How much does a Devon Rex cost per year?

After the first year, a Devon Rex costs approximately $1,550 per year on average, covering food ($455), vet care ($370), grooming ($185), and insurance ($315).

mediumcat14 yr lifespan

How Much Does a Devon Rex Cost?

Q: Is a Devon Rex expensive to own?

Devon Rexs have a lifetime ownership cost of approximately $22,960 over 14 years. Annual running costs average $1,550/yr, making them one of the more affordable breeds to maintain.

The Devon Rex is a cat breed whose ownership costs are shaped mainly by coat type, health profile, and lifespan. Grooming costs sit in the middle of the pack — manageable with a consistent at-home routine. This breed is generally hardy, but routine vet care and the occasional unexpected visit should still be budgeted for. Day-to-day costs are driven mainly by food, routine vet care, and basic supplies.

Get My Personalised Estimate

$2,810

First Year Total

inc. one-time setup

$1,550

Annual Ongoing

per year from year 2

$22,960

Lifetime Estimate

over 14 years

What these figures assume: US national average pricing, own home (no pet deposit), standard food, grooming at the breed's typical frequency, insurance and professional training included, no daycare, routine dental care only. See how this is calculated or change these assumptions.

First Year Costs (inc. setup)

Purchase / Adoption Fee

Varies by breeder vs rescue

$485

Initial Vet Visit & Vaccinations

Spay/neuter, microchip, health check

$370

Starter Supplies

Bed, crate, collar, bowls, toys

$405

Training Classes

Basic obedience recommended

First Year Food

$455

First Year Vet Care

$370

First Year Grooming

$185

First Year Insurance

$315

Total$2,810

Annual Ongoing Costs (Year 2+)

Food

$455

Vet Care

$370

Grooming

$185

Pet Insurance

$315

Supplies & Toys

$150

Total$1,550

Budget for emergencies

We recommend keeping $2,500 in a dedicated emergency fund for unexpected vet bills.

What Devon Rex costs actually look like

The Devon Rex is a medium-sized cat breed living an average of 14 years. Food is its largest running cost at $455 a year, or 29% of the annual total, close to the 26% typical of cats.

At $1,550 a year it is cheaper to keep than 57% of the 80 cat breeds costed here. Across 14 years that compounds to about $22,960.

Annual cost alone is misleading over a lifetime. The Lykoi is cheaper year to year at $1,540, but lives 16 years to the Devon Rex's 14 — so it reaches $25,590 in total, $2,630 more. Longevity is a cost, not just a comfort.

These figures are US national averages — your actual costs will vary based on your city, lifestyle, and whether you use a breeder or rescue organisation. Use our calculator above to get a personalised estimate.

What drives Devon Rex costs

The Devon Rex inverts the usual cat cost pattern. Its sparse, curly coat sheds very little, but it also does not distribute skin oils well, so care means periodic bathing and ear cleaning rather than brushing — about $185 a year. Food is the higher line at roughly $455, well above the $390 a Russian Blue gets through, because the breed's high metabolism and persistent appetite are genuine rather than folklore. Total annual cost lands at about $1,550.

The significant medical risk is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and the Devon Rex sits in an awkward position: unlike the Maine Coon and Ragdoll, which have breed-specific DNA tests for known MYBPC3 variants, there is no equivalent genetic test in this breed, so at-risk cats are monitored by repeat echocardiography instead. That is a recurring cost rather than a one-off, and it is the main reason a Devon Rex can cost more to monitor than to treat.

The scale of the underlying risk is worth stating plainly. The CatScan study screened 780 apparently healthy cats at UK rehoming centres and found hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in 14.7% of them, with no clinical signs (Payne, Brodbelt and Luis Fuentes, Journal of Veterinary Cardiology, 2015). Patellar luxation and a hereditary muscle condition known as Devon Rex myopathy are the other breed-associated conditions, alongside the dental disease common across cats.

Written by Darren Newland. Health information here summarises published veterinary and breed-health sources for cost-planning purposes and is not clinical advice — we do not have a veterinarian on staff. Talk to your vet about your own animal.

How to save on Devon Rex costs

→Adopt rather than buy. Rescue organisations typically charge $150–$400, against $485+ from a breeder — a difference of about $210. Adult cats from shelters usually arrive vaccinated and desexed, which also removes part of the $370 initial vet bill.
→Insure early, before anything is pre-existing. At $315 a year, insurance is one of the larger predictable costs — but Devon Rexs insured as kittens see lower premiums and, more importantly, no pre-existing-condition exclusions. Every condition that appears before cover starts is excluded for life, which is why waiting is the expensive option.
→Do not over-buy on food. Food is a modest $455 a year for this breed. Bulk buying saves little at this volume and risks the bag going stale, so buying a quality food in sensible quantities beats chasing bulk discounts.
→Groom at home. This breed's coat is cheap to maintain — about $185 a year. Nail clippers, a brush and a bottle of shampoo cover almost all of it, so professional grooming is genuinely optional here rather than a fixed cost.
→Build an emergency fund. We suggest $2,500 in a dedicated pet savings account for a medium breed. A single emergency surgery runs $3,000–$8,000 without insurance, and four in five owners face an unexpected veterinary bill at some point.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Devon Rex cost?

A Devon Rex typically costs $2,810 in the first year, including the purchase or adoption fee ($485), initial vet visits ($370), supplies ($405), and the first year of food, grooming, and insurance. Annual ongoing costs from year two are approximately $1,550/year.

How much does a Devon Rex cost per month?

After the first year, a Devon Rex costs approximately $129/month on average. This covers food ($38/month), vet care ($31/month), grooming ($15/month), and insurance ($26/month).

Is a Devon Rex expensive to own?

Devon Rexs cost approximately $1,550/year to maintain — one of the more affordable options. Over their 14-year lifespan, total costs come to around $22,960.

How much does a Devon Rex kitten cost?

A Devon Rex kitten from a reputable breeder typically costs $485. Rescue or shelter adoption fees are usually $150–$400 and often include initial vaccinations and desexing. Remember the purchase price is just one part of the first-year cost of $2,810.

Why does a Devon Rex need heart scans rather than a DNA test?

Because no breed-specific genetic test for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy exists in the Devon Rex. Maine Coons and Ragdolls have DNA tests for known MYBPC3 variants, which are one-off costs; breeds without such a test, including the Devon Rex and Sphynx, are screened by repeat echocardiography instead. That makes monitoring an ongoing line in the budget rather than a single payment, and it is worth asking a breeder how recently the parents were scanned.

Does a Devon Rex's coat make it cheap to look after?

Cheaper than a longhaired cat, but not free. Grooming runs about $185 a year — low, though above the $130 of a Siamese or Russian Blue. The curly coat sheds little but is sparse and does not spread skin oils properly, so the routine is occasional bathing and regular ear cleaning rather than brushing. The breed's appetite matters more to the budget: food is roughly $455 a year, the biggest single line in its costs.