How Much Does a Tarantula Really Cost?
On This Page▾
Tarantulas are one of the most affordable exotic pets to keep, both upfront and over time. The tradeoff is that this is a decades-long commitment for a female, which makes the low sticker price a bit misleading if you only look at year one.
Upfront Setup: Roughly $70 to $300, Plus the Spider
| Item | Cost Range |
|---|---|
| The tarantula (beginner species) | $25 - $100 |
| Enclosure | $20 - $80 |
| Substrate | $10 - $30 |
| Hide, decor, and a water dish (cork bark hide works well) | $20 - $60 |
| Feeding tongs | Small extra cost, worth it |
A Chilean rose hair or curly hair typically runs $20 to $50, and spiderlings cost less than adults. Most first-time setups land in the $70 to $300 range before the spider itself.
Ongoing Costs: Roughly $60 to $180 a Year
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Feeding (crickets or dubia roaches) | $5 - $15/month |
| Estimated annual total | $60 - $180/year |
Prices last checked September 2026 at Dubia.com and Josh's Frogs. Retail prices move; treat the table as a snapshot, not a quote.
That range depends mostly on the size and appetite of your particular tarantula.
Vet Care and Insurance
There's no pet insurance for tarantulas, and veterinary care is rare, many areas simply don't have a vet equipped to treat one. This isn't a species where you're budgeting for regular vet visits the way you might with a mammal or bird. A small emergency fund is still worth having, but it's a much smaller consideration here than with most pets.
Female tarantulas keep molting throughout their entire adult lives, unlike most invertebrates that stop once they reach maturity. Males stop molting for good once they mature, which is a big part of why they live so much shorter than females, four to seven years total against 15 to 20 or more.
The Number to Sit With: Longevity
Female Chilean rose hairs commonly live 15 to 20 years or more, males considerably less, typically 4 to 7 years. If you're getting a female, you're looking at a long-term commitment on a very small ongoing budget. This is arguably the cheapest long-lived exotic pet you can keep, low setup cost, low monthly cost, and no vet bills in the typical case, but the time commitment is real and worth thinking through before you buy.
Weigh that against what daily life with one actually looks like. If it's specifically down to a tarantula or another popular invertebrate pick, our Tarantula vs. Emperor Scorpion guide compares the two head to head.
If you're weighing a tarantula against other beginner-friendly pets, Four Pets With One Rule Each Worth Knowing First puts the tarantula side by side with the guinea pig, cockatiel, and betta fish.
Sources & Further Reading
Last reviewed 17 Jul 2026 · 3 sources
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a tarantula cost upfront?
The spider itself runs $25 to $100 for common beginner species, a Chilean rose hair or curly hair typically lands at $20 to $50. Add the enclosure, substrate, hide, decor, and a water dish, and most first-time setups land in the $70 to $300 range before the spider itself.
What are the ongoing costs of keeping a tarantula?
Feeding runs about $5 to $15 a month on crickets or dubia roaches, which adds up to roughly $60 to $180 a year depending on the size and appetite of your tarantula. There's no recurring supply or bedding cost anywhere close to what most pets need.
Do tarantulas need vet care or pet insurance?
Not in any regular sense. No insurer covers tarantulas, and many areas don't have a vet equipped to treat one, so routine visits aren't part of the budget. Keep a small emergency fund anyway, but it matters less here than with most pets.
How long do I need to budget for a tarantula?
15 to 20 years or more for a female Chilean rose hair, and typically 4 to 7 for a male. A female is a long-term commitment, though the ongoing budget stays very small the whole time.
📰 More on the Tarantula
📘 Tarantula care guide
🕷️ Should You Handle a Tarantula? Almost Always, No
🕷️ Common Tarantula Health Issues (Prevention Matters More Than Treatment)
🕷️ Tarantula Enclosure Setup: Shape, Substrate, and a Humidity Debate
🕷️ Tarantula Feeding: Schedule, Diet, and Why They Stop Eating
🕷️ 10 Surprising Tarantula Facts
🛒 Recommended Gear
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases through the links above - at no extra cost to you.
Written by Michael Ryan
Mike keeps two rescued bearded dragons, Dex and Cera, and writes the care guides on BeastlyFacts from his own research and mistakes. He is not a veterinarian.
More about Michael Ryan →Comments
No comments yet - be the first!
