The 25 Most Affordable Dog Breeds of 2023 (With Pictures)

Unless you come home with a goldfish or a cricket or something, owning a pet is likely to be an expensive proposition — and dogs can be especially pricey.

That doesn’t mean that adopting a pooch has to bankrupt you, though. There are plenty of dog breeds that are actually quite inexpensive to own, and on the list below, we’ll cover 25 such pups.

Despite their low cost, however, they’re still fantastic animals. In fact, it’s a shock that they’re so cheap, because each one is worth their weight in gold.

Here are the 25 Least-Expensive Dog Breeds:

1. Mutt

We know, we know — technically, this isn’t a breed at all. However, shelters are overcrowded with mutts of all shapes and sizes, so it shouldn’t cost much to bring one home. Even better, mutts aren’t prone to the same kinds of genetic flaws purebred dogs have, so you shouldn’t have many expensive health problems to deal with.

2. Chihuahua

There may actually be more Chihuahuas in most shelters than mutts. Also, they’re so tiny that they don’t eat much, so you save a bundle on kibble.

3. American Hairless Terrier

You know what’s expensive? Grooming. You know what you don’t need to spend any money on if you have a hairless dog? Also grooming.

4. Border Collie

These super-smart dogs have very little health issues. Also, Border Collies require so much exercise, you can save money on a gym membership (and maybe even go off your pricey blood pressure medicine).

5. Pembroke Welsh Corgi

The lowrider dogs are fairly common, and fairly healthy as well. Of course, they’re the perfect size to trip you in the middle of the night, so invest in some nightlights if you don’t want to have to pay for an ambulance ride.

6. Rat Terrier

Rat terriers have very short, bristly coats, so they require little in the way of maintenance. They also don’t eat a lot, and you can find them in most shelters. You will need to spend money on chew toys, though, or they’ll end up costing you a fortune in gnawed-on shoes and furniture.

7. Cane Corso

One of the larger breeds on this list, Cane Corsos are very relaxed. You won’t need to spend money on a dogwalker — but you will need to set a chunk of each paycheck aside for kibble costs.

8. Dachshund

These little weenie dogs don’t eat much and don’t require much exercise. You can easily handle the grooming, too. Even better, if you get hungry, they go great with mustard (kidding — don’t do this).

9. English Bulldog

You may take one look at their fat little bodies and assume they cost a fortune to feed. The good news is, English Bulldogs are so lazy they hardly ever work up much of an appetite.

10. Dalmatian

These spotted hounds are some of the healthiest pups around, so vet bills should be very low. They can be prone to aggression, though, so expect to spend money on training. Also, Dalmatian get very expensive if you suddenly find yourself with 101 of them.

11. Pit Bull

These dogs are just as common in pounds as mutts and chihuahuas. They’re also very healthy, with minimal grooming necessary. You will need to train Pit Bulls, though, and you might have to pay a bit more for homeowner’s insurance.

12. Bichon Frise

You will have to invest in regular grooming for these little fluffballs, but the costs are minimal. Bichon Frise also tend to be fairly healthy.

13. Pug

Pugs are easy to find as well, and they don’t eat much or require extensive grooming. Just know that, due to their smushed-in faces, they are prone to respiratory issues, so buying pet insurance may not be a bad idea.

14. Jack Russell Terrier

These dogs are small, healthy, and require minimal food or grooming. JRTs make up for that by requiring a ton of attention, though, and leaving one home unattended all day can quickly become very expensive indeed.

15. Xoloitzcuintli

These Mexican dogs require no grooming whatsoever — both because they’re completely hairless, and because there’s no amount of pampering in the world that can make that face presentable.

16. Glen of Imaal Terrier

These little guys don’t shed much, so there’s no need to find a local groomer or invest in a high-powered vacuum. They also respond well to training, so you shouldn’t need more than a few classes to get the basics down.

17. Miniature Schnauzer

If you’re willing to clip their hair yourself, these dogs don’t require much in the way of maintenance. Mini Schnauzers dainty eaters as well, but be prepared to spend a lot of time playing with them.

18. Beagle

Another relatively common breed, Beagles can be adopted on the cheap. They require almost no grooming and have little appetite. As an added bonus, they can save you money on an IQ test (spoiler alert: they’re dumb).

19. Irish Terrier

These mid-sized pups make great guard dogs, so they can save you from having to replace all your stuff. Irish Terriers also eat a moderate amount, so you shouldn’t get sent to the poorhouse from buying kibble.

20. Otterhound

Sure, you could spend a lot of money grooming these dogs, but Otterhound coats are going to look pretty ragged regardless, so what’s the point?

21. Papillon

These tiny little hairballs do require some grooming, but it’s fairly simple to do it yourself. Also, Papillons make remarkably good guard dogs (that is to say, they’ll let you know someone’s there, but they’re not going to scare them off).

22. Chinese Crested Hairless

Chinese Crested Hairless aren’t completely hairless — they have a tuft of punk rock hair dangling in front of their eyes. However, there’s little grooming involved, and you can even win some money off your neighbor when he bets you that his Xoloitzcuintli is the ugliest dog on the block.

23. Manchester Terrier

These medium-sized dogs don’t really need to be brushed, and all other grooming can be done at home with a cheap bottle of shampoo and some nail clippers. Manchester Terriers aren’t prone to stinking, either, so you won’t have to spend money having your home deodorized.

24. Yorkshire Terrier

Yorkies are also ubiquitous in shelters, so they require little in terms of up-front costs. It’s up to you how crazy you want to go with grooming, but you can easily do it yourself at home.

25. Miniature Pinscher

If you’ve always wanted to have a Doberman that nobody respects, consider adopting a Min Pin. These tiny dogs don’t eat much, require almost no grooming, and will make a godawful racket if anyone tries to break in your home.

Which One Will You Choose?

If finances have been holding you back from adopting a dog, you can probably find one on this list that both you and your bank account can agree on. After all, how much a dog costs tells you nothing about how good he’s going to be.

As a matter of fact, all the best dogs we’ve ever had came perilously close to bankrupting us.

Featured Image Credit: Helix_Games, Pixabay