Price guide
Maltese price in Singapore, explained honestly
No headline games. Here is our all-in Maltese price, exactly what it includes, how it compares to the market, the red flags of a too-cheap listing, and what a Maltese costs to keep each year.
Nelson and Kim, Curious Tails · AVS licence AS24J00046
How much is a Maltese in Singapore?
Our Maltese are $3,488–$5,988 all-in from Curious Tails, an AVS licensed shop. That covers the puppy, the 30-item starter kit, home delivery, a training lesson, vaccinations, licensing and aftercare, with no surprise add-ons. Market listings range from about SGD 2,000 to $7,800 depending on what is left out.
What a Maltese costs in Singapore
Our Maltese are $3,488–$5,988 all-in in Singapore. That is the honest total, not a headline number with extras bolted on at the counter. It is what you pay to take home a healthy, purebred, pure-white puppy from an AVS licensed pet shop (licence AS24J00046), with the vet health check, microchip, starter kit, home delivery, first training lesson and licensing already inside the figure.
The wider Singapore market is genuinely all over the place, which is why buyers find the search so confusing. Cheap online listings advertise from around SGD 2,000, mid-market pet shops sit near $4,800 nett, and imported Korean-line Maltese run to $6,500 and beyond. "Teacup" and "mini" listings are often quoted highest of all, which is the opposite of what their health warrants. Here is how the numbers we crawled compare, so you can see where an honest all-in price actually sits.
| Source / type | Advertised price | What it usually includes |
|---|---|---|
| Maltese.sg (all-in) | $3,488–$5,988 | Puppy + 30-item starter kit + delivery + training lesson + vaccinations + licensing + aftercare |
| Budget local listings | SGD 2,000–4,000 | Puppy only; kit, delivery, licensing often extra |
| Mid-market pet shops | ~$4,800 nett | Puppy, sometimes a basic kit |
| Korean / imported lines | $6,500–7,800 | Puppy + import; premium on "lines" |
| "Teacup / mini" listings | $3,000–7,000+ | A marketing label, not a size; a health risk |
| Adoption / rescue | SGD 80–300 | Adoption fee; usually an adult or mixed Maltese |
What "all-in" actually includes
When we say all-in, we mean the puppy and the whole first chapter of ownership are covered in one figure, so there is no surprise second invoice on collection day. This itemised list is the part cheaper listings quietly leave out, and it is where a "lower" cost often ends up higher once you add everything back. Every inclusion below is standard on every puppy we place, not an upsell menu.
Included in every Maltese
- The 30-item starter kit ($533 itemised value)
- Free home delivery and playpen setup
- Free first training lesson with an AVS-certified trainer
- Full vaccination (weeks 6/8/12) and deworming on schedule
- Vet health check, microchip and AVS dog licence completed at purchase
- Free boarding up to one month after deposit
- 5-day bring-back-if-sick support and ongoing aftercare advice
Why Maltese prices vary so much
Two Maltese can carry very different price tags for reasons that have nothing to do with how good a companion each will be. Understanding the drivers helps you spot when a premium is real and when it is just marketing.
Provenance matters most: a locally raised puppy with proper health screening from a licensed shop is a different proposition from an anonymous online listing. Imported Korean and European lines add shipping, quarantine and a "line" premium of a thousand dollars or more. Age and size play a part too: very young or unusually small puppies are marketed up, and anything sold as "teacup" is priced as premium while actually being a health liability, which is why we do not sell them.
Then there is the papers question. Buyers often assume a higher price means certificates, and sellers trade on that. Our position is simple: we do not trade on paper certification. For a companion pet, what protects you is the genuine vet health check, complete vaccination records, microchip, honest breed identification and known parentage. Ask any seller what evidence sits behind their price, whether that is lineage paperwork or, as with us, documented health records; a fair seller answers plainly either way.
Red flags of a too-cheap listing
This is the section the listing sites will never write. A price well below the market is not a bargain by default; it is a signal to slow down and ask why. Unlicensed sellers and smuggled puppies skip the vaccinations and quarantine that keep a puppy alive, and a single parvovirus treatment can run $5,000 to $10,000 with no guarantee your dog survives. Enforcement is real: NParks has fined a buyer $7,000 for purchasing a smuggled dog, and cross-border animal-smuggling cases remain an active enforcement focus for ICA.
Even among licensed sellers, a lower sticker often means hidden costs: the starter kit, home delivery, licensing and vaccination are billed separately, and the "cheap" puppy quietly overtakes the honest one. Use this quick triage before you commit to any listing.
| What you see | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No AVS licence number anywhere | Possibly unlicensed or a reseller | Check the AVS public registry before paying |
| Price far below SGD 3,000 for a "purebred puppy" | Costs cut somewhere: health, vaccinations or provenance | Ask for the itemised inclusions in writing |
| No viewing allowed, deposit by transfer only | Classic deposit-scam pattern | Never pay without seeing the puppy |
| "Teacup" or "rare" labels with premium pricing | Marketing label on a fragile, underweight puppy | Avoid; read why teacup is a health risk |
| Vague or missing vaccination records | Schedule skipped or falsified | Insist on dated records and the vet’s details |
| Urgency pressure ("another buyer is coming") | Pushing you past due diligence | A fair seller lets you take a day |
The real first-year cost, itemised
The purchase price is only the start of the first year. Because our figure is all-in, most of the usual first-year add-ons are already covered, but it helps to see the full picture the way we walk every owner through it before they commit. The dog licence is a good example of how affordable the official parts are: a first licence costs just $13.50, and once your Maltese is sterilised from about six months, the rate stays $13.50 a year, with a one-time lifetime licence also available for sterilised dogs.
| Item | Typical cost | With us |
|---|---|---|
| Puppy, all-in | $3,488–$5,988 | The price |
| 30-item starter kit | $533 value | Included |
| Home delivery + playpen setup | $80–150 | Included |
| Core vaccinations + deworming | $300–500 | Included |
| First AVS dog licence | $13.50 | Included |
| First professional groom | $60–100 | From year one |
| Sterilisation (~6–7 months) | $300–600 | From year one |
| Optional pet insurance | $300–600/yr | Owner choice |
The ongoing cost of a Maltese
Beyond year one, the recurring cost is driven by the coat. A Maltese is a small toy breed, so food is a modest monthly line, but grooming is the real one: a full-coat Maltese wants a salon groom every four to six weeks, plus daily brushing and tear-stain care at home. Our white-coat grooming routine explains the cadence; most owners keep a shorter puppy cut, which trims the bill and suits Singapore's heat. On top of that, budget for routine vet checks, the annual booster, licence renewal, and treats, toys and pee pads.
All in, most owners spend roughly SGD 2,500 to 5,000 a yearly cycle, and it is worth remembering the horizon: a Maltese is long-lived, typically 12 to 15 years, so the lifetime commitment is real even though each month is manageable. Optional insurance and a small emergency fund cover the surprises, and senior vet care rises in the later years. For the full breakdown by month and by year, read our full cost-of-ownership breakdown. We would rather you budget honestly now than be surprised in year three; that is what "the gentle companion" should cost you: mostly time, brushing and a predictable set of bills.
The Singapore officialdom: licence, HDB and imports
Overseas price guides skip the local layer entirely, so here it is. First, licensing: every dog in Singapore must be licensed with AVS under NParks AVS dog licensing rules, and we complete your first licence at purchase so your puppy goes home fully legal. Second, housing: the Maltese is named on HDB's approved small-breed list (item 33), so flat owners get a clean yes, subject to the one-dog-per-flat rule; our HDB approval guide for the Maltese covers the details and the HDB pet rules are the official source.
Third, the import route. Bringing a Maltese in yourself means an AVS import licence, rabies vaccination requirements and possible quarantine, and the costs stack up fast on top of the overseas purchase price, which is a large part of why Korean imports retail at $6,500 to $7,800 here. A locally raised, vet-checked puppy skips that entire premium and the transit stress that comes with it.
Adoption: the cheaper, honest alternative
You can always choose to adopt instead, and we will say so on our own money page. Adoption through a Singapore rescue typically costs SGD 80 to 300 as an adoption fee, and what you bring home is usually an adult or a Maltese mix rather than a pure-white puppy. It is a different journey, often a wonderful one, especially for owners who would rather skip the puppy stage. Our guide to adopting a Maltese in Singapore walks through the local groups and what to expect, and if rescue is the right fit for your home, we will happily point you there rather than sell you a puppy.
Paying a deposit and bringing your Maltese home
When you are ready, a deposit holds your chosen puppy while it finishes its vaccination schedule and reaches its go-home age at around nine weeks. During that time we cover free boarding for up to a month, and the jabs continue on schedule at no extra cost. On collection the licence is already done, the starter kit and playpen arrive with the delivery, and you get your first training lesson plus our number for the questions that always come up in the first fortnight.
That is the whole point of an all-in price from Curious Tails: you know the total before you commit, and the aftercare does not stop at the door. We have placed 50+ Maltese with Singapore families, and our 41 Google reviews sit at 5.0. Message us on WhatsApp at +65 8220 6408 and we will talk you through availability, the honest total, and whether a Maltese is genuinely the right fit and value for your home.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a Maltese puppy in Singapore?
Our Maltese are $3,488–$5,988 all-in. That includes the starter kit, home delivery, first training lesson, licensing, vaccinations and aftercare, with no surprise add-ons.
Why are some Maltese so much cheaper?
A low headline price often excludes the starter kit, delivery, licensing and vaccinations, or the puppy comes from an unlicensed source. Add the real costs back and the cheap option is rarely cheaper.
How much does a Maltese cost per year?
Budget roughly SGD 2,500 to 5,000 a year for grooming, food, licensing and routine vet care. Grooming is the biggest recurring cost, and a shorter puppy cut reduces it.
How much is the dog licence for a Maltese?
The first AVS dog licence is $13.50. Once your Maltese is sterilised, it stays $13.50 a year, with a one-time lifetime licence option for sterilised dogs. We complete the first licence at purchase.
Do you sell teacup Maltese, and why are they pricier?
No. Teacup is a marketing label, not a real size, and often a health risk. It is priced as a premium but is a liability. We place healthy standard toy Maltese only.
Are imported or Korean-line Maltese better value?
They usually cost more ($6,500 and up) because of shipping, import requirements and a line premium. Our locally raised, vet-checked puppies are healthy companions without the import mark-up.
Is there a deposit, and can I hold a puppy?
Yes. A deposit holds your puppy until it reaches its go-home age at around nine weeks, with free boarding up to a month and vaccinations continuing on schedule at no extra cost.
What is included in the all-in price exactly?
The puppy, the 30-item starter kit ($533 value), free home delivery and playpen setup, a first training lesson, full vaccinations and deworming, vet health check, microchip and licensing, free boarding up to a month, and 5-day bring-back-if-sick support.
Meet your Maltese
Come say hello at Balestier
2 Balestier Road #01-701, Singapore 320002 · Weekdays 12pm–6pm · Weekends 10am–6pm. Or message us first: tell us about your home and routine, and we'll tell you honestly if a Maltese fits.
See what is available
Browse our current pure-white Maltese and ask for the all-in price on any puppy.
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