Home / Breeds / Compare / Golden Retriever vs Bulldog
The Golden Retriever is a large breed described as "Friendly, eager, gentle and steady", while the Bulldog is a medium breed described as "Calm, courageous, dignified and sweet". On estimated monthly costs the Golden Retriever works out cheaper, at about $95 a month for food plus the midpoint of insurance, about $23 less than the Bulldog at $118. For daily exercise, plan around 75 minutes a day at the middle of the Golden Retriever range, against 30 minutes a day for the Bulldog.
| Measure | Golden Retriever | Bulldog |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Sporting | Non-Sporting |
| Size class | large | medium |
| Height | 21.5 to 24 in | 14 to 15 in |
| Weight | 55 to 75 lb | 40 to 50 lb |
| Lifespan | 10 to 12 years | 8 to 10 years |
| Exercise per day | 60 to 90 minutes | 20 to 40 minutes |
| Good with children | Good with children | Good with children |
| With other dogs | Good with dogs | Usually good with dogs |
| Apartment life | With enough exercise | Well suited |
| Energy | 4 of 5 | 2 of 5 |
| Trainability | 5 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| Grooming needs | 4 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| Shedding | 5 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| Barking | 3 of 5 | 2 of 5 |
| Coat | Dense, water repellent double coat with feathering on the chest, legs and tail. | Short, smooth, fine coat over loose, wrinkled skin. |
| Food cost per month | $40 | $30 |
| Insurance per month | $40 to $70 | $65 to $110 |
| Estimated total per month | $95 (estimate) | $118 (estimate) |
Estimated totals add the standard tier food estimate for a typical adult to the midpoint of the insurance range in each breed profile. They are planning estimates, not quotes, and the method behind them is on our methodology page.
The biggest gap is daily exercise: the middle of the Golden Retriever plan is about 75 minutes a day, against 30 minutes a day for the Bulldog.
The next biggest gap is size: the middle of the Golden Retriever weight range is about 65 lb, against 45 lb for the Bulldog, a difference of about 20 lb.
The third gap worth noting is lifespan: the middle of the Golden Retriever range is 11 years, against 9 years for the Bulldog.
Golden Retriever: Friendly, eager, gentle and steady. Few breeds match the Golden Retriever for warmth and willingness.
Bulldog: Calm, courageous, dignified and sweet. The modern Bulldog is a gentle, dignified companion, worlds away from its fighting ancestors.
Food for a typical adult runs about $40 a month for the Golden Retriever (65 lb, roughly 3.7 cups a day at a standard quality tier) and about $30 a month for the Bulldog (45 lb, roughly 2.8 cups a day). Insurance usually falls between $40 and $70 a month for the Golden Retriever, and between $65 and $110 a month for the Bulldog. Adding food to the midpoint of insurance gives an estimated total of about $95 a month for the Golden Retriever and $118 a month for the Bulldog. That difference is driven mainly by insurance, where the midpoint for the Golden Retriever sits at $55 a month against $88 for the Bulldog, a gap of about $32, ahead of the food gap of about $10.
Run your own numbers, including year one costs, in the cost of a dog calculator. How every figure on this page is built and checked is set out on our methodology page.
The Bulldog costs more on these estimates, at about $118 a month against $95 for the Golden Retriever, a difference of about $23. The total is food at a standard tier plus the midpoint of the insurance range for each breed.
The Golden Retriever needs more exercise: 60 to 90 minutes a day, against 20 to 40 minutes a day for the Bulldog.
Both profiles carry the same rating, "Good with children", so this pairing does not separate them on children. Size, energy and steady supervision matter more than the label here.
Read the full profiles: Golden Retriever and Bulldog. Try any two breeds in the interactive compare tool, browse all popular breed comparisons, or take the breed quiz to score all 469 profiles against your life.
Last updated: November 2026