What a pet rat really costs

Pet rats cost about $12 each, but they should live in pairs or groups, so every figure here is for two. A good multi-level cage runs $100–$310, and food and bedding about $400 a year for the pair. Vet care is the real cost: almost all pet rats carry the bacteria behind chronic respiratory disease, and benign mammary tumors are common, so plan on several hundred dollars a year in exotics-vet bills.

Life expectancy: 2–3 years
Size: Adults often 1 lb (500 g) or more each
Care level: Moderate
Price: $24–$200
Setup: About $290
Insurance: Available

Estimate for: Two fancy rats in a multi-level cage, kept indoors. Space needed: Multi-level wire cage, at least 2–3 cu ft per rat.

Where the money goes each year

A typical year for a pet rat, with typical spending in an average-cost area, no insurance.

Illness and injury (average)$400
Rat block (lab-block pellets) for two$240
Exotic-vet exams (both rats)$215
Bedding$144
Chews, hammocks and toys$60
Typical year$1,060

Most years land between $830 and $1,740. From about year 2, add about $215 a year for senior checkups. Items replaced on a cycle are spread across the years.

Setup and the first year

For pet rats, the equipment usually costs far more than the animal.

Getting set up

Price (pet store or breeder (pair))$112
Multi-level cage for two$205
Starter bedding$19
Hideout$20
Heavy food bowl and water bowl$12
Carrier$34
First exotic-vet exams (both rats)$215
Upfront$620

Running costs in year one

Rat block (lab-block pellets) for two$240
Bedding$144
Chews, hammocks and toys$60
Illness and injury (average)$400
Year-one running costs$840

First-year total: $1,460. Adopting instead brings it to about $1,570.

What to buy

The gear and supplies in this estimate, matched to a pet rat. Each link searches Amazon for the right type and size.

Multi-level cage for twoSetup, typically about $205
See on Amazon
Starter beddingSetup, typically about $19
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HideoutSetup, typically about $20
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Heavy food bowl and water bowlSetup, typically about $12
See on Amazon
CarrierSetup, typically about $34
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Rat block (lab-block pellets) for twoOngoing, typically about $240 a year
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Chews, hammocks and toysOngoing, typically about $60 a year
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As an Amazon Associate, PetPriceTag earns from qualifying purchases. Buying through these links costs you nothing extra and never changes our cost figures.

Health costs to plan for

Condition	What it is	Typical treatment	Cost
Chronic respiratory disease (Mycoplasma)	Merck says it has no cure and rats with it rarely live past 2; a survey found 95% of US pet-rat colonies carried M. pulmonis. Antibiotics ease flare-ups, and low-ammonia, clean bedding helps. Source	Exam plus antibiotics per flare-up; Vety cites $50–$150 for respiratory infection treatment	$50–$150
Mammary tumors	Merck: mammary fibroadenomas are the most common tumors in rats, mostly benign, but recurrence elsewhere is common. Spaying before 7 months substantially lowers the rate. Source	Surgical removal; Vety cites $150–$500, Furry Critter $200–$600, and one 2026 US estimate was about $1,000	$150–$1,000
Overgrown or misaligned teeth	Chewy's vet-reviewed rat guide lists overgrown or misaligned teeth in older rats; Merck notes incisor overgrowth is the typical dental problem in rats and mice. Source	Exam and incisor trim at an exotics vet; consultation $117.88 plus recheck $77.10 at Gentle Vets	$118–$195

The yearly estimate includes an average of $400 for illness and injury. Insurance is available for this pet; turn it on in the calculator to compare.

What drives the cost

Priced for TWO rats: Merck says young rats should be housed together and singly housed rats can develop stress-related problems.
A MidWest Critter Nation single unit is $204.99 at PetSmart; the double-story version is $311.99 at Chewy. PetSmart's Full Cheeks Rat Starter Kit ($99.99) gives 4.85 cu ft, just enough for two at PetSmart's 2–3 cu ft per rat.
A Merck survey of pet rat colonies found 95% carried Mycoplasma pulmonis, the cause of chronic respiratory disease; Merck says there is no cure, only antibiotics to ease the signs.
Mammary fibroadenomas are the most common tumors in rats and often recur. Removal costs about $150–$600; one US owner was quoted about $1,000.
Spaying a female before 7 months lowers the later tumor rate (Merck), but costs about $633 at one exotics clinic; it is not included in the totals.
Chewy's rat-care experts suggest a vet visit about every six months for young rats and every three months for older ones, so exams add up fast for a pair.

Is it legal where you live?

Domesticated rats are legal pets in every US state as far as sources show. Hawaii lists the domesticated rat as a 'conditionally approved' animal, so check with Hawaii's Plant Quarantine Branch before bringing one into the state.

Cities and counties can have their own rules. Check locally before you buy.

Pet store or breeder (pair): $24–$200
Shelter or rescue (pair): $0–$20
Lifetime: $4,000

How this estimate is built

Every line, with the typical, thrifty and generous figures and where each comes from.

Item	Typical	Range	Basis and sources
Setup
Multi-level cage for two	$205	$100–$312	MidWest Critter Nation single unit $204.99 at PetSmart (typical). Low = Full Cheeks Rat Starter Kit, $99.99, 30 x 18.7 x 20.9 in (4.85 cu ft) with hammock, shelves, ramps, bottle and bowl. High = Critter Nation double story $311.99 at Chewy. PetSmart's guidance: about 2–3 cu ft per rat; Vety cites $60–$150 for a minimum-size multi-level cage. PetSmart: MidWest Critter Nation Single Unit Small Animal Habitat; PetSmart: Full Cheeks Rat Starter Kit (30 x 18.7 x 20.9 in, 4.85 cu ft); Chewy: MidWest Critter Nation Deluxe, Double Story (36 x 24 x 63 in); PetSmart: Small pet cages (rat cage FAQ: about 2–3 cu ft per rat); Vety: How much does a pet rat cost? (Aug 2026)
Starter bedding	$19	$10–$38	Carefresh paper bedding 60-L $18.99 at Chewy; Vety cites $10–$25 for the initial purchase. Merck recommends recycled paper bedding and no cedar or pine. Chewy: Carefresh Small Animal Bedding, Natural (14-L to 60-L); Vety: How much does a pet rat cost? (Aug 2026); Merck Veterinary Manual: Providing a Home for a Rat
Hideout	$20	$15–$30	Kaytee Woodland Get-A-Way Large (listed for pet rats) $19.95; X-Large $29.95 (Chewy). Chewy's Q&A warns rats can be sensitive to pine, so a hay or fabric hide such as PetSmart's $14.99 Full Cheeks hay hideaway is the low option. Chewy: Kaytee Woodland Get-A-Way Small Pet Hideout (sizes by species); PetSmart: Small pet toys and habitat accessories (wheels, hideouts)
Heavy food bowl and water bowl	$12	$12–$24	Two Kaytee Vege-T-Bowl crocks at $5.99 each (Chewy sale price); $11.99 each at list price. Chewy: Kaytee Vege-T-Bowl Carrot Small Pet Bowl, 22-oz
Carrier	$34	$34–$34	Frisco Top Loading Small Pet Carrier, Small, $34.00 at Chewy; listed for rats. Chewy: Frisco Top Loading Small Pet Carrier (Small: rats, guinea pigs)
First year
First exotic-vet exams (both rats)	$215	$70–$236	Gentle Vets (WI) small-mammal wellness exam $107.62 x 2. Low = Vety's $35 routine exam x 2; high = consultation $117.88 x 2. The Gentle Vets (Green Bay, WI): Exotics pricing (small mammals); Vety: How much does a pet rat cost? (Aug 2026)
Every year
Rat block (lab-block pellets) for two	$240	$180–$360	Vety: food runs $15–$30 a month for two rats ($180–$360/yr); typical = $20/month. Oxbow Essentials Adult Rat Food is $46.74 for 20 lb at PetSmart ($54.99 at That Pet Place). Merck warns that free-fed rodent diets cause obesity and advises limiting pellets and adding high-fiber vegetables. Vety: How much does a pet rat cost? (Aug 2026); PetSmart: Oxbow Essentials Adult Rat Food, 20 lb; That Pet Place: Oxbow Essentials Adult Rat Food, 20 lb ($54.99); Merck Veterinary Manual (professional): Mice and Rats as Pets
Bedding	$144	$96–$240	Vety: $8–$15 a month ongoing; The Vet Desk: $10–$20 a month. Typical = $12/month; a 60-L bag of Carefresh is $18.99. Vety: How much does a pet rat cost? (Aug 2026); The Vet Desk: How Much Does a Pet Rat Cost? 2026 Price Guide (Jan 2026); Chewy: Carefresh Small Animal Bedding, Natural (14-L to 60-L)
Exotic-vet exams (both rats)	$215	$70–$430	One wellness exam per rat a year at Gentle Vets ($107.62 x 2). Chewy's rat-care experts recommend about every six months for young rats, so high = two exams per rat ($430). Low = Vety's $35 exam x 2. The Gentle Vets (Green Bay, WI): Exotics pricing (small mammals); Chewy: How Long Do Rats Live? (vet input, Jan 2026); Vety: How much does a pet rat cost? (Aug 2026)
Chews, hammocks and toys	$60	$30–$120	Chew toys at Chewy cost $4.99–$9.95 each (Oxbow Timothy Waffle $5.09, A&E Nibbles bundle $4.99). Typical = about one $5 chew a month (our estimate); high = about $10 a month (our assumption) for owners who rotate hammocks and toys often. Chewy: Best rat enclosures & accessories (cage and chew prices); The Vet Desk: How Much Does a Pet Rat Cost? 2026 Price Guide (Jan 2026)
Illness and injury, per year
Unexpected vet bills for two (illness and injury)	$400	$150–$1,000	LOW CONFIDENCE: no claims data for rats. Respiratory flare-ups are near-universal (Merck: 95% of pet-rat colonies carry M. pulmonis) at $50–$150 per course (Vety) plus an exam. Mammary tumor removal is $150–$500 (Vety) or $200–$600 (Furry Critter); ARL Boston's removal cost about $250, and one US owner was quoted about $1,000 in 2026. Typical assumes one respiratory treatment and a share of one tumor surgery per year across the pair. Vety: How much does a pet rat cost? (Aug 2026); The Furry Critter Network: Budgeting Vet Care for small mammals (2026); Merck Veterinary Manual (professional): Mice and Rats as Pets; Animal Rescue League of Boston: Espresso the rat's tumor removal surgery (2016); Straight Dope forum: Rats are not cheap (owner-reported US vet bills, Aug 2026)
Insurance, per month
Nationwide exotic plan, two policies (accident & illness)	$35	$30–$42	Nationwide lists rats among covered small mammals and says premiums 'generally start at less than $21/month' per pet; plan terms include a $250 annual deductible. The Vet Desk puts rat insurance at $15–$20 a month. Two policies: $30–$40; high = two at Nationwide's $21 figure. Nationwide: Pet insurance plans for ferrets and small mammals (hamster, rat and more); Nationwide Avian & Exotic plan summary (WinCo benefits PDF: covered species, $250 deductible); The Vet Desk: How Much Does a Pet Rat Cost? 2026 Price Guide (Jan 2026)

More small pets by yearly cost

Hamster$520 a year
Rabbit$1,840 a year
Guinea pig$2,170 a year
Compare all small pets

Common questions

How much does a pet rat cost?

Pet store or breeder (pair): $24–$200; shelter or rescue (pair): $0–$20. The bigger costs come after: about $290 to set up, about $1,460 for the whole first year, then about $1,060 a year.

How much does a pet rat cost per year?

About $1,060 a year ($88 a month) for a typical owner in an average-cost area, ranging from about $830 for a thrifty owner in a lower-cost area to $1,740 for a generous owner in a big city with insurance.

How much does a pet rat cost over its lifetime?

About $4,000 over a 3-year life, in 2026 dollars.

Sources

Estimates in 2026 US dollars. Vet prices for this pet use the same region adjustment as the rest of the site (methodology). Updated October 14, 2026.