I’m going to give it to you straight. £1 a day for dog food in the UK is doable for a lot of dogs, but it depends entirely on the size of your dog and how much you’re willing to shop around.
The average UK dog owner spends somewhere between £25 and £50 a month on food. That’s roughly 80p to £1.70 a day. So £1 a day sits right in the middle of what most people actually spend. The question is whether that money buys your dog something decent to eat.
I’ve crunched the numbers on the cheapest complete dog foods available in the UK, worked out the daily feeding costs for different sized dogs, and looked at whether any of these budget options actually meet the nutritional standards set by FEDIAF (the European pet food industry body).
Short answer: yes, it’s possible. Longer answer: it takes more effort for bigger dogs and you’ll need to be smart about which brand you buy.
What £1 a day actually buys you
Before we talk about specific brands, let’s look at what £1 a day means in practical terms. Dog food in the UK ranges from about 60p per kg for the absolute cheapest dry food to over £8 per kg for premium stuff. Your £1 daily budget buys between roughly 300g and 1.5kg of dry kibble, depending on the brand.
That sounds like a lot of kibble. But how much your dog actually needs depends on their weight.
Small dogs (under 10kg)
A Jack Russell, a toy poodle, a French bulldog. These dogs typically need between 80g and 150g of dry food per day. At the cheaper end of the market (around 70p to £1 per kg), you’d spend about 10p to 15p a day feeding a small dog.
You’ve got plenty of room in that £1 budget. You could feed a small dog on premium kibble and still stay under £1 a day, or you could use the extra budget for wet food toppers, treats, or supplements.
Medium dogs (10kg to 25kg)
A spaniel, a Staffordshire bull terrier, a border collie. These dogs generally need between 150g and 300g of dry food daily. At budget kibble prices, that works out to roughly 15p to 30p a day.
Still very doable. You’ve got headroom here too. Mid-range kibble from brands like Harringtons or BETA will still keep you under the £1 mark for most medium dogs.
Large dogs (25kg to 45kg)
A Labrador, a German shepherd, a golden retriever. Now we’re talking 300g to 500g of dry food per day. At budget prices, that’s roughly 25p to 50p a day.
Getting tighter, but still possible with the cheapest complete foods. You won’t have much wiggle room for extras though. And if your dog is at the heavier end of this range or particularly active, you might nudge over £1.
Giant breeds (45kg plus)
A Great Dane, a mastiff, a Rottweiler at the top end. These dogs can eat 500g to 800g+ of kibble daily. At budget prices, that’s 40p to 80p a day.
It can be done, just barely. But you’ll be buying the absolute cheapest food available and feeding the minimum recommended amount. There’s basically no margin for treats or supplements.
The reality of feeding a dog on £1 a day
Here’s what nobody in the pet food industry wants to spell out: the cost of feeding a dog scales almost linearly with the dog’s weight, but your budget probably doesn’t. If you’ve got a £1 a day budget and a 5kg chihuahua, you’re laughing. If you’ve got the same budget and a 40kg lab, you’re in a tighter spot.
Dry food is the only way to make £1 a day work consistently. Wet food costs roughly 3 to 5 times more per calorie than dry kibble. A 400g tin of Chappie (one of the cheaper wet foods) costs around 90p and feeds a medium dog for one meal. Two of those a day and you’ve already blown past your budget.
The cheapest complete dry foods in the UK (brands like Wagg, Aldi’s Gusto, and Lidl’s Milo) come in at roughly 60p to £1.10 per kg when you buy the larger bags. A 12kg bag of Wagg Worker Complete costs around £10 to £12. That bag will feed a 15kg dog for about 50 days. Roughly 22p a day.
That leaves you 78p for literally everything else. Treats, dental chews, supplements, wet food toppers. For a small or medium dog on the cheapest dry food, £1 a day is actually a comfortable budget.
For a large or giant breed dog, it’s tighter. You might be spending 60p to 80p just on the dry food itself, leaving only 20p to 40p for extras. That’s not a lot, but it’s workable if you keep things simple.
Best dog foods for a £1 a day budget
I’ve picked six foods that can realistically keep your daily feeding cost at or below £1 for most dogs. I’ve focused on complete foods (meaning they meet FEDIAF nutritional standards on their own, without needing supplements) and I’ve calculated prices based on buying larger bags (typically 12kg to 15kg) which give you the best per-kilogram price.
For more budget options across different brands, check out our full guide to the best cheap dog food UK.
Wagg Worker Complete
Price: roughly 75p to 90p per kg (12kg bag)
Daily cost: 10p to 35p depending on dog size
Wagg is probably the cheapest complete dog food you can buy in the UK that still meets basic nutritional standards. It’s made in Yorkshire, available in pretty much every supermarket and pet shop, and comes in a few flavour varieties (chicken, lamb, turkey).
The ingredient list is what you’d expect at this price point. Cereals (wheat and maize) make up the bulk. Chicken meal provides the protein (around 20%). There are added vitamins and minerals to hit the complete food requirements. Beet pulp for fibre. The usual suspects.
It’s not exciting food. But it keeps dogs fed and healthy, and thousands of UK dog owners have raised dogs on Wagg for years without problems. If you’re on the tightest possible budget, this is where you start.
We cover Wagg in more detail in our guide to the cheapest complete dog food UK.
Harringtons Complete Adult
Price: roughly £1 to £1.30 per kg (12kg bag)
Daily cost: 15p to 50p depending on dog size
Harringtons sits one tier above Wagg in both quality and price. The protein content is similar (around 20%), but the ingredient quality is noticeably better. Harringtons uses more named meat ingredients, fewer vague “derivatives,” and includes herbs and botanicals (rosemary, marigold, yucca extract).
It’s still a cereal-heavy food, but the cereals are better specified and there’s less filler. The feeding amounts are similar to Wagg, so your daily cost only goes up slightly. For a medium dog, you’re probably looking at 25p to 35p a day.
I think Harringtons is the sweet spot for budget dog food in the UK. It’s cheap enough to keep you under £1 a day for all but the biggest dogs, and the ingredient quality is decent enough that you don’t feel like you’re feeding your dog sawdust. We’ve done a full head-to-head comparison in our Harringtons vs Wagg dog food article if you want to dig deeper.
Purina BETA Adult
Price: roughly £1.10 to £1.40 per kg (14kg bag)
Daily cost: 20p to 55p depending on dog size
BETA is one of the better-known budget brands, partly because Purina puts real marketing money behind it. The kibble shape is different (those triangular pieces with the “Dental Blend” claim) and the protein content is a bit higher than Wagg or Harringtons at around 24%.
The ingredient list includes chicken as the first ingredient (before cereals), which is good. There are whole grains (barley and whole wheat) instead of refined cereals, plus some added vitamins and minerals. BETA also makes a “sensitive” version that uses turkey instead of chicken, which is handy if your dog has mild chicken sensitivity.
BETA costs a bit more than the supermarket own-brands, but it’s often on offer. If you can find it on promotion or buy in bulk, it’s very competitive. For medium dogs, you’ll spend roughly 30p to 40p a day.
Lidl Milo Complete Adult
Price: roughly 70p to 90p per kg (12kg bag)
Daily cost: 10p to 35p depending on dog size
Lidl’s Milo range is genuinely cheap. Like, eyebrow-raisingly cheap when you look at the per-kilogram price. The adult chicken variety costs around £9 to £11 for a 12kg bag, which puts it right alongside Wagg as the cheapest complete food on the UK market.
Ingredient quality is basic. Cereals first (maize and wheat), poultry meal for protein (around 22%), vegetable derivatives, animal fats. It meets complete food standards, which means it has all the nutrients your dog needs to survive and stay reasonably healthy. But it’s basic.
If you’re already shopping at Lidl anyway, grabbing a bag of Milo is one of the easiest ways to keep your dog food costs down. We’ve reviewed the full Lidl range in our best Lidl dog food UK guide.
Aldi Gusto Complete Adult
Price: roughly 80p to £1 per kg (12kg bag)
Daily cost: 12p to 40p depending on dog size
Aldi’s Gusto range is very similar to Lidl’s Milo in both price and quality. Slightly different ingredient proportions, similar protein content (around 22%), similar cereal-based formulation. Some people prefer Gusto’s ingredient list (it names chicken meal specifically rather than generic “poultry meal”), but the practical difference for your dog is minimal.
Aldi also does a grain-free version of Gusto for roughly the same price, which is unusual. Most grain-free dog foods cost significantly more than their grain-inclusive counterparts. It’s worth noting that the British Veterinary Association has raised concerns about grain-free diets and a potential link to heart disease (DCM), so I’d stick with the standard version unless your vet has specifically recommended grain-free.
We’ve got a full breakdown of the Aldi range in our best Aldi dog food UK article.
Chappie (wet food)
Price: roughly 90p to £1.10 per 400g tin (pack of 12)
Daily cost: 90p to £2.20 depending on dog size
I’ve included Chappie because it’s one of the few wet foods that even comes close to fitting a £1 a day budget. A 400g tin costs around 90p when bought in multipacks, and it provides a complete meal for a small to medium dog.
Chappie is unusual in the wet food market because it’s deliberately low in fat (around 6%) and high in fibre. Vets sometimes recommend it for dogs with sensitive stomachs or dogs that need to lose weight. The main protein source is fish (white fish and fish derivatives), which makes it a decent option for dogs with chicken or beef allergies.
The catch is portion size. A small dog (under 10kg) might get by on one 400g tin per day, keeping you at about 90p. A medium dog needs two tins, pushing you to £1.80. A large dog needs three or more, which blows the budget completely.
Chappie works as a budget wet food option for small dogs, or as an occasional wet meal for bigger dogs if you’re primarily feeding dry. Check our best supermarket dog food UK guide for more on Chappie and similar budget wet foods.
Wet vs dry food at £1 a day
This is where the budget really starts to dictate your choices. Dry food and wet food are not interchangeable from a cost perspective. Dry food is roughly 3 to 5 times cheaper per calorie than wet food.
Here’s why. Wet food is roughly 70 to 80% water. You’re paying for a lot of moisture. Dry kibble is around 8 to 10% water. The actual nutrition is much more concentrated per kilogram. So when you buy 1kg of dry food, you’re getting far more usable calories than 1kg of wet food.
At £1 a day, feeding exclusively wet food only works for very small dogs. And even then, you’re limited to the cheapest wet foods (Chappie, basic supermarket own-brand). If your small dog eats one 400g tin of Chappie a day at 90p, you’ve got 10p left for treats. Technically under budget, but there’s no room for anything else.
Dry food gives you flexibility. A small dog on Harringtons Complete might cost 15p to 20p a day in kibble, leaving 80p to 85p for other things. You could add a small amount of wet food as a topper, buy decent treats, or add supplements.
The most practical approach for a £1 a day budget is mostly dry food with occasional wet food as a topper. One tin of Chappie split across three or four days as a kibble topper adds flavour and moisture without wrecking the budget. We’ve covered the full wet vs dry debate in our best dry dog food under £10 UK article.
Making it work with cheap supplements and extras
If you’re feeding the cheapest dry food available and your budget allows, there are a few low-cost additions that can improve your dog’s diet without adding much to the daily cost.
Cooked vegetables
Carrots, green beans, and broccoli are cheap, healthy additions to dog food. A single carrot costs pennies. Chop it up and mix it with kibble for added fibre and vitamins. Frozen mixed vegetables from the supermarket work just as well and are even cheaper.
Don’t overdo it though. Vegetables should make up no more than 10 to 15% of your dog’s daily food intake. More than that and you’re diluting the nutritional balance of the complete food.
Sardines in spring water
A tin of sardines in spring water (not oil, not tomato sauce) costs about 40p to 60p and provides omega-3 fatty acids, which support skin, coat, and joint health. One tin split across two or three days as a kibble topper is a cheap way to add healthy fats.
A lot of budget kibbles are low in omega-3s, so this is a genuinely useful addition. Just check the tin has no added salt.
Eggs
Plain cooked eggs (boiled or scrambled without butter or salt) are an excellent source of protein and nutrients. A free-range egg costs about 30p. One egg a week, split across a few meals, adds high-quality protein to a budget diet.
Some dogs are sensitive to eggs, so introduce them slowly and watch for any digestive upset.
Pumpkin
Plain pureed pumpkin (not pie filling) is good for digestive health and adds fibre. A small amount mixed with kibble can help with both constipation and loose stools. Tinned pumpkin costs about £1 to £1.50 and lasts for ages because you only need a tablespoon or two per meal.
What to skip
Most commercial dog supplements are overpriced for what they contain. A tub of “joint support” tablets that costs £15 might contain glucosamine and chondroitin that you could get from a human supplement for a third of the price. Talk to your vet before adding any supplements, and always check that what you’re buying actually contains meaningful amounts of the active ingredient.
When £1 a day is not enough
Budget feeding works great for healthy adult dogs of small to medium size. But there are situations where £1 a day simply isn’t enough, and pushing it could harm your dog’s health.
Puppies
Puppies need more calories per kilogram of body weight than adult dogs. They need specific nutrient ratios (higher protein, higher fat, specific calcium and phosphorus levels) to support bone growth and development. Puppy food is more expensive than adult food, and puppies eat a lot of it relative to their size.
A Labrador puppy at 6 months old might eat as much as an adult Labrador. But puppy kibble costs more per kilogram. You’ll probably spend £1.50 to £2 a day feeding a medium or large breed puppy, regardless of which brand you choose.
The PDSA estimates that the lifetime cost of owning a dog (including food, vet bills, insurance, and accessories) ranges from £4,600 for a small dog to over £30,000 for a giant breed. Puppy food is a relatively small part of that total, so don’t cut corners here.
Senior dogs with health problems
Older dogs often need specific diets. Joint supplements, lower-calorie food for less active dogs, kidney-friendly diets, sensitive stomach formulas. These specialised foods cost more. A senior dog with arthritis might benefit from a joint-support food that costs twice as much per kilogram as standard adult food.
If your vet has recommended a specific diet for a health condition, follow that advice. Saving 50p a day on food isn’t worth a vet bill for a condition that could have been managed through diet.
Working dogs and highly active breeds
Sheepdogs, gundogs, and active breeds like border collies and springer spaniels burn through calories fast. They need more food, and they need food with higher fat and protein content to maintain condition. Working dog formulas (like Wagg Worker, which is designed for this purpose) are slightly cheaper per calorie than standard adult food, but the sheer volume these dogs eat pushes the daily cost up.
Dogs with allergies or sensitivities
Hypoallergenic and grain-free dog foods cost significantly more than standard foods. If your dog needs a limited ingredient diet or a novel protein source (like fish, venison, or duck), your costs will increase. A grain-free kibble typically costs 50% to 100% more per kilogram than a standard cereal-based food.
Honest monthly cost breakdown by dog size
Let’s put real numbers on this. I’ve calculated the monthly food costs for different dog sizes using a mix of the budget foods I’ve recommended. These figures assume feeding the recommended daily amount on the packet and buying larger bags (12kg+) for the best per-kilogram price.
Small dog (5kg to 10kg)
Daily dry food cost: 10p to 20p
Monthly dry food cost: £3 to £6
Add wet food topper (1 tin per week): £4 to £5 extra per month
Add supplements (sardines, veg, occasional egg): £3 to £5 per month
Total realistic monthly cost: £10 to £16
Well under £30 a month (£1 a day). You could feed a small dog on Harringtons or even mid-range kibble and still stay under budget. There’s room for quality wet food, treats, and supplements.
Medium dog (10kg to 25kg)
Daily dry food cost: 20p to 40p
Monthly dry food cost: £6 to £12
Add wet food topper (2 to 3 tins per week): £8 to £12 extra per month
Add supplements: £4 to £6 per month
Total realistic monthly cost: £18 to £30
Still under £30 a month for most medium dogs if you’re buying budget dry food. If your medium dog is at the heavier end (approaching 25kg) and moderately active, you might nudge slightly over. But with smart shopping (bulk buys, supermarket own-brands, promotions), it’s achievable.
Large dog (25kg to 45kg)
Daily dry food cost: 35p to 70p
Monthly dry food cost: £10.50 to £21
Add wet food topper (3 to 4 tins per week): £10 to £15 extra per month
Add supplements: £5 to £8 per month
Total realistic monthly cost: £25 to £44
Here’s where it gets real. A smaller large breed (25kg to 30kg) on the cheapest kibble can stay under £30 a month. A 40kg Labrador on the same food will be closer to £35 to £40. Add regular wet food and you’re at £40 to £44.
If you need to keep a large dog under £30 a month, dry food only is the way. Pick the cheapest complete food (Wagg, Lidl Milo, or Aldi Gusto) and skip the wet food and extras. Your dog will be fine nutritionally, though you’ll miss out on the variety that wet food and supplements bring.
For help finding the lowest prices, see our dog food deals UK page.
Giant breeds (45kg plus)
Daily dry food cost: 50p to £1+
Monthly dry food cost: £15 to £30+
Total realistic monthly cost: £30 to £50+
Giant breeds on a £1 a day budget are living right on the edge. The cheapest dry foods will keep you around £1 a day for feeding alone. But there’s zero room for extras, treats, or supplements. And if your giant breed needs more food than the packet recommends (which many do), you’ll go over.
For more food options at various price points, browse our full best supermarket dog food UK recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
Can I feed my dog on £1 a day in the UK?
Yes, for most dogs. Small and medium dogs can be fed well on £1 a day with money left over for treats and supplements. Large dogs are tighter but still possible with budget dry food. Giant breeds are the hardest to keep under £1 a day. The key is buying dry food in bulk and choosing one of the cheaper complete brands like Wagg, Lidl Milo, or Aldi Gusto.
Is cheap dog food bad for my dog?
Not necessarily. Any dog food labelled as “complete” in the UK must meet FEDIAF nutritional standards. That means it contains all the essential nutrients your dog needs. Budget brands use cheaper ingredients (more cereals, less named meat) than premium brands, but the food is still nutritionally adequate. The All About Dog Food website rates dog foods by ingredient quality and is a good resource if you want to compare brands.
Should I mix wet and dry dog food on a budget?
Mixing wet and dry is a good idea if you can afford it. Wet food adds moisture and flavour, which is especially helpful for dogs that don’t drink much water or are fussy eaters. On a £1 a day budget, the most practical approach is mostly dry food with a small amount of wet food (like half a tin of Chappie) mixed in a few times a week. This adds variety without significantly increasing your costs.
What’s the cheapest complete dog food in the UK?
The cheapest complete dry dog foods in the UK are Wagg Worker Complete (around 75p per kg), Lidl Milo Complete (around 70p per kg), and Aldi Gusto Complete (around 80p per kg), all based on buying 12kg bags. These are all complete foods that meet FEDIAF standards. For a full breakdown, see our guide to the cheapest complete dog food UK.
Can I feed my dog human food to save money?
You can supplement your dog’s diet with certain human foods (plain cooked chicken, vegetables, eggs, sardines), but I wouldn’t recommend replacing complete dog food with a homemade diet unless you’ve consulted a veterinary nutritionist. Getting the calcium to phosphorus ratio wrong, or missing essential vitamins like taurine, can cause serious health problems over time. The RSPCA advises against homemade diets without professional guidance. Used as toppers alongside a complete food, though, simple human foods like carrot, cooked chicken breast, and sardines are perfectly safe and can improve the variety in your dog’s diet.
The bottom line
Feeding a dog on £1 a day in the UK is absolutely realistic for small and medium dogs, achievable with some care for large dogs, and genuinely difficult for giant breeds. The key is dry food, bought in bulk, from one of the budget complete brands. Wagg, Harringtons, Lidl Milo, Aldi Gusto, and BETA will all get the job done without breaking the bank.
You don’t need to feel guilty about feeding budget dog food. Every complete food sold in the UK has to meet the same nutritional standards. The difference between a £1/kg kibble and a £5/kg kibble is mostly ingredient quality and sourcing, not whether the food will keep your dog alive and healthy.
That said, if you can stretch your budget even slightly, moving from the cheapest option (Wagg or supermarket own-brand) to something like Harringtons gives you noticeably better ingredient quality for only a small increase in cost. Sometimes spending an extra 5p a day is worth it.
