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How Much Do Budgies Cost? [New Owners Finance Guide]

If you are considering adding a Budgie to your family, you may be wanting to make sure you are ready for the initial investment before heading to the store. But what can you expect, how much should you plan for? This finance guide should give you a clear overview – starting with the upfront costs all the way through to their daily management and care. So, let’s begin. 

So, how much do Budgies cost? The average cost to purchase a Budgie is between $20 to $40, depending on where you do so. You can expect to spend $200-$250 in upfront supply and care costs and an additional $200 per year in food, toys, and vet care. These values will vary for each owner based on a variety of factors – from your location to where you shop, demand, and supply, etc.

We’ll be looking at those factors which influence their price throughout this article.

So do stick around.

But one quick thing before we begin.

Budgies also go by the name Parakeets.

It’s the same colorful, smart, friendly bird, by the way.

It’s a matter of semantics.

But whether you go out and buy a Budgie or Parakeet, they’ll be cost involved.

So without further ado, let’s break all of them down and explore them further.

What Is The Average Price To Buy A Budgie?

The average cost to purchase a Budgie usually falls between $20 to $40, depending on where you go to purchase them. Many pet stores typically offer this species at this price range, whereas independent and specialist breeders have been known to charge more or less.

Either way, Budgies are one of the most cost-friendly birds to buy as a new bird owner.

At least if you compare them to more exotic birds like Macaws. They can cost in the thousands!

For the Macaw, it’s due to their rarity, really.

But for the Budgie, they are readily available in many locations and are a nice first bird due both to their price and their size.

Even though the initial purchase cost of a Budgie is affordable compared to many other birds, remember they still require the same care, attention, and handling as any other bird species on the market to be happy and healthy.

Other Upfront Costs When Buying A Budgie

After purchasing your Budgie, other upfront costs include a cage, perches, toys, and food. On average, you can expect to spend $200 – $250 in upfront costs to ensure your Budgie has what it needs in your home.

Let us now take a look at each one:

Cage

The most expensive upfront cost when buying a Budgie is the cage.

On the economical end, you can find some suitable Budgie cages for around $50. You are more likely to pay in the $75-$100 range.

The sky’s the limit for the maximum amount a person can spend on a cage, but $200 should be able to purchase you a very high-quality cage for your Budgie.

When trying to balance value and quality as you purchase your cage, the most important element is cage size.

The minimum cage size appropriate for a Budgie is 20 inches long by 18 inches high and 18 inches deep.

This gives your Budgie room to move and flap its wings without hitting the sides of the cage.

Cages can come in a wide variety of shapes and colors.

Standard cages tend to black coated metal in a rectangle shape.

Customizations for almost any taste are available, with prices rising the more customized you get.

Cage Stand

A Budgie, like most birds, desires to be as high as possible off the ground. Some people are able to place their cage securely on a dresser or other sturdy furniture piece.

Many people need to buy a cage stand for their birdcage.

Cage stands often come with wire shelves and other options to allow the stand to both hold a cage and many of your bird’s other supplies.

Basic cage stands can cost a new owner $25 – $50 for a metal stand with wheels for easy cage moving.

Fancier stands with more features and built-in storage, and stands for oversized cages will cost more.

Perches and Toys

Once you have purchased an appropriately sized cage and potentially a stand, you will want to buy perches and toys.

Having multiple perches at varying heights in your cage is ideal.

Perches come in a mix of finishes from plastic to more natural wood elements. Expect to pay $5-$7 per basic perch for a standard size cage.

Food and Dishes

Food and dishes for food are important to have right away when purchasing your bird. Many cages come with dishes.

If your cage did not come with dishes, you could get a simple dish set for around $10.

Food cost depends on the brand and quantity of food purchased. You should expect to spend approximately $10 for a bag of Budgie food of fair quality and around 4 pounds of food.

Other upfront costs may include a few toys to entertain your Budgie and treats. Expect to spend around $25 on these items.

If you buy a standard cage for $100, a stand for $40, three perches for $5 each, food and dishes for $20, and spend $25 on toys, you will have a starting cost of $200.

Keep in mind that where you live and product availability may affect individual item costs.

You’ll also need to consider where you buy.

Nationwide pet stores can be a little cheaper, whereas independent and local stores may charge a premium.

Don’t forget that a lot of Budgie supplies can be bought over at Amazon – often at a discounted price.

It’s a great place to visit for your essentials, and if you need something quickly.

Thank goodness for Prime!

Medical Expenses

One additional note: Budgies are not like dogs and cats that need regular vaccinations and heartworm medications.

This means that some owners pass on getting their Budgie an initial vet visit.

However, you may want to consider having your bird looked over by a veterinarian shortly after purchase.

This ensures you have a healthy bird to start building a bond with. Expect this cost to be around $50.

Ongoing Costs Of Owning A Budgie

The ongoing costs of owning a Budgie can be expected to be $10 – $15 a month for food, $5 in additional monthly supply needs, and $30-$50 annually for vet care. Annually you can expect to spend around $200 – $225 on your Budgie.

As with any pet, Budgies require regular food and water. The water consumption of Budgies is low and not likely to make a significant impact on your overall water bill.

Food will need to be purchased regularly, so it should be considered an expected recurring expense.

How often you purchase food depends on the quantity purchased.

I recommend not purchasing extreme amounts of food at one time.

The nutritional value of food lowers over time, and your Budgie may not be getting optimal nutrition from older stored food.

A Budgie that isn’t getting quality nutrition is more likely to become ill and incur expensive vet bills.

Occasionally a perch or toy may break, or your bird may be bored with its current toy selection.

Purchasing replacement perches or new fun toys can cost the average owner around $60 a year.

This number can be less if you keep your toy set up the same, but spoiling our birds with special things now and then is half the fun of pet ownership!

Your bird may need occasional vet care.

An annual appointment or taking your bird in for wing and nail trims will be the most likely vet expenses a Budgie owner faces regularly.

Many owners learn to trim nails and wings at home, but this should only be done after instruction from a veterinarian or other very experienced bird owner.

Plan to spend $30-$50 per year on vet expenses.

And then you need to factor in a budgies lifespan, and how long they will be with you for!

Why Are Budgies So Cheap?

Budgies are cheaper than many other bird species because of their size, popularity, and the fact that they are easily bred in captivity. They are not particularly rare nor cost a lot to breed or look after before they are adopted.

Many bird species are difficult to breed, lay only a few viable eggs per year, and require large amounts of space to raise young. This increases the cost of the birds significantly.

Budgies are frequent breeders who find mates easily when housed together.

They also have a short turnaround time from egg-laying to hatching of only 18 to 23 days.

By six weeks old, Budgie babies are fully feathered and ready to be sold.

The ease of breeding Budgies coupled with the general demand for a small to midsize parrot by pet bird owners means that Budgie prices stay low, and overbreeding is common.

When purchasing a Budgie, be aware that birds have long life spans and will rely on you for their care throughout the course of their life.

Where Can You Buy A Budgie?

Commercial nationwide and smaller local pet stores often carry Budgies for sale. A pet store is likely to have a large selection of Budgies in varying colors such as blue, white, and green. Other than this, specialist bird stores, independent Budgie breeders, and bird adoption sanctuaries are all options too.

Nevertheless, the cost of your Budgie has a lot to do with where you buy your Budgie.

Pet stores typically sell Budgies for a mid-range price as they work to stay competitive with other stores but also profit from the sale of the Budgie.

Budgies at pet stores may have varied ages and conditions but are generally well enough cared for to make a happy pet.

Some people purchase Budgies directly from breeders.

Unlike some types of animals, purchasing Budgies directly from a breeder may be cheaper than purchasing from a pet store.

However, finding a Budgie breeder can be difficult, depending on where you live.

If you know of a breeder close to where you live, a Budgie from a breeder might be a somewhat more economical choice than a pet store.

If you are going to have to travel a long distance to reach a breeder, then your expenses increase, and so does the stress on your bird as you travel home.

One other option for purchasing a Budgie is from a rescue or shelter. Budgies are popular for new bird owners who sometimes realize a bird is more than they prepared for.

A Budgie from a rescue will likely have a higher price tag ($50 to $100), but oftentimes these birds come with a cage, toys, and even some food.

Finally

Budgies can be a great pet for a family looking to get their first bird.

Besides, as you have seen – they come in at an affordable price both upfront and over the course of their lives.

At least compared to other pets. 

This all may seem quite expensive to you at first, but they are considerably cheaper than owning a dog, for instance. 

Even if they are lower cost, it doesn’t mean they require less investment in care, attention, and time. 

But if you commit to your Budgie, you should be rewarded with a fun, playful bird keen to meet and greet you each day.