What a dog really costs in Nepal, month by month

Most people searching “dog price in Nepal” want one number: what the puppy costs. That is the wrong number to plan around. A dog lives ten to fifteen years, and what it eats in the first eighteen months usually costs more than it did.

This page gives the number that matters, the monthly one, for small, medium and large dogs. Prices were read off Nepali shop pages on 5 October 2026.

We don’t sell dogs, and here is why that matters to you

Gharpaluwa lists pet supplies only. No puppies, no kittens, no fish. So we have no reason to tell you a breed is easy when it isn’t.

If you want a dog, adopt. Shelters in the Valley have healthy dogs and puppies waiting, checked by a vet and often already vaccinated:

• Sneha’s Care, Lalitpur, rehomes dogs and takes adoption enquiries directly.
• KAT Centre, Kathmandu, runs rescue, treatment and rabies vaccination.
• Animal Nepal, Lalitpur, also rescues and rehomes.

A local dog is the practical choice as well as the kind one. It is built for this climate, eats moderately and tends to have fewer inherited problems than breeds brought in for their looks. A Husky or Saint Bernard in a Terai summer is a dog that suffers.

The monthly cost, by size

How we got these:

• Food is the amount on a typical adult dry-food feeding table, priced at Rs 320 to 430 per kg, which is Drools, Purepet or Reflex in 3 kg bags or larger. The dog food price guide has every brand and pack.
• Treats are one or two packs a month at Pet Shop Nepal’s prices: biscuits and chews from Rs 350 to 650 a pack.
• Vaccines are the Rs 2,000 adult booster set at BunoPets spread over twelve months. A charity clinic costs less.
• Supplies is our allowance for the collar that gets chewed, the bowl that goes missing and the bed that needs replacing.

The totals are our arithmetic, not a survey. They leave out three things that vary too much to average: grooming, boarding when you travel, and vet bills when something goes wrong.

On premium food

Swap mid-range food for Royal Canin at Rs 1,065 to 1,400 per kg and the food line alone becomes Rs 2,900 to 3,800 for a small dog, Rs 7,000 to 9,200 for a medium dog and Rs 12,100 to 16,000 for a large one. That is how owners on r/Nepal end up reporting Rs 15,000 in a month.

The first year costs more

Puppies also eat puppy food, more of it for their weight than an adult, and they outgrow their first collar and bed. Spaying or neutering is a one-time cost in the first year or two; we did not find a published Kathmandu price for dogs, so ask your vet, and ask the shelter, since some include it with adoption.

A charity clinic brings the vaccine line down sharply: HART Nepal has posted Rs 300 for DHPPiL and Rs 150 for anti-rabies per injection. The vaccination guide has the schedule.

What size costs you, beyond food

Small dogs eat little but long-coated ones (Lhasa Apso, Shih Tzu, Spitz) need regular brushing and trimming. Flat-faced breeds such as Pugs struggle in heat and often need more vet care.

Medium dogs, local dogs above all, are the cheapest to keep well. Short coat, sound build, moderate appetite.

Large dogs cost two to three times as much in food as small ones, and everything else scales too: bigger bed, stronger leash, larger doses of every medicine, which is priced by body weight.

Giant and cold-climate breeds (mastiffs, Saint Bernards, Huskies) eat more than the large column above and are a welfare problem in a warm flat. If you live in Kathmandu or lower, think hard.

The costs nobody lists

• Time. Two walks a day, every day, for a decade. A bored large dog destroys furniture.
• Dashain and travel. Someone has to feed the dog while you are in the village. Boarding costs money; a neighbour costs goodwill.
• Tihar. Firecrackers terrify most dogs. Plan to be home.
• The landlord. Check your rental agreement before the dog arrives, not after.
• The emergency. One road accident or one case of parvo can cost more than a year of food. Keep something aside.

A sensible way to start

1. Decide the monthly figure you can spend without strain, then pick the size of dog that fits it.
2. Visit a shelter. Meet adult dogs as well as puppies; an adult’s size and temperament are already known.
3. Book the first vet visit before the dog comes home.
4. Buy the basics once: the new pet parent checklist has the list with prices.