Best dog food for large breeds: cost comparison
Feeding a large breed dog is expensive. A 70-pound Lab eating 1,600 calories a day goes through about 30 pounds of kibble per month. At premium prices, that can hit $100+ monthly. But price alone does not tell you much — a cheap food that requires bigger portions can cost more per day than a pricier food with higher calorie density.
I pulled pricing on 12 popular large breed dog foods and calculated the actual daily cost to feed a 70-pound moderately active dog. The results might change how you shop.
Cost per day comparison
| Brand | Price/30lb bag | Kcal/cup | Cups/day | Cost/day | Cost/month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purina Pro Plan Large Breed | $55 | 411 | 3.9 | $1.90 | $57 |
| Diamond Naturals Large Breed | $42 | 339 | 4.7 | $1.83 | $55 |
| Blue Buffalo Life Protection Large | $60 | 374 | 4.3 | $2.53 | $76 |
| Taste of the Wild High Prairie | $52 | 370 | 4.3 | $2.26 | $68 |
| Iams Large Breed Adult | $40 | 355 | 4.5 | $1.76 | $53 |
| Nutro Ultra Large Breed | $65 | 385 | 4.2 | $2.67 | $80 |
| Orijen Original | $90 | 449 | 3.6 | $3.17 | $95 |
| Merrick Grain Free Large Breed | $68 | 380 | 4.2 | $2.80 | $84 |
| Victor Hi-Pro Plus | $50 | 396 | 4.0 | $1.95 | $59 |
| Kirkland (Costco) Nature Domain | $35 | 365 | 4.4 | $1.48 | $44 |
| Purina ONE SmartBlend Large | $42 | 398 | 4.0 | $1.64 | $49 |
| Hill's Science Diet Large Breed | $62 | 363 | 4.4 | $2.78 | $83 |
Prices based on typical online retail (Amazon, Chewy) as of February 2026. Actual prices vary by retailer and region.
What stands out
Kirkland (Costco) Nature's Domain is the clear budget winner at $1.48/day. But you need a Costco membership ($65/year) which adds to the real cost if you do not already have one. Purina ONE is the best value without a membership requirement at $1.64/day.
On the premium end, Orijen costs more than double the budget options. You are paying for higher meat content and fewer carbohydrate fillers. Whether that translates to better health outcomes is debatable — there is no strong evidence that ultra-premium kibble produces measurably healthier dogs than mid-tier foods that meet AAFCO standards.
Calorie density matters
Notice how Orijen at $90/bag has the lowest daily cost among premium foods? That is because it packs 449 kcal per cup — your dog eats fewer cups per day. Meanwhile, a cheaper food like Diamond Naturals at 339 kcal/cup requires bigger daily portions, which partially offsets the lower bag price.
Always calculate cost per calorie or cost per day, not just cost per bag. Our price comparison tool does this math automatically.
What to actually look for
Beyond price, a good large breed food should have:
- Named meat as the first ingredient (chicken, beef, salmon — not "meat meal" or "animal by-products")
- Controlled calcium levels (0.7-1.5% for adults, 0.7-1.2% for puppies)
- Glucosamine and chondroitin — many large breed formulas include these for joint support
- AAFCO statement confirming the food is complete and balanced
- No history of frequent recalls (check the FDA recall database)
Autoship discounts add up
Both Chewy and Amazon offer 5-10% discounts on autoship/subscribe orders. For a large breed owner spending $50-90 per bag, that saves $3-9 per bag or $36-108 per year. Worth setting up even if you occasionally adjust the delivery schedule.
Find the best value food for your specific dog with our price comparison tool.
Want to dig deeper into breed-specific costs? See our monthly cost breakdown by breed size. And if you are considering alternatives to kibble, check our raw diet vs kibble cost comparison.