How Much Does Pet Care Cost in 2026?
What Americans really pay for dog grooming, boarding, daycare, walking and pet sitting in 2026 — national and metro price ranges, with every figure sourced.
In 2026, a full-service dog groom typically costs $40–$90 for a small or medium dog and $90–$200+ for a large or double-coated one; overnight dog boarding runs about $40 a night (up to $55–$100+ for luxury suites); doggy daycare averages ~$40 a day; a 30-minute dog walk is $20–$30; and pet sitting is $20–$30 a drop-in visit or $50–$75 a night for in-home overnight care. Prices climb 30–50% in coastal metros and over holidays, and pet-care services have inflated faster than almost anything else in the economy. Here is what every service costs in 2026, why, and where — every figure sourced.
Americans will spend an estimated $165 billion on their pets in 2026, and pet services are the fastest-rising slice of that bill. This report pulls together the most current, credible U.S. pricing data — from the American Pet Products Association, Rover's booking data, Care.com, HomeGuide, Thumbtack and BLS-derived inflation figures — into one place. It is the companion to our pet-care industry statistics report, which maps the businesses, jobs and wages behind these prices.
What pet care costs in 2026, at a glance
| Service | Typical US price | Usual range |
|---|---|---|
| Dog grooming — full groom | ~$65 | $40–$90 (small/med) · $90–$200+ (large/giant) |
| Dog grooming — bath only | ~$30 | $25–$50 |
| Cat grooming — full groom | ~$90 | $60–$150 |
| Dog boarding — per night | ~$40 | $25–$60 standard · $55–$100+ luxury |
| Doggy daycare — per day | ~$40 | $25–$50 ($18–$30 rural/basic) |
| Dog walking — 30 minutes | ~$25 | $20–$30 |
| Dog walking — 60 minutes | ~$45 | $40–$55 |
| Pet sitting — drop-in visit (~30 min) | ~$25 | $20–$30 |
| Overnight pet sitting — in your home | ~$65 | $50–$75 ($80–$100+ metro/holiday) |
Ranges reflect 2024–2026 figures from Rover, HomeGuide, Thumbtack, Care.com, Hepper and Dogster (see methodology & sources).
Prices vary most with three things: the size and coat of the animal, where you live (coastal metros run 30–50% above the Sun Belt and Midwest), and timing (holidays add 20–50%). Want a number dialed to your own service, state and experience? Every section below links to a free calculator that does exactly that.
The bigger picture: what Americans spend on pet care
U.S. pet spending keeps setting records. According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), total industry spending reached $152.0 billion in 2024 and $158.0 billion in 2025, and is projected to hit about $165 billion in 2026. Within that, the "Other Services" category — grooming, boarding, daycare, walking, training, pet sitting and insurance — grew to $14.3 billion in 2025, up from $13.0 billion in 2024, one of the fastest-growing segments (APPA).
Those services are also where prices are rising fastest. Pet-care services inflation ran about +6.3% year over year in mid-2025, and veterinary services have become the single highest-inflation consumer category tracked by the BLS — up roughly 55% since 2019, ahead of gasoline, restaurants and haircuts. Pet food, by contrast, was essentially flat in 2025 (Pet Business Professor; Empower). Rover's True Cost of Pet Parenthood 2025 survey put the average annual cost of a dog at $3,343 and a cat at $1,963, with grooming and boarding among the line items rising fastest (Rover).
The takeaway for owners: budgets are up, and "shop around plus book ahead" is worth real money. For the numbers behind the industry — how many businesses there are, what workers earn and how fast it is all growing — see our pet-care industry statistics report.
How much does dog grooming cost?
A full-service dog groom (bath, dry, haircut, nails and ears) typically costs $40–$90 for a small-to-medium dog and $90–$200+ for a large or double-coated breed. A bath-only visit is $25–$50, and mobile grooming — the groomer comes to you — runs about 20–40% more, usually starting around $75. Retail chains such as PetSmart and Petco price most full grooms at $40–$80+, in line with independent salons (HomeGuide; Thumbtack; Hepper).
| Dog grooming service | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Bath & brush (by size) | $25–$50 (up to $75–$200 for XL/double coat) |
| Full groom — small / medium dog | $40–$90 |
| Full groom — large / giant dog | $90–$200+ |
| Mobile grooming | ~$75 to start (20–40% over salon) |
| Nail trim (add-on) | $10–$25 |
| De-matting (add-on) | $10–$100+ |
Grooming price is driven, in order, by: size, then coat type (curly and double coats add 30–50%), then matting (the single biggest surcharge — badly matted coats can add $50–$150), then add-ons and location. Curious what a specific groom should cost? Use the free Dog Grooming Cost Calculator (by size, coat and add-ons), or the Cat Grooming Cost Calculator.
How much does cat grooming cost?
A full cat groom typically runs $60–$150, with a basic session (bath, brush, nails) around $30–$100 and a "lion cut" shave-down $50–$160. A severely matted cat can reach $200–$300. Metro full-groom examples: New York $80–$150, Chicago $70–$100, Los Angeles $60–$100 (Hepper; Catster).
How much does dog boarding cost?
Overnight dog boarding costs about $40 a night at a standard kennel, with a typical range of $25–$60. Luxury suites and pet hotels run $55–$100+, and premium or giant-breed suites can reach $160. A full week is roughly $150–$525, and month-long boarding lands around $500–$720 (Rover; HomeGuide; Care.com).
| Boarding option | Per night |
|---|---|
| Standard kennel | $25–$60 (most ~$40) |
| Luxury suite / pet hotel | $55–$100+ |
| Premium / giant-breed suite | up to $160 |
| In-home boarding (independent sitter) | $35–$75 |
| Weekly (standard) | ~$150–$525 |
Boarding is one of the most location-sensitive services. Rover's booking data puts a night in New York at $63.58, Los Angeles $62.58, Chicago $51.83, Phoenix $42.92 and Houston $41.51 — coastal metros run about 50% above the Sun Belt and Midwest. Prefer your dog stay in a home rather than a facility? In-home boarding with an independent sitter is often cheaper — see overnight dog sitting rates and whether pet sitters stay at your house. Run a boarding facility yourself? See how dog boarding software handles bookings and kennel cards.
How much does doggy daycare cost?
Doggy daycare averages about $40 a day nationally, typically $25–$50, dropping to $18–$30 at basic or rural facilities and rising to $50–$60 in expensive metros. Half-days run $20–$30, and most facilities sell 5-, 10- or 20-visit packages at a discount — a 20-day monthly pass is roughly $450–$640 depending on the market (Rover; Hepper; Dogster).
| Daycare option | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Full day | $25–$50 (avg ~$40) |
| Half day | $20–$30 |
| 20-day monthly package | ~$450–$640 |
Metro examples for a full day: Oakland ~$60, New York $50–$51, San Francisco $45–$50, versus Omaha $28–$30, Dallas ~$28 and Salt Lake City ~$27. Thinking of opening one? See how to start a doggy daycare business and dog daycare software.
How much do dog walkers charge?
A 30-minute dog walk typically costs $20–$30, and a 60-minute walk $40–$55. Rover's actual booking average for a 30-minute walk was $21.45 as of late 2025; quote-based aggregators run a little higher ($24–$34) because they reflect estimates rather than completed bookings (Rover; HomeGuide; Thumbtack).
| Walk length | Typical range |
|---|---|
| 30-minute walk | $20–$30 (booking avg ~$21) |
| 60-minute walk | $40–$55 |
| Each additional dog | +$5–$10 |
Location is the biggest lever: Rover's 30-minute booking averages run $27.23 in San Francisco and $21.98 in New York, versus $15–$20 in smaller cities. By state, typical 30-minute rates are around $33 in New York, $27 in Washington, $26 in California, $25 in Texas and $22 in Florida. To set or compare a rate by state and experience, use the Dog Walking Rate Calculator; to see whether it adds up as a living, read do dog walkers make good money.
Pet sitting rates: what pet sitters charge
Pet sitting typically costs $20–$30 for a ~30-minute drop-in visit and $50–$75 a night for overnight, in-home care — rising to $80–$100+ in major metros or over holidays. A week of twice-daily drop-ins runs about $250–$375, and house-sitting is priced per night, landing at the higher end because the sitter stays overnight (HomeGuide; Hepper; Rover).
| Pet sitting service | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Drop-in visit (~30 min) | $20–$30 |
| Doggy daycare at sitter's home (per day) | $25–$50 |
| Overnight, in your home (per night) | $50–$75 ($80–$100+ metro/holiday) |
| Boarding at sitter's home (per night) | $35–$75 |
| Weekly (twice-daily drop-ins) | ~$250–$375 |
House-sitting rates vary widely by city — roughly $87 a night in Oakland and $66 in Philadelphia, versus $30 in Phoenix. For deep dives, see what dog sitters charge, what cat sitters charge, and overnight dog sitting rates. To set your own numbers, use the Pet Sitting Rate Calculator or the Cat Sitting Rate Calculator.
What makes pet-care prices go up or down
Across every service, the same handful of factors explain most of the gap between a low and a high price:
- Size and coat. Bigger animals and thick, curly or double coats take more time and product — the biggest single driver for grooming, and a factor in boarding and daycare too.
- Location. Coastal and big-city prices run 30–50% above rural and Sun Belt markets, tracking local cost of living.
- Add-ons and complexity. De-matting, medication administration, puppies, and senior or reactive animals all reasonably add to the bill.
- Timing. Holidays and peak season carry a surcharge (below), and last-minute bookings often cost 25–50% more.
- Salon vs mobile / facility vs in-home. Convenience — a mobile groomer or an in-home sitter — usually costs more than a salon or a kennel.
Holiday surcharges and multi-pet discounts
Holidays are the busiest, priciest window of the year. In a Care.com survey, 58% of pet sitters charge a holiday surcharge — commonly $5–$10 per visit, or a flat premium on days like Christmas (Care.com). Boarding and daycare facilities add roughly 25–50% (or $5–$25 a night) at peak, and Christmas boarding often needs to be booked months ahead.
It's not all one-way, though. Additional-pet discounts are standard: boarding and daycare typically take 10–50% off the second pet, while walkers and sitters usually add a smaller +$5–$10 per extra pet rather than charging full price twice.
How much should you tip pet-care providers?
Tipping norms are fairly settled for the services people tip on:
| Provider | Typical tip |
|---|---|
| Dog / cat groomer | 15–20% (25%+ for matted or difficult grooms) |
| Dog walker | 10–15% (or ~$5 per walk) |
| Pet sitter | 10–20% of the total (or a flat $20–$100 for long stays) |
| Boarding facility | Optional / not expected (10–20% for exceptional care) |
| Dog trainer | Not usually tipped |
NerdWallet notes the grooming "industry standard is 15% to 20%," the same benchmark used for many personal services (NerdWallet). For the etiquette specifics, see do you tip cat sitters.
Methodology and sources
This report compiles the most current, credible U.S. pricing data available as of July 2026. Consumer pet-care prices are not published by any government source, so the figures are drawn from industry aggregators and cost guides, cross-checked across sources wherever possible. Ranges are shown as low-to-high with a typical value, and every service section names its sources. Where sources disagree (for example, Rover's completed-booking averages tend to sit below quote-based aggregators), we say so. Market-size and inflation figures come from primary bodies (APPA and the BLS, the latter via outlets that track its releases).
We publish ranges and cite each source rather than presenting a single "official" price, and we do not mark up third-party prices as our own ratings. These figures are refreshed as new data releases.
Primary and industry sources:
- American Pet Products Association (APPA) — industry trends & stats and the $158B 2025 report
- BLS-derived pet inflation — Pet Business Professor, Empower
- Rover — True Cost of Pet Parenthood 2025, boarding, daycare, dog-walking rates, sitting
- HomeGuide — grooming, boarding, walking, sitting
- Thumbtack — dog grooming, dog walking
- Care.com — dog boarding, holiday pet-sitting surcharges
- Hepper, Dogster, Catster — grooming, boarding, daycare and sitting cost guides (2025–2026)
- NerdWallet — tipping a groomer
- IBISWorld — U.S. Pet Grooming & Boarding industry
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to groom a dog?
- A full-service dog groom typically costs $40–$90 for a small or medium dog and $90–$200+ for a large or double-coated breed. A bath-only visit is $25–$50, and mobile grooming usually starts around $75 (about 20–40% more than a salon). Price is driven mainly by size, coat type and any matting, plus your location.
- How much does dog boarding cost per night?
- Standard overnight dog boarding averages about $40 a night, usually $25–$60. Luxury suites and pet hotels run $55–$100+, and a full week is roughly $150–$525. Coastal metros like New York and Los Angeles run about 50% higher than the Sun Belt and Midwest, and holidays add a further surcharge.
- How much does doggy daycare cost?
- Doggy daycare averages about $40 a day nationally, typically $25–$50, dropping to $18–$30 at basic or rural facilities and rising to $50–$60 in expensive metros. Half-days are $20–$30, and a 20-day monthly package usually runs $450–$640 with a bulk discount.
- How much do dog walkers charge?
- A 30-minute dog walk typically costs $20–$30 (Rover's booking average is about $21), and a 60-minute walk $40–$55. Expect to pay 30–40% more in big cities and about $5–$10 extra per additional dog. Group walks are cheaper per dog than solo walks.
- How much do pet sitters charge per day?
- A drop-in pet-sitting visit of about 30 minutes runs $20–$30, so a full day of two or three visits is roughly $40–$90. Overnight, in-home sitting is $50–$75 a night, rising to $80–$100+ in major metros or over holidays. Boarding your pet at the sitter's own home is usually cheaper, around $35–$75 a night.
- Why is pet care getting so expensive?
- Pet-care services have inflated faster than most of the economy: services prices rose about 6.3% year over year in mid-2025, and veterinary care is the single highest-inflation consumer category the BLS tracks, up roughly 55% since 2019. Rising labor, rent and insurance costs — plus strong demand — all feed into what grooming, boarding, daycare, walking and sitting cost.
- How much should you tip a groomer or pet sitter?
- For grooming, 15–20% is the standard tip (more for a matted or difficult groom). Dog walkers are typically tipped 10–15% or about $5 a walk, and pet sitters 10–20% of the total, or a flat $20–$100 for a long stay. Tipping at boarding facilities is optional, and dog trainers usually aren't tipped.
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