Dog breeds / Small breeds

What a Yorkshire Terrier really costs

A Yorkie costs little to feed but needs a groomer on a regular schedule unless you brush a full coat daily. The breed's health bills cluster in puppyhood (liver shunts, broken legs) and middle age (kneecaps, trachea, teeth), so a good emergency fund or early insurance matters more than for most small dogs.

Size: Small, 4–7 lb
Life expectancy: 11–15 years
Grooming: High
Insurance risk: Average
Puppy price: $2,000–$3,000
Food a day: About 220 calories

Lifetime cost$37,200 First year $5,960Then about $2,570 a year

Where the money goes each year

A typical adult year for a Yorkshire Terrier with mainstream food, a groomer, no insurance, in an average-cost area. That's $420 less than the median breed.

Grooming$538
Illness and injury (average)$531
Dental cleanings$425
Heartworm, flea and tick prevention$404
Checkups, vaccines and tests$330
Toys, beds and everyday supplies$180
Food$115
Treats and chews$23
License$20
Typical year$2,570

Most years land between $1,850 (budget food, home grooming, lower-cost area) and $3,530 (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$2,500
Crate, bed, leash, bowls and gear$400
Spay or neuter$490
Microchip$50
Puppy or basic obedience class$149
Upfront$3,590

Running costs in year one

Food$115
Treats and chews$23
Puppy vaccines and checkups$738
Heartworm, flea and tick prevention$404
Grooming$538
License$20
Illness and injury (average)$531
Year-one running costs$2,370

First-year total: $5,960. Adopting instead brings it to about $2,840.

Health costs to plan for

Trupanion data shows Yorkies above average for fractures, kneecap surgery, extractions, pancreatitis and heart failure, but small size keeps dollar premiums moderate; overall about average for a small dog.

Condition	How it affects Yorkshire Terriers	Typical treatment	Cost
Liver shunt (portosystemic shunt)	Embrace lists the Yorkshire Terrier among breeds predisposed to congenital liver shunts, which in small breeds are usually outside the liver and surgically correctable. Source	Workup and surgery for an extrahepatic shunt at a veterinary teaching hospital	$5,400–$7,600
Tracheal collapse	Embrace names the Yorkie as overrepresented; most dogs are managed medically for $0–$30 a month, with scoping and stenting only for severe cases. Source	Advanced diagnostics ($500–$2,000) plus tracheal stent surgery ($2,000–$5,000), severe cases	$2,500–$7,000
Patellar luxation	OFA lists 16.9% of 3,193 screened Yorkies as abnormal, and Trupanion sees adult Yorkies three times as often as average for kneecap claims. Source	Surgical correction by a board-certified surgeon, per knee	$1,500–$3,000
Fractured bones (puppies)	Trupanion claim data shows Yorkie puppies are 55% more likely than the average dog to have a fracture claim. Source	Average cost of a fracture claim (Trupanion claim data)	$1,300–$3,000
Dental disease and extractions	VetCompass found 22.2% of UK Yorkies had periodontal disease in a single year, and Trupanion sees Yorkie puppies 4.5 times as often as average for extractions. Source	Professional cleaning under anesthesia ($350–$500 routine), rising to $1,500+ with extractions	$350–$1,500

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 Yorkshire Terrier

Most pet Yorkies are kept in a short clip by a groomer every 4–8 weeks; the AKC notes a long-coated Yorkie needs a bath about weekly.
Ask the breeder about bile acid testing of the litter: a liver shunt repair at a teaching hospital runs about $5,400–$7,600.
Dental care is a near-annual cost; one in five Yorkies in the VetCompass study had periodontal disease in a single year.
'Teacup' Yorkies under 4 lb are a red flag for poor breeding and come with higher risks of fractures and low blood sugar.
Use a harness, not a collar, to reduce pressure on a trachea prone to collapse.

Breeder or rescue

Reputable breeder: $2,000–$3,000
Rescue or shelter: $150–$500
Lifetime, from a breeder: $37,200
Lifetime, adopted: $34,100

Good Dog's buyer's guide range is about $2,000–$3,025 (median $2,600). Yorkies are heavily marketed as 'teacup' or 'micro'; those labels should not set the price range. Yorkie rescues (e.g. United Yorkie Rescue) charge a fee at adoption but do not publish amounts, so the range reflects typical shelter and small-breed rescue fees.

Adopting vs buying: the full cost comparison

Similar-size breeds by yearly cost

Brussels Griffon$2,510 a year
Shetland Sheepdog$2,540 a year
Pomsky$2,550 a year
Havanese$2,570 a year
Maltese$2,570 a year
Coton de Tulear$2,590 a year
Compare all breeds

Common questions

How much does a Yorkshire Terrier puppy cost?

A Yorkshire Terrier puppy from a reputable US breeder typically costs $2,000–$3,000. Adopting one through a rescue usually costs $150–$500.

How much does a Yorkshire Terrier cost per year?

After the first year, a Yorkshire Terrier costs about $2,570 a year, or $214 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 $1,850 to $3,530.

How much does a Yorkshire Terrier cost over its lifetime?

About $37,200 over a 13-year life when bought from a breeder, or $34,100 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.