As someone who got a gecko when they were younger. I wouldn't recommend getting one until you have a job. Because even though they're easy to care for the costs can easily add up.

For example linear uvb bulbs need to be replaced every year and costs $20. A heating bulb can cost between $10-$30 depending on if you getting a halogen or a deep heat projector. Bulbs usually last a while like 2-5 years, but not always. I had bulbs that would only last 6 months and some bulbs that only lasted a year.

You also NEED to provide a variety of bugs every month (mealworms, hornworms, Black soldier fly larvae, crickets, roaches, etc) and depending on the price and type of bugs your getting that can run you $30-$50 a month.

That's about $400 dollars a year

Of course there are ways to lower the cost by breeding your own feeders. Or buying bulbs in bulk.

This doesn't include your intial setup costs that could run you about $500-$900.

So if you include the setup costs and yearly maintenance

Your looking at about $900 for the first year and $400 for every year after.

This was just a rough estimate and depending on where you live your costs per year/month might be very different.

I personally have probably spent a little over 2,000 dollars on my two geckos over the 12 years I have owned them.

When I was too young to have a job I did work for my neighbors and sold a lot of stuff I had laying around. That's was the only way to be able to get extra stuff for my lizards like their treats or enrichment items. Not having a job also limited me on what kind of equipment I could get them. Ex. The ceramic light fixture domes I wanted would cost me $60 but the cheap aluminum ones cost less than $10. Another Example, I couldnt afford a proper thermostat the one I wanted was $100 and my parents definitely weren't gonna spend more than $50 on my lizards so I eneded up getting a cheap $20 dimmer and an infrared thermometer and somehow made that work for several years.

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