You’re about to adopt a puppy, and a Pug is up there on top of your list. You may be thinking, why are Pugs so expensive for such a small dog?
Pugs are incredibly popular and getting more so. Because their ever-increasing popularity will naturally affect the dog’s price, it’s not just their popularity that hikes up the price. So read on if you want to know all the reasons why Pugs are so expensive.
How Much Does A Pug Cost?
Before we discuss why the Pug is such an expensive dog, we should look at how much it will cost you to buy a Pug.
We will only be talking about buying a puppy from reputable and professional Pug breeders. We know you will be able to find a Pug puppy for less money, but we strongly recommend you do not buy from online sites advertising cheap puppies, nor do we suggest buying from pet stores.
There are important reasons why we advise this, but we’ll explain more fully later in this article.

To buy a Pug puppy from a professional breeder will cost from $1000 to $3000. If you want to buy a superior-quality pedigree puppy and want the puppy intact for breeding, or you want to show the dog professionally, then prepare yourself for fees up to $6000.
But the question was, how much does a Pug cost? Now we know any potential puppy parent is aware, the initial purchase price is only the beginning.
On average, a Pug in good health will live between 12 and 15 years. Once you factor in expenses such as food, pet insurance, health check-ups, minor illnesses, and other necessities, you are looking closer to $20,000 to $30,000.
Money you are happy to pay because your Pug is family, and you’ll love him so much.
Why Are Pugs So Expensive?
There are some fundamental reasons for this, and we’ll explain them here:
- Availability
- Location
- Who you buy one from
- Why you buy one
- Puppy or not
1. Availability
If there are no puppies, you cannot buy one. If a puppy comes available after a shortage, then the puppy’s demand is exceptionally high. The breeder of this puppy can name his price.

There may be other influences at play as well. Today what’s fashionable can drive demand. If a well-known celebrity gets himself or herself a new Pug baby, all their followers want one.
This situation is a false reality in a way. It’s not the usual reason for the demand for puppies, but it’s a fact. And this trend is becoming more prevalent.
2. Location
Prices tend to vary based on location. A Pug is more valuable from one country to another. The cost of breeding puppies, feeding them, rearing them, etc., will influence the final price. If you buy a puppy in New York City, it will cost far more than if you buy a puppy from Eastern Europe.
It’s fundamental economics.
In the US, a Pug puppy for sale in one state can cost far more in another state, for the same reason.
3. Who You Buy Your Pug From
As we discussed briefly, a professional and reputable breeder will charge more for their puppies than a puppy mill or pet shop.

4. Why You Are Buying A Pug
If you want a puppy from a reputable breeder, but you only want a family pet or companion, he will cost far less than one bought for future breeding or a potential high-quality show dog.
5. A Puppy Pug Or Not
Puppies are always going to cost more than an older Pug or a rescue. Most new pet parents want a puppy. While some people are more than happy to bring a rescue home, other pet parents wish for a dog with no previous history.
Why Buy A Pug From A Reputable Breeder?
We did say we would explain in more detail why buying from a reputable breeder is so important; here we are.
1. Pug’s Health
Pug pregnancies are notoriously tricky for the mommy to be, and many births are by C-section rather than risking a natural birth. One look at a pug, and you can see why. They have large heads and broad shoulders but very slim hips, none of which are attributes for a smooth, natural delivery.

A responsible breeder will always make sure their pups are in the best of health. It’s not just a question that the puppy has a quality pedigree. We are talking about living animals, and even lower cost Pugs need a disease-free life.
The breeder can do this by screening the puppy’s parents for any genetic illnesses. One fatal illness for Pugs is PDE (Pug Dog Encephalitis). While most Pugs share some genetic disorders, this disease affects just over 1% of Pugs and is fatal. A reputable breeder will ensure there are no cases of PDE in any of their breeding Pugs.
2. Pedigree Pugs
If you are contemplating breeding your Pugs or showing them later, you must have a pedigree. There’s no point in thinking about breeding or showing without one. It’s the evidence you need to provide in the future, and it’s the value commercially of your breeding stock.

3. Disreputable Puppy Breeding Practices
We are talking about puppy mills or farms. They are run by unscrupulous people who breed puppies for one thing only. Money!
They have little to no concern about the condition of how the dogs and puppies live.
These people breed the females to exhaustion, birthing litter after litter. There are no C-sections on offer in this type of environment.
There is precious little or no medical supervision for the dogs and puppies under their care.
Yes, of course, you can buy a puppy from one of the puppy farms or a pet shop they supply, but the ongoing health problems like these will cost owners a great deal of money. Either that or the puppies will find their way to shelters or, even worse, abandoned.
In Conclusion
We have covered all the main reasons why Pugs are so expensive in this article. We’ve also touched on how much it will cost overall to own a Pug for life.
The opinions expressed in this article are our opinions, and not everyone may agree with us. We are not medical professionals. Nothing we have written replaces your vet’s advice, so please follow their advice and not what you might read in an article online.