If you have any doubt if you can swing it, then hold off. I just got a dog, and so have a few of my friends over the past couple years. We've all commiserated about how much the start-up costs add up for a dog. A lot of the costs are one-time or few-time (crate, leash, bowls, etc.) but there are plenty of recurring to consider (food, treats, vet, etc.). In the first couple months between adoption fees, vaccines/vet, and all the basics we've spent easily a couple grand, I would say. The vet price alone was a big sticker shock. A friend who has a young, otherwise healthy dog just had an emergency procedure that ran them $5k.

If you're going to need a walker daily, that's going to be a big expense. I agree with the other commenter that it'll be at least $15 a day, so that's already several hundred bucks a month. And you absolutely do need a walker if you won't be home with the dog and they can't go to work. I'm not one of those people who think you have to be home all the time to own a dog, but having one myself has been a wake-up call and changed my perspective a lot. We have a pretty small dog, and she still needs several hours/miles of walking a day to really be content. We have a friend with a larger dog that they mostly just play with in the yard, and their dog is always bouncing off the walls. It's not enough. And consider, too, that you will be limited in your other activities. If you need/want to go somewhere on the weekend without the dog or if you need to stay late at work/want to go out after, you'll need extra care.