Cost of owning a dog in India

Lifetime and food cost for 272 dogs, localized to INR.

The cheapest dog to own in India is the Japanese Chin (~₹407,800 lifetime). All costs in INR. Pet insurance is still a small market in India — most owners self-pay vet bills.

Cheapest dogs to own in India (INR)

Chart: the six cheapest dogs to own in India, by total lifetime cost.

#	Breed	Size	Food/yr	Lifetime
1	Japanese Chin	Small	₹8,000	₹407,800
2	Russian Toy	Small	₹5,800	₹439,800
3	English Toy Spaniel	Small	₹9,200	₹453,000
4	Toy Fox Terrier	Small	₹5,000	₹457,700
5	Chihuahua	Small	₹4,700	₹464,700
6	Miniature Pinscher	Small	₹8,000	₹485,600
7	Danish-Swedish Farmdog	Small	₹13,100	₹486,900
8	Bolognese	Small	₹6,500	₹488,400
9	Russell Terrier	Small	₹9,900	₹493,200
10	Portuguese Podengo Pequeno	Small	₹9,200	₹499,300
11	Schipperke	Small	₹10,500	₹500,500
12	Lancashire Heeler	Small	₹10,500	₹503,500
13	Boston Terrier	Small	₹13,600	₹505,600
14	Jagdterrier	Small	₹14,200	₹508,500
15	Norwich Terrier	Small	₹9,900	₹509,400
16	Tibetan Spaniel	Small	₹9,900	₹509,400
17	Papillon	Small	₹6,900	₹513,300
18	Italian Greyhound	Small	₹9,000	₹513,900
19	Border Terrier	Small	₹10,500	₹517,000
20	Affenpinscher	Small	₹7,700	₹519,500
21	Norfolk Terrier	Small	₹9,500	₹520,400
22	Miniature Bull Terrier	Small	₹16,100	₹522,800
23	Brussels Griffon	Small	₹8,000	₹524,500
24	Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka	Small	₹6,900	₹525,600
25	Australian Terrier	Small	₹13,100	₹534,500
26	Japanese Spitz	Small	₹13,100	₹534,500
27	Chinese Crested	Small	₹8,600	₹538,600
28	Cairn Terrier	Small	₹10,800	₹538,700
29	Smooth Fox Terrier	Small	₹12,500	₹544,700
30	Wire Fox Terrier	Small	₹12,500	₹544,700
31	Löwchen	Small	₹10,100	₹545,900
32	Pekingese	Small	₹11,000	₹546,600
33	Parson Russell Terrier	Small	₹11,600	₹549,200
34	Silky Terrier	Small	₹8,600	₹549,200
35	Lakeland Terrier	Small	₹12,900	₹549,800
36	Scottish Terrier	Small	₹14,400	₹550,400
37	Cirneco dell’Etna	Small	₹15,300	₹550,700
38	Beagle	Small	₹17,200	₹558,700
39	Pug	Small	₹12,300	₹559,600
40	Mudi	Small	₹16,200	₹562,800
41	Cesky Terrier	Small	₹14,000	₹564,900
42	Poodle (Miniature)	Small	₹10,100	₹570,100
43	Maltese	Small	₹6,500	₹571,600
44	Lhasa Apso	Small	₹11,600	₹572,500
45	Biewer Terrier	Small	₹5,800	₹572,600
46	Basenji	Small	₹16,100	₹579,200
47	Yorkshire Terrier	Small	₹5,400	₹579,600
48	Havanese	Small	₹8,600	₹583,300
49	Shetland Sheepdog	Small	₹14,400	₹590,300
50	Manchester Terrier (Toy)	Small	₹9,900	₹590,500
51	French Bulldog	Small	₹15,500	₹593,400
52	Pomeranian	Small	₹5,000	₹593,500
53	American Eskimo Dog	Small	₹14,800	₹593,600
54	Teddy Roosevelt Terrier	Small	₹12,500	₹597,300
55	Taiwan Dog	Medium	₹21,100	₹598,300
56	Bulldog (English)	Medium	₹26,500	₹602,700
57	Rat Terrier	Small	₹13,100	₹605,700
58	Shiba Inu	Small	₹14,400	₹606,800
59	Pumi	Medium	₹17,400	₹610,200
60	Bedlington Terrier	Small	₹14,400	₹610,300
61	Welsh Terrier	Small	₹14,400	₹610,300
62	Sealyham Terrier	Small	₹16,200	₹614,600
63	Cavalier King Charles Spaniel	Small	₹12,000	₹614,800
64	American Hairless Terrier	Small	₹11,000	₹619,700
65	Maltipoo	Small	₹10,100	₹625,600
66	Dachshund	Small	₹16,600	₹629,100
67	Treeing Tennessee Brindle	Medium	₹24,300	₹633,200
68	Basset Fauve de Bretagne	Medium	₹20,200	₹634,500
69	Manchester Terrier (Standard)	Small	₹12,900	₹638,300
70	Poodle (Toy)	Small	₹5,000	₹638,900
71	Braque du Bourbonnais	Medium	₹26,100	₹642,800
72	Pembroke Welsh Corgi	Medium	₹19,000	₹643,700
73	Dogue de Bordeaux	Giant	₹50,000	₹653,900
74	Icelandic Sheepdog	Medium	₹18,300	₹656,600
75	Shikoku	Medium	₹26,500	₹657,900
76	Nederlandse Kooikerhondje	Medium	₹17,200	₹663,800
77	Norwegian Lundehund	Medium	₹17,200	₹663,800
78	Swedish Vallhund	Medium	₹18,300	₹665,500
79	German Shepherd Dog	Large	₹37,000	₹666,400
80	Yakutian Laika	Medium	₹27,600	₹670,200
81	Peruvian Inca Orchid	Medium	₹20,400	₹670,400
82	Mountain Cur	Medium	₹26,500	₹672,800
83	Irish Terrier	Medium	₹17,600	₹676,800
84	Staffordshire Bull Terrier	Medium	₹20,200	₹680,900
85	West Highland White Terrier	Small	₹13,100	₹681,600
86	Kai Ken	Medium	₹19,600	₹683,100
87	Flat-Coated Retriever	Large	₹35,100	₹683,800
88	Dandie Dinmont Terrier	Small	₹14,900	₹685,100
89	Chinese Shar-Pei	Large	₹29,900	₹687,900
90	Slovensky Kopov	Medium	₹23,700	₹689,600
91	Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen	Medium	₹20,900	₹690,600
92	German Pinscher	Medium	₹22,000	₹692,200
93	American Water Spaniel	Medium	₹22,000	₹692,700
94	Cocker Spaniel	Medium	₹17,200	₹694,200
95	Finnish Spitz	Medium	₹17,900	₹696,000
96	Kishu Ken	Medium	₹26,500	₹698,700
97	Whippet	Medium	₹20,900	₹700,700
98	Boykin Spaniel	Medium	₹20,900	₹704,400
99	German Shepherd	Large	₹37,000	₹704,900
100	Cardigan Welsh Corgi	Medium	₹20,400	₹706,600
101	Karelian Bear Dog	Medium	₹27,300	₹707,700
102	Miniature Schnauzer	Small	₹12,000	₹712,000
103	English Cocker Spaniel	Medium	₹19,600	₹712,500
104	Norwegian Buhund	Medium	₹21,100	₹716,700
105	Swedish Lapphund	Medium	₹23,200	₹719,700
106	Field Spaniel	Medium	₹25,400	₹723,000
107	Glen of Imaal Terrier	Medium	₹22,400	₹723,000
108	Sloughi	Medium	₹25,400	₹723,000
109	Irish Wolfhound	Giant	₹52,900	₹723,200
110	Shih Tzu	Small	₹10,100	₹724,500
111	Tibetan Terrier	Small	₹16,600	₹724,800
112	Croatian Sheepdog	Medium	₹22,800	₹726,000
113	German Spitz	Medium	₹17,200	₹727,300
114	Ibizan Hound	Medium	₹27,600	₹738,600
115	Kromfohrlander	Medium	₹18,300	₹743,000
116	Brittany	Medium	₹22,000	₹744,000
117	Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier	Medium	₹22,000	₹744,000
118	Chow Chow	Large	₹31,900	₹748,200
119	Portuguese Podengo	Large	₹28,900	₹748,700
120	Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever	Medium	₹25,400	₹748,900
121	Miniature American Shepherd	Medium	₹19,600	₹750,300
122	Norrbottenspets	Medium	₹17,200	₹750,700
123	Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog	Medium	₹23,700	₹752,000
124	Coton de Tulear	Small	₹9,500	₹752,000
125	Portuguese Sheepdog	Medium	₹27,800	₹753,400
126	Bichon Frise	Small	₹11,600	₹754,000
127	German Shorthaired Pointer	Large	₹31,900	₹761,300
128	English Springer Spaniel	Medium	₹26,500	₹763,400
129	Schapendoes	Medium	₹24,700	₹764,600
130	Working Kelpie	Medium	₹26,100	₹771,300
131	Deutscher Wachtelhund	Medium	₹27,600	₹778,000
132	Irish Red and White Setter	Medium	₹27,600	₹778,000
133	Finnish Lapphund	Medium	₹25,800	₹779,700
134	Kerry Blue Terrier	Medium	₹22,800	₹779,700
135	Azawakh	Medium	₹26,100	₹784,800
136	Jindo	Medium	₹24,300	₹784,800
137	Australian Cattle Dog	Medium	₹25,400	₹786,600
138	American English Coonhound	Large	₹30,800	₹788,800
139	Canaan Dog	Medium	₹26,500	₹789,800
140	Welsh Springer Spaniel	Medium	₹26,500	₹789,800
141	Lagotto Romagnolo	Medium	₹19,400	₹792,300
142	Xoloitzcuintli	Medium	₹20,900	₹793,100
143	Belgian Laekenois	Large	₹33,100	₹793,900
144	Rhodesian Ridgeback	Large	₹40,000	₹798,700
145	Bohemian Shepherd	Medium	₹28,200	₹799,100
146	Keeshond	Medium	₹24,300	₹799,900
147	Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen	Medium	₹25,400	₹800,500
148	French Spaniel	Large	₹30,800	₹802,100
149	Drever	Medium	₹23,200	₹803,600
150	Boxer	Large	₹35,100	₹805,500
151	Segugio Italiano	Large	₹28,800	₹806,600
152	Entlebucher Mountain Dog	Large	₹29,900	₹808,100
153	Bullmastiff	Giant	₹53,800	₹811,700
154	Puli	Medium	₹19,600	₹812,500
155	Portuguese Pointer	Medium	₹27,500	₹815,400
156	Portuguese Water Dog	Medium	₹27,600	₹819,700
157	Bernese Mountain Dog	Giant	₹45,600	₹820,300
158	Border Collie	Medium	₹25,400	₹822,500
159	Sussex Spaniel	Medium	₹24,300	₹826,700
160	Transylvanian Hound	Large	₹30,800	₹831,300
161	Bluetick Coonhound	Large	₹34,000	₹836,800
162	Clumber Spaniel	Large	₹37,000	₹837,000
163	Polish Lowland Sheepdog	Medium	₹24,300	₹837,900
164	Skye Terrier	Medium	₹24,300	₹837,900
165	Greyhound	Large	₹35,100	₹838,200
166	Czechoslovakian Vlcak	Large	₹28,900	₹839,000
167	Dalmatian	Large	₹31,900	₹844,700
168	English Foxhound	Large	₹36,000	₹848,900
169	Thai Ridgeback	Large	₹30,800	₹849,900
170	Standard Schnauzer	Medium	₹24,300	₹853,400
171	Plott Hound	Large	₹28,800	₹853,700
172	Small Munsterlander Pointer	Large	₹28,800	₹853,700
173	Curly-Coated Retriever	Large	₹40,000	₹858,900
174	Neapolitan Mastiff	Giant	₹58,800	₹860,000
175	Barbet	Large	₹28,800	₹866,600
176	Pharaoh Hound	Large	₹28,800	₹866,600
177	Scottish Deerhound	Giant	₹45,600	₹867,200
178	Porcelaine	Large	₹32,300	₹868,500
179	American Bulldog	Large	₹40,900	₹869,200
180	Doberman Pinscher	Large	₹40,900	₹869,200
181	American Foxhound	Large	₹35,100	₹870,900
182	Irish Water Spaniel	Large	₹31,600	₹871,700
183	Golden Retriever	Large	₹35,100	₹871,700
184	Berger Picard	Large	₹33,100	₹877,900
185	Treeing Walker Coonhound	Large	₹33,100	₹877,900
186	Vizsla	Large	₹29,700	₹878,800
187	Wirehaired Vizsla	Large	₹30,800	₹880,400
188	Dutch Shepherd	Large	₹32,300	₹881,000
189	Weimaraner	Large	₹38,100	₹884,000
190	Australian Shepherd	Medium	₹29,900	₹884,900
191	Basset Hound	Large	₹29,900	₹888,000
192	Bull Terrier	Large	₹33,100	₹890,300
193	Siberian Husky	Large	₹27,600	₹890,900
194	Drentsche Patrijshond	Large	₹33,200	₹892,700
195	Labrador Retriever	Large	₹36,000	₹894,000
196	Chesapeake Bay Retriever	Large	₹36,000	₹894,800
197	Saluki	Large	₹29,900	₹898,300
198	Gordon Setter	Large	₹34,000	₹902,000
199	Spanish Water Dog	Medium	₹24,300	₹902,600
200	English Setter	Large	₹34,000	₹905,200
201	Lapponian Herder	Large	₹37,000	₹905,200
202	Samoyed	Large	₹28,800	₹905,500
203	Bavarian Mountain Scent Hound	Large	₹29,500	₹906,700
204	Bracco Italiano	Large	₹38,100	₹906,700
205	Norwegian Elkhound	Large	₹29,500	₹906,700
206	Rottweiler	Large	₹51,200	₹910,600
207	Black and Tan Coonhound	Large	₹43,700	₹911,000
208	Harrier	Large	₹29,900	₹911,800
209	Wirehaired Pointing Griffon	Large	₹29,900	₹911,800
210	Stabyhoun	Large	₹28,800	₹912,700
211	Old English Sheepdog	Large	₹40,900	₹913,000
212	Broholmer	Giant	₹55,500	₹915,900
213	Wetterhoun	Large	₹34,000	₹921,700
214	Hokkaido	Large	₹30,800	₹924,400
215	Perro de Presa Canario	Giant	₹47,200	₹924,400
216	Slovakian Wirehaired Pointer	Large	₹31,900	₹926,100
217	Borzoi	Large	₹41,800	₹927,000
218	Airedale Terrier	Large	₹33,100	₹927,700
219	Hovawart	Large	₹40,000	₹929,100
220	Great Dane	Giant	₹63,100	₹935,600
221	American Leopard Hound	Large	₹31,900	₹939,500
222	Redbone Coonhound	Large	₹31,900	₹939,500
223	American Staffordshire Terrier	Large	₹30,800	₹941,500
224	Greater Swiss Mountain Dog	Giant	₹52,900	₹945,900
225	Appenzeller Sennenhund	Large	₹32,500	₹947,100
226	German Longhaired Pointer	Large	₹36,000	₹948,400
227	Catahoula Leopard Dog	Large	₹38,100	₹954,500
228	Pudelpointer	Large	₹31,900	₹957,200
229	Belgian Sheepdog	Large	₹33,100	₹961,300
230	Belgian Tervuren	Large	₹33,100	₹961,300
231	Slovensky Cuvac	Large	₹41,800	₹963,500
232	Mastiff	Giant	₹73,600	₹970,100
233	Bearded Collie	Large	₹28,800	₹970,200
234	Collie	Large	₹34,000	₹973,500
235	Hanoverian Scenthound	Large	₹44,300	₹980,700
236	Newfoundland	Giant	₹57,100	₹986,700
237	Alaskan Malamute	Large	₹40,900	₹988,200
238	Eurasier	Large	₹30,800	₹997,200
239	Great Pyrenees	Giant	₹45,600	₹999,400
240	Kuvasz	Giant	₹45,600	₹999,400
241	Chinook	Large	₹37,000	₹1,007,600
242	Bloodhound	Giant	₹46,500	₹1,009,600
243	Saint Bernard	Giant	₹65,500	₹1,015,600
244	Pointer	Large	₹33,100	₹1,018,900
245	Beauceron	Giant	₹44,600	₹1,022,000
246	Irish Setter	Large	₹35,100	₹1,022,700
247	Leonberger	Giant	₹58,800	₹1,026,800
248	Bergamasco Sheepdog	Large	₹37,200	₹1,030,400
249	Afghan Hound	Large	₹30,800	₹1,031,900
250	Briard	Large	₹40,000	₹1,036,700
251	Hamiltonstovare	Large	₹31,900	₹1,050,400
252	Belgian Malinois	Large	₹33,100	₹1,051,100
253	German Wirehaired Pointer	Large	₹33,100	₹1,051,100
254	Otterhound	Giant	₹47,400	₹1,061,700
255	Dogo Argentino	Giant	₹46,100	₹1,075,900
256	Bouvier des Flandres	Giant	₹44,600	₹1,076,700
257	Tornjak	Large	₹43,100	₹1,092,400
258	Tibetan Mastiff	Giant	₹51,900	₹1,102,100
259	Giant Schnauzer	Large	₹37,000	₹1,115,100
260	Komondor	Giant	₹44,600	₹1,131,500
261	Estrela Mountain Dog	Giant	₹50,000	₹1,134,900
262	Black Russian Terrier	Giant	₹50,200	₹1,138,400
263	Akita	Giant	₹48,400	₹1,164,100
264	Poodle (Standard)	Large	₹31,900	₹1,169,200
265	Anatolian Shepherd Dog	Giant	₹53,800	₹1,179,800
266	Boerboel	Giant	₹73,600	₹1,187,700
267	Caucasian Shepherd Dog	Giant	₹60,500	₹1,196,600
268	Tosa	Giant	₹65,500	₹1,208,200
269	Rafeiro do Alentejo	Giant	₹50,000	₹1,221,200
270	Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog	Giant	₹53,800	₹1,269,800
271	Spanish Mastiff	Giant	₹72,100	₹1,323,900
272	Pyrenean Mastiff	Giant	₹75,300	₹1,416,100

What a dog really costs in India

Across 272 dogs, lifetime cost in India ranges from about ₹407,800 for the Japanese Chin up to ₹1,416,100 for the Pyrenean Mastiff — roughly a 3.5× spread. That gap is driven by body size (which sets how much a dog eats and its medication doses), breed health risk (which sets insurance premiums and likely vet bills) and lifespan (which multiplies every recurring annual cost). Local prices matter just as much: India sits at a food price index of 0.45 and a services index of 0.3 against the US baseline of 1.00, so the same breed can cost noticeably more or less here than abroad. Every figure on this page is in INR. Pet insurance is still a small market in India — most owners self-pay vet bills.

Food & vet localized via India's price-level index; converted to INR. US base from the RER/MER food formula and NAPHIA insurance averages. Modelled estimates — verify locally.

Compiled by the PawCosts data team from World Bank price-level data, NAPHIA averages and AAFCO/vet nutrition formulas.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest dog to own in India?

The Japanese Chin — about ₹407,800 over its lifetime in INR.

What is the most expensive dog to own in India?

The Pyrenean Mastiff — around ₹1,416,100 lifetime.

Is pet insurance available in India?

Pet insurance is still a small market in India — most owners self-pay vet bills.

How are India dog costs calculated?

US base costs (food via the vet RER/MER calorie formula, NAPHIA insurance averages) scaled by India's price-level indices — food 0.45, services 0.3 — and converted to INR.

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