Dog breeds / Medium breeds

What a Border Collie really costs

A Border Collie can be cheap to buy, since working-farm litters often sell under $1,000, but it is the most expensive breed in this group to keep mentally satisfied. Owners who can't provide a daily job routinely end up paying for agility, herding lessons or daycare to head off destructive behavior.

Size: Medium, 30–55 lb
Life expectancy: 12–15 years
Grooming: Moderate
Insurance risk: Average
Puppy price: $1,000–$2,800
Food a day: About 1,160 calories

Where the money goes each year

A typical adult year for a Border Collie with mainstream food, a groomer, no insurance, in an average-cost area. That's $70 less than the median breed.

Illness and injury (average)$650
Food$601
Heartworm, flea and tick prevention$443
Checkups, vaccines and tests$330
Dental cleanings$283
Grooming$239
Toys, beds and everyday supplies$230
Treats and chews$120
License$20
Typical year$2,920

Most years land between $2,050 (budget food, home grooming, lower-cost area) and $4,080 (premium food, groomer, insurance, big city). Dogs over about 7 add about $180 a year for senior checkups.

The first year

Buying a puppy front-loads the bill: the price, gear, puppy shots and spay or neuter.

Bringing a puppy home

Breeder price$1,900
Crate, bed, leash, bowls and gear$550
Spay or neuter$490
Microchip$50
Puppy or basic obedience class$149
Upfront$3,140

Running costs in year one

Food$601
Treats and chews$120
Puppy vaccines and checkups$738
Heartworm, flea and tick prevention$443
Grooming$239
License$20
Illness and injury (average)$650
Year-one running costs$2,810

First-year total: $5,950. Adopting instead brings it to about $3,480.

Health costs to plan for

Embrace says Border Collies make more hereditary claims than mixed breeds (mainly hips), but OFA dysplasia rates near 10% and a long lifespan put the breed around average for a medium herding dog.

Condition	How it affects Border Collies	Typical treatment	Cost
Hip dysplasia	OFA rates 9.9% of Border Collie hip evaluations dysplastic (21,236 evaluations); Embrace rates the breed's risk as high. Source	Diagnosis and treatment of hip dysplasia, from medical management to surgery (Embrace's Border Collie cost range)	$1,500–$6,000
Epilepsy	AKC lists epilepsy among the conditions responsible Border Collie breeders screen for; no prevalence figure was found in the sources checked. Source	Yearly anticonvulsant medication and monitoring ($200–$500 for standard drugs, up to $5,000 for newer drugs or neurologist care)	$200–$5,000
Deafness	OFA BAER hearing tests found 1.0% of tested Border Collies abnormal (1,356 dogs); Embrace lists the breed among those with high deafness incidence, especially in dogs with extensive white. Source	BAER hearing test to diagnose (usually under $300); no treatment, but training a deaf dog adds cost	$100–$300
Collie eye anomaly	OFA DNA testing found 11.6% of tested Border Collies were carriers, with no affected dogs in the sample (413 dogs). Source	Eye exam by an ophthalmologist to diagnose; most mildly affected dogs need no treatment (Embrace's cost range for the related optic nerve coloboma)	$100–$300

The yearly estimate already includes an average allowance of $650 for illness and injury. A single surgery can cost several times that, which is the case for an emergency fund or insurance.

What drives the cost of a Border Collie

AKC calls the breed one for an active owner, not someone who travels or stays indoors; if you work long days, budget for daycare or a mid-day sitter as a standing expense.
Dog sports are the cheapest way to tire a BC; agility or herding classes and trial entries are a realistic yearly line item.
A 30–55 lb dog sits in the medium bracket for food, preventives and spay/neuter, keeping routine costs below those of a German Shepherd or Collie.
Rough-coated dogs need pin-brushing once or twice a week and daily during sheds; smooth coats need less, so a groomer is optional for either.
Ask for BAER hearing results and CEA/TNS/NCL DNA tests on parents; OFA data shows these recessive conditions still circulate in the breed.

Breeder or rescue

Reputable breeder: $1,000–$2,800
Rescue or shelter: $300–$450
Lifetime, from a breeder: $44,800
Lifetime, adopted: $42,400

Border Collie prices on AKC Marketplace in October 2026 were the most spread of any herding breed sampled: $500–$4,050, median about $1,500 (29 listings with a stated price). Many working-line farm litters sell under $1,000, while sport and show lines with full health testing run $2,000–$2,800. Mid-Atlantic Border Collie Rescue requires a $400 adoption donation.

Adopting vs buying: the full cost comparison

Similar-size breeds by yearly cost

Pembroke Welsh Corgi$2,880 a year
Siberian Husky$2,880 a year
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever$2,920 a year
English Springer Spaniel$2,940 a year
Samoyed$3,010 a year
Lagotto Romagnolo$3,030 a year
Compare all breeds

Common questions

How much does a Border Collie puppy cost?

A Border Collie puppy from a reputable US breeder typically costs $1,000–$2,800. Adopting one through a rescue usually costs $300–$450.

How much does a Border Collie cost per year?

After the first year, a Border Collie costs about $2,920 a year, or $243 a month, for food, vet care, preventives, grooming, supplies and average illness costs. Depending on food, grooming, insurance and where you live, a typical year ranges from about $2,050 to $4,080.

How much does a Border Collie cost over its lifetime?

About $44,800 over a 14-year life when bought from a breeder, or $42,400 if adopted, in 2026 dollars.

Sources

Prices are averages from the sources above and the cost baselines on our methodology page, in 2026 US dollars. Your vet, groomer and city will differ. Updated October 14, 2026.