How Much Does It Cost to Keep Ants?
Keeping ants is often much cheaper than people expect. You do not need an expensive formicarium or a huge collection of equipment to get started.
For most beginners in Europe, you can start with around €30–€70, depending on the species and setup you choose. After the initial purchase, ongoing costs are usually quite low.
How Much Does a First Ant Colony Cost?
Your biggest initial costs are usually the colony itself and the setup.
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Ant queen or small colony | €10–€40 |
| Test tube / founding setup | €2–€10 |
| Small formicarium | €15–€40 |
| Ant food | €3–€10 |
| Accessories | €5–€15 |
You can therefore get a perfectly good beginner setup without spending hundreds of euros.
Some species, rare morphs and larger colonies can cost considerably more, but they are not necessary for getting started.
How Much Does It Cost to Feed Ants?
This is where ant keeping gets surprisingly cheap.
Most colonies eat very small amounts of food. Depending on the species, you may use seeds for species like Messor barbarus, insects and sugar water for species like Camponotus nicobarensis or other suitable foods.
A small bag of seeds or a small container of feeder insects can last a long time because an ant colony simply does not eat the same amount as a typical pet.
For a small colony, food might only cost a few euros per month.
Some suitable food can also be bought in larger quantities, which reduces the cost even further.
Do Ants Need an Expensive Formicarium?
Not at first.
A small colony can often stay in a test tube setup until it has grown enough to need more space.
This is actually one of the easiest ways to save money.
There is little point putting a queen with five workers into a €100 formicarium with dozens of empty chambers.
Start small and upgrade when the colony needs it.
What Are the Ongoing Costs?
Once you already have the basic setup, ant keeping can be very inexpensive.
Your regular costs are mainly:
- Food
- Replacement test tubes
- Substrate or nesting materials when needed
- Electricity if you use heating
- New equipment as the colony grows
For a single small colony, ongoing costs can be only a few euros per month.
Heating can increase this, particularly if you keep several colonies or use heat throughout the year.
Is Ant Keeping Cheaper Than Other Pets?
For many people, yes.
Ants do not need daily walks, large amounts of food or expensive veterinary care. They also require very little space compared with traditional pets.
The main expense is usually the initial setup, not the day to day care.
And once you start keeping several colonies, the costs can obviously increase. More colonies mean more food, equipment and potentially more specialised setups.
How Much Should You Budget as a Beginner?
A realistic starting budget would be around €50.
That can cover a small beginner colony for example Messor barbarus, a simple founding setup, food and a basic formicarium or outworld, depending on the species and where you buy it.
You can spend much more, of course. But you really do not need to.
The best approach is to buy equipment based on what the colony actually needs rather than trying to build the most impressive setup from day one.
Final Thoughts
Ant keeping is one of those hobbies where it is very easy to spend more than you need to.
A simple setup can work perfectly well, especially during the early stages of a colony.
For most beginners, €30–€70 is enough to get started, while ongoing costs are generally low.
Start with one healthy colony, keep the setup simple and let the ants grow into the hobby with you.