How much does a Maltese cost per year?

After the first year, a Maltese costs approximately $2,270 per year on average, covering food ($395), vet care ($425), grooming ($730), and insurance ($470).

smalldog15 yr lifespan

How Much Does a Maltese Cost?

Q: Is a Maltese expensive to own?

Malteses have a lifetime ownership cost of approximately $36,065 over 15 years. Annual running costs average $2,270/yr, putting them in the mid-range for annual ownership costs.

The Maltese's typical 15-year lifespan and small size both factor into its long-term cost of ownership. Expect to budget for frequent grooming sessions to keep their coat healthy and free of mats. Like most breeds, the biggest health-related costs come from preventive care and the occasional emergency vet trip. Day-to-day costs are driven mainly by food, routine vet care, and basic supplies.

Get My Personalised Estimate

$4,285

First Year Total

inc. one-time setup

$2,270

Annual Ongoing

per year from year 2

$36,065

Lifetime Estimate

over 15 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

$730

Initial Vet Visit & Vaccinations

Spay/neuter, microchip, health check

$425

Starter Supplies

Bed, crate, collar, bowls, toys

$580

Training Classes

Basic obedience recommended

$280

First Year Food

$395

First Year Vet Care

$425

First Year Grooming

$730

First Year Insurance

$470

Total$4,285

Annual Ongoing Costs (Year 2+)

Food

$395

Vet Care

$425

Grooming

$730

Pet Insurance

$470

Supplies & Toys

$175

Total$2,270

Budget for emergencies

We recommend keeping $2,000 in a dedicated emergency fund for unexpected vet bills.

What Maltese costs actually look like

The Maltese is a small-sized dog breed living an average of 15 years. Grooming is its largest running cost at $730 a year, or 32% of the annual total — well above the 21% a typical small dog spends on it, and the line most worth planning around.

At $2,270 a year it is dearer to keep than 63% of the 64 small dog breeds costed here. Across 15 years that compounds to about $36,065.

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 Maltese costs

The Maltese is cheap to treat and expensive to keep looking like a Maltese. Vet care at $425 ranks 211th of the 218 dogs costed here and insurance at $470 ranks 212th — both among the very lowest — while grooming at $730 is the 54th highest of any breed. The long white single coat grows continuously, has no undercoat to shed, and mats quickly, so a full groom every four to six weeks is structural rather than optional.

Acquisition is the other notable figure: at $730 it is the eighth highest fee of the 218 dogs here. Combined with a 15-year lifespan, the result is a dog whose lifetime total of roughly $36,065 is driven almost entirely by two things that have nothing to do with illness — buying it, and maintaining the coat that makes it recognisable.

Many owners resolve the grooming cost by keeping the dog in a short puppy clip rather than full coat, which cuts both frequency and time, and that is a legitimate saving rather than neglect. What cannot be cut is dental care: small mouths crowd teeth, periodontal disease is close to universal in toy breeds, and scale-and-polish under general anaesthetic every few years should be budgeted as routine rather than treated as bad luck. Tear staining on a white coat is cosmetic and cheap to manage; the teeth are neither.

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 Maltese costs

→Adopt rather than buy. Rescue organisations typically charge $150–$400, against $730+ from a breeder — a difference of about $455. Adult dogs from shelters usually arrive vaccinated and desexed, which also removes part of the $425 initial vet bill.
→Learn to maintain the coat yourself. At $730 a year, grooming is one of this breed's largest running costs. Booking a professional groom quarterly instead of monthly, and brushing and bathing at home in between, is the single biggest saving available on a Maltese — typically $292–$365 a year.
→Insure early, before anything is pre-existing. At $470 a year, insurance is one of the larger predictable costs — but Malteses insured as puppies 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 $395 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.
→Build an emergency fund. We suggest $2,000 in a dedicated pet savings account for a small 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 Maltese cost?

A Maltese typically costs $4,285 in the first year, including the purchase or adoption fee ($730), initial vet visits ($425), supplies ($580), and the first year of food, grooming, and insurance. Annual ongoing costs from year two are approximately $2,270/year.

How much does a Maltese cost per month?

After the first year, a Maltese costs approximately $189/month on average. This covers food ($33/month), vet care ($35/month), grooming ($61/month), and insurance ($39/month).

Is a Maltese expensive to own?

Malteses cost approximately $2,270/year to maintain — in the mid-range for annual dog ownership costs. Over their 15-year lifespan, total costs come to around $36,065.

How much does a Maltese puppy cost?

A Maltese puppy from a reputable breeder typically costs $730. 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 $4,285.

Why is Maltese grooming so expensive?

The coat never stops growing and never sheds. With no undercoat to drop, hair keeps extending and mats tightly against the skin without a full groom every four to six weeks — about $730 a year, the 54th highest grooming line of 218 dogs here, on a dog weighing under seven pounds. Keeping the dog in a short puppy clip rather than full show coat genuinely reduces the bill and is not neglect.

Is the Maltese a healthy breed?

On the cost evidence, unusually so. Vet care at $425 ranks 211th of 218 dogs here and insurance at $470 ranks 212th, both near the very bottom of the range. Its lifetime figure of roughly $36,065 across 15 years is driven by grooming and a high $730 acquisition fee, not by treatment. The main predictable medical cost is dental: toy breeds have crowded mouths and periodontal disease is close to universal, so budget for anaesthetic cleanings every few years.