How Much Does It Cost to Keep a Rabbit?

Rabbits look like one of the cheapest pets to take on, and the animal itself often is — but the real first-year cost is considerably higher once neutering and proper setup are counted in, and it's realistically a cost for two rabbits, not one.

Adoption is usually both cheaper and more complete than buying

Rescue adoption fees commonly run $25–100, and rescue rabbits are frequently already neutered and bonded as a pair — which can offset a meaningful chunk of first-year setup cost. Buying from a breeder instead commonly costs $50–500+ per rabbit, with neutering and bonding still ahead of you. Either way, budget for two: rabbits are social animals, and the official welfare minimum (both UK and US) is published for a compatible pair, not a single rabbit.

Neutering is close to essential, not an optional saving

Neuter surgery commonly costs around $300 and is strongly recommended rather than optional — unneutered rabbits are harder to bond into the pair they need, have meaningfully higher rates of certain reproductive health issues, and are more prone to territorial and aggressive behaviour. Combined with roughly $300 in initial setup (enclosure, litter tray, feeders), a realistic first year for a pair commonly runs $600–1,500 before ongoing monthly costs are counted at all.

Ongoing costs are modest per rabbit, but add up for a pair

Feed (hay, pellets and fresh vegetables) is the main ongoing cost — see how much a rabbit eats per day for the sourced pellet figure this site's calculators use — and routine vet checkups run roughly $50–70 a year per rabbit where needed — with an annual RHDV/myxomatosis booster an additional, genuinely regional cost in areas where it's recommended. Use our cost of keeping calculator to combine feed and a vet allowance for your own pair.

Use this as a planning floor, not a quote

Enclosure setup cost varies by build method and whether the rabbits live indoors or out. Work out the space a compatible pair actually needs with our rabbit hutch calculator, which uses the official pair minimum as its floor rather than a per-animal estimate.

Common questions

Is adoption always cheaper than buying from a breeder?

Usually yes upfront ($25-100 in adoption fees versus $50-500+ from a breeder), and rescue rabbits are frequently already neutered and bonded as a pair — which can offset a big chunk of first-year setup cost that a breeder purchase doesn't include.

Is neutering really necessary, or just an option to save money on?

It's close to essential, not optional — unneutered rabbits are harder to bond into the pair they need, have significantly higher rates of certain reproductive health issues, and are more prone to territorial and aggressive behaviour. Treat the ~$300 as a baseline first-year cost.

Why does a rabbit budget need to cover two animals, not one?

Rabbits are social animals and the official welfare minimums (both UK and US) are published for a compatible pair, not a single rabbit — so purchase price, neutering and ongoing costs are realistically pair costs from the start.