Raw dog food vs kibble in NZ: the cost per day

“Is raw food cheaper than kibble?” is a question we get asked a lot. The answer depends on which kibble you’re comparing with and how you buy raw, so we worked it out for the same dog.

Why you can’t compare price per kilo

Raw meat is mostly water, around two thirds by weight. Kibble is only about 10% water. So a dog eats far more raw food by weight than kibble for the same meal. A 20 kg dog might eat about 250 to 300 g of kibble a day, or about 500 g of raw.

That’s why a raw food that’s cheaper per kilo than kibble can still cost more per day. The fair comparison is cost per day for the same dog.

Cost per day for a 20 kg dog

Based on a moderately active 20 kg adult dog. Prices checked in October 2026.

Kibble amounts are from the makers’ feeding guides for a 20 kg dog. Kibble and pet-store prices are from major NZ pet retailers, and the supermarket and air-dried ranges from a published NZ comparison. Feed Raw’s range runs from Chicken Mince to Wild Mix, worked out at 90% mince or blend and 10% raw bones, at our current prices. A delivery fee per order is extra.

Is raw dog food more expensive than kibble?

For that 20 kg dog, raw from us comes to about $103 to $125 a month. Mid-range kibble is roughly $75 to $115 a month. Premium kibble lands anywhere from about $70 to $125, depending on the brand and how much your dog needs.

So if you’re feeding a budget kibble now, raw will cost you more. If you feed a premium kibble, bulk raw lands in the same range, cheaper than some brands and dearer than others. If you already buy raw in small packs, bulk raw is much cheaper.

Cost is only one side of it. Our guide to what owners like about raw food covers the rest.

Cost by dog size

Raw feeding costs scale with your dog’s weight. Using the same 2.5% of body weight a day:

A very active dog eats closer to 3% and a quieter one closer to 2%, so adjust up or down. Our raw dog food calculator works out your dog’s amount and how many cartons to order.

For a 30 kg dog such as a Lab, our Labrador feeding guide sets out a full week. A 15 kg dog such as a Staffy is worked through in our guide to feeding a Staffy raw.

What raw dog food costs a month

Most people budget by the month, so here’s the same calculator plan worked out over a month, at 2.5% of body weight a day:

The range runs from Chicken Mince at the lower end to Wild Mix at the top, with raw bones, the way the calculator plans it.

Where the delivery fee fits

Delivery is $5 an order, whatever the weight. A 10 kg box of mince or mix lasts a 20 kg dog about three weeks, so one fee covers about three weeks of food. Order two or three boxes at once and it covers six weeks or more, which brings the fee down to cents a day.

A subscription can repeat every 1 to 8 weeks, so you can match it to how long your order lasts and the freezer space you have.

A first order, worked through

Here’s how a first order might look for a moderately active 20 kg dog, eating about 450 g of mince or mix and about 50 g of bone a day:

• Two 10 kg boxes of mince or mix. At about 450 g a day, that’s around six weeks of food.
• One 10 kg carton of bones. At about 50 g a day on average, given as a bone a few times a week, a carton goes a long way, so it lasts for months.
• One delivery fee for the lot.

The calculator does this for your own dog: put in their weight and activity, pick the weeks you want to cover, and it shows the boxes and the cost per day. Each carton is 36 × 27 × 18 cm, so check the freezer has room for three before it arrives.

Ways to keep raw feeding affordable

• Buy in bulk. Small packs are where raw gets expensive. A 10 kg carton of bulk raw dog food costs a fraction of the same weight in 1 kg packs.
• Use chicken as a base. Chicken Mince costs less per kilo than our other minces and has bone minced through it.
• Feed the right amount. Weigh portions for the first few weeks, since feeding 10% too much costs you 10% more.
• Order several weeks at once. The delivery fee is per order, so a bigger order spreads it further.
• Use beef or veal bones. Our beef and veal raw dog bones cost less per kilo than any of our minces.

Why our raw food costs what it does

We sell raw dog food direct in bulk cartons, made to order and delivered by us to homes across Auckland and Waikato. There are no shops and no middlemen, which is how we keep our prices down. Every product’s price per kilo is on our price list.

Mixing raw and kibble

Some owners feed part raw and part kibble to bring the daily cost down. Work out the raw share with the calculator so the total amount stays right. Our guide to how much raw food to feed explains the daily amounts.

As an example, a 20 kg dog on half raw and half mid-range kibble eats about 250 g of raw and about 140 g of kibble a day. The raw share then costs half the figure in the table above.

Common questions

Which raw dog food costs less?

Bought in bulk, Chicken Mince comes in under all our other minces and mixes per kilo, and our beef and veal bones cost less again. Our price list shows every product per kilo.

How much is raw dog food per month?

For a 20 kg dog, about $103 to $125 a month from us, bought in 10 kg boxes. The table above has other sizes.

Is it cheaper to buy mince from the supermarket?

No. Supermarket beef mince passed $24 a kilo in 2026, three to four times our price per kilo. Our guide to pet mince versus supermarket mince compares them.

Do bigger orders cost less per kilo?

The price per box is the same, but delivery is per order, so fewer, bigger orders spread the fee further.

How do I work out my own dog’s cost?

Use the calculator. It shows the daily amount, the cost per day and the boxes to order for the weeks you pick.