bag of dog food costs more upfront, it will save you money and effort in the long run, especially when feeding larger dogs. For instance, buying a 47-pound bag of Purina Pro Plan averages out to $1.92 a pound, while a 5-pound bag comes out to $3.40 per pound.

Be careful, however, not to get too big a bag for your dog’s size. Dry food usually only stays good opened for 6 to 8 weeks, so if you can’t go through it in that time, it’s better to scale back.

Food type

The type of food you feed your pup will also impact your total expenses. Here’s roughly what you can expect for different food types (based on a medium-sized dog):

• Dry food/kibble: $1.93 per day
• Wet/canned food: $8.93 per day
• Fresh food: $5.91 per day
• Air-dried food: $7.41 per day
• Freeze-dried raw food: $9.76 per day
• Special diets (i.e., prescription): $4.50 per day

How Much Is Puppy Food?

Growing puppies need higher levels of protein, fat, and essential vitamins and minerals than adult dogs. That’s why puppy food is often more expensive than adult dog food.

For example, the Hill’s Science Diet adult formula for a large breed dog costs $5.36/day, but the large puppy formula averages out to $6.43 per day.

The brand you choose significantly determines how much puppy food will cost.

Dog Food Brand	Small Puppy	Medium Puppy	Large Puppy
Purina Pro Plan Puppy	$1.85/day	$2.43/day	$4.86/day
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Puppy	$0.77/day	$2.67/day	$5.34/day
Wellness Complete Health Puppy	$0.70/day	$2.43/day	$4.86/day
Hills Science Diet Puppy	$0.93/day	$3.67/day	$6.43/day
Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy	$0.70/day	$2.00/day	$4.00/day

Where To Buy Dog Food

How much dog food is going to cost will also depend on where you shop. For instance, big-box retailers like Walmart and Costco operate on a large scale and are able to offer lower prices and options for buying in bulk.

Online stores, such as Amazon and Chewy, tend to have competitive pricing. They also offer discounts on repeat purchases via subscription services.

Petco, PetSmart, and other specialty stores are often more expensive but have loyalty programs and seasonal promotions that help cut down on costs.

When it comes to local pet stores, you’ll get more personalized service, but prices will vary depending on the store size and location.

Store	Range of Costs	Ways to Save
Amazon	$15-$80	– Subscribe & Save for discounts on recurring purchases. – Prime Day and Black Friday deals.
Chewy	$20-$90+	– Free shipping on orders over $49. – Autoship for recurring savings. – Regular discounts and offers.
Petco	$20-$100+	– Rewards program for discounts. – Regular sales and coupons.
PetSmart	$25-$120+	– Store coupons and promo codes. – PetSmart Treats loyalty program. – Seasonal sales and discounts.
Walmart	$10-$50	– Rollback prices and clearance items. – Walmart+ membership for savings on select items.
Target	$15-$60	– Target Circle loyalty program for discounts. – Store-specific promotions.
Costco	$30-$80+	– Bulk food for the lowest per-pound/day cost. – Coupons and discounts with membership.
Local Pet Store	$20-$70+	– Loyalty programs. – Personalized discounts or sales.

Where you shop will also impact the selection you’ll find—something to consider if your pup requires a special diet. For example, big retailers like Walmart may carry a large variety of popular brands but might not offer the more premium and specialty options like a local or regional pet store.

Amazon, Chewy, and other online retailers provide some middle ground, providing a wide range of dog foods, often including both mainstream and niche brands.

What Influences the Price of Dog Food?

So how much is dog food? As we’ve seen above, the cost can vary widely depending on your dog’s size, age, diet, and where you shop. A few other key factors that influence pricing include:

• Ingredients. Dog food made with whole-food ingredients will cost more than formulas with by-products. Think: chicken breast vs. chicken meal. (It’s important to note, however, that by-products aren’t any less nutritious.) Sustainably sourced ingredients and novel proteins, like venison and lamb, will also come at a higher price.
• Method of cooking. Food made quickly and easily in large quantities (like many popular commercial kibble brands) will be more affordable than food made in smaller batches or with special equipment (like smaller freeze-dried and air-dried food brands).
• Storage and shipping. Pet food that has to be kept frozen or refrigerated, like fresh dog food, will cost more for storage and shipping than products that can be stored and sold on shelves.
• Prescription formulas. Therapeutic formulas require extensive and expensive testing to prove the product’s effectiveness, which is then reflected in the price.

It’s important to remember that just because a dog food brand is more expensive, it’s not necessarily better. A higher price doesn’t always signal higher quality. In the end, what really matters is meeting your dog’s basic nutritional needs.

As long as you’re feeding food that meets AAFCO standards and your vet approves, there’s no shame in feeding your dog food that fits your budget.

How to budget for dog food

If you’re looking to spend less, there are a few ways to cut back on dog food costs:

• Buy in bulk. Buying larger bags of food will ultimately save you more money in the long run.
• Compare pricing. Shop around to find the best deal, checking prices at both physical and online retailers. Don’t forget to look at the cost per serving and not just the price on the bag to get a true comparison.
• Switch proteins. If your dog doesn’t have a specific allergy or intolerance, consider switching to a cheaper protein like chicken or beef (with your vet’s approval, of course).
• Cash in on coupons. Keep an eye out for digital coupons and sales throughout the year, and stock up when the prices drop.
• Subscribe and save. Many online retailers like Chewy or Amazon offer discounts when you sign up for a subscription plan. Some dog food brands, particularly those that offer delivery services, will also provide a discount for recurring orders.

When switching up your dog’s diet, don’t forget to include your primary vet. They may even be able to provide more insight into how you can budget better since they know you and your particular pup.