How much does it cost to feed a dog in the UK?
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The honest answer is: it depends far more on your dog's size and the food's calories than on the price on the bag. A 2 kg bag that looks cheap can cost more per day than a big bag of a richer food, because you feed less of the richer one.
Typical daily cost by dog size
Using the premium dry foods we currently track (Barking Heads and AATU), best-value bag sizes and a normally active adult dog:
| Dog weight | Food per day | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 kg | 99–105 g | £0.46–£0.93 | £14–£28 | £167–£340 |
| 10 kg | 167–177 g | £0.77–£1.57 | £23–£48 | £280–£571 |
| 20 kg | 280–298 g | £1.29–£2.63 | £39–£80 | £471–£961 |
| 30 kg | 380–403 g | £1.75–£3.57 | £53–£108 | £638–£1302 |
| 40 kg | 471–500 g | £2.17–£4.43 | £66–£135 | £792–£1616 |
Prices checked 26 September 2026. Portions are estimated from each food's calories (energy need ≈ 70 × weight0.75 × 1.6). Budget supermarket foods will be cheaper; these are premium foods.
Why bigger dogs don't cost proportionally more
A dog's energy needs grow more slowly than its weight. A 40 kg dog weighs four times as much as a 10 kg dog but needs roughly 2.8 times the calories — so per kilo of dog, large breeds are cheaper to feed.
Four ways to cut the cost
- Buy the biggest bag you'll finish while it's fresh. Large bags are usually much cheaper per kilo; once opened, keep kibble sealed and use it within the time on the pack.
- Compare cost per day, not per bag. Higher-calorie food means smaller portions.
- Check subscriptions. Several brands offer subscribe-and-save discounts on repeat deliveries.
- Weigh portions. Scooping by eye easily adds 10–20% — which is both money and weight gain.
Food is only part of the bill: insurance, vet care, flea and worming treatment and grooming all add up. We'll be adding guides on each.