Dog breeds / Small breeds

What a Maltipoo really costs

A Maltipoo's food and supply costs are among the lowest of any dog, but the coat needs a professional trim every 4-6 weeks, so grooming will likely be its largest routine expense. Toy-size joints and crowded teeth create the main health bills: kneecap or hip surgery in younger dogs and repeated dental work as they age.

Size: Small, 5–20 lb
Life expectancy: 12–15 years
Grooming: High
Insurance risk: Average
Puppy price: $1,500–$3,000
Food a day: About 410 calories

Where the money goes each year

A typical adult year for a Maltipoo with mainstream food, a groomer, no insurance, in an average-cost area. That's $210 less than the median breed.

Grooming$635
Illness and injury (average)$531
Dental cleanings$425
Heartworm, flea and tick prevention$404
Checkups, vaccines and tests$330
Food$213
Toys, beds and everyday supplies$180
Treats and chews$43
License$20
Typical year$2,780

Most years land between $1,880 (budget food, home grooming, lower-cost area) and $3,830 (premium food, groomer, insurance, big city). Dogs over about 8 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$2,250
Crate, bed, leash, bowls and gear$400
Spay or neuter$490
Microchip$50
Puppy or basic obedience class$149
Upfront$3,340

Running costs in year one

Food$213
Treats and chews$43
Puppy vaccines and checkups$738
Heartworm, flea and tick prevention$404
Grooming$635
License$20
Illness and injury (average)$531
Year-one running costs$2,580

First-year total: $5,920. Adopting instead brings it to about $2,900.

Health costs to plan for

No Maltipoo premium data was found; small size keeps claim amounts down, but patella, Legg-Perthes, epilepsy and dental disease are all documented in the parent breeds, so it is rated average for a toy-size dog.

Condition	How it affects Maltipoos	Typical treatment	Cost
Luxating patella	OFA reports 5.3% abnormal patellas in Maltese and 2.7% in Poodles; Lemonade calls it common in Maltipoos because of their small build. Source	Surgical correction, per affected knee	$1,500–$3,500
Epilepsy	Pumpkin describes Maltipoos as predisposed to epilepsy, and AKC lists idiopathic epilepsy in all Poodle varieties; no Maltipoo prevalence figure was found. Source	Diagnostics and anti-epileptic medication	$500–$6,000
Legg-Calve-Perthes disease	AKC lists Legg-Perthes as more likely in Toy and Miniature Poodles, and Pumpkin lists it for Maltipoos; it usually appears in the first year of life. Source	X-rays and pain management up to femoral head ostectomy surgery	$300–$5,000
Dental disease	Embrace and Lemonade both flag crowded teeth and tartar as a typical Maltipoo problem; AKC stresses dental care for the Maltese parent. Source	Yearly cost of dental disease treatment: cleaning under anesthesia, with extractions when needed	$300–$2,000

The yearly estimate already includes an average allowance of $531 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 Maltipoo

Lemonade puts a 4-6 week trim schedule at $400-$800 a year; a short 'puppy cut' can stretch the interval slightly.
Brush teeth daily and budget for professional cleanings; tooth extractions under anesthesia are a common senior-year bill for toy breeds.
Food is cheap at $300-$600 a year (Lemonade), and a small crate, carrier and bed keep setup costs low.
Puppies under about 5 lb can be prone to low blood sugar, which may mean an emergency visit; avoid paying a premium for 'teacup' size.
Ask for parents' OFA patella results; knee surgery at $1,500-$3,500 per knee is the most common big bill for this size.

Breeder or rescue

Reputable breeder: $1,500–$3,000
Rescue or shelter: $50–$300
Lifetime, from a breeder: $42,700
Lifetime, adopted: $39,700

Good Dog's buyer guide shows $1,800-$3,000, Lemonade cites $800-$2,500 and Embrace $1,000-$2,000 or more. 'Teacup' and toy sizes, apricot and red coats, and parents with patella and eye exams plus a PRA-prcd test cost more; very cheap 'teacup' puppies are a red flag for poor breeding.

Adopting vs buying: the full cost comparison

Similar-size breeds by yearly cost

French Bulldog$2,710 a year
Lhasa Apso$2,720 a year
Miniature Schnauzer$2,730 a year
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel$2,780 a year
Miniature Poodle$2,800 a year
Bichon Frise$2,840 a year
Compare all breeds

Common questions

How much does a Maltipoo puppy cost?

A Maltipoo puppy from a reputable US breeder typically costs $1,500–$3,000. Adopting one through a rescue usually costs $50–$300.

How much does a Maltipoo cost per year?

After the first year, a Maltipoo costs about $2,780 a year, or $232 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 $1,880 to $3,830.

How much does a Maltipoo cost over its lifetime?

About $42,700 over a 14-year life when bought from a breeder, or $39,700 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.