Running is a cheap way to exercise, right? All you need is a pair of running shoes and you’re good to go.
But any runner who has ended up buying a second (or third) pair of shoes, some technical running gear, a running watch, and entered a race will know that this ‘cheap’ hobby can get expensive.
But how expensive is it to run a marathon? What does it really cost to run a marathon? Can you run a marathon on a budget?
Taking on races is something that many runners love to do as a hobby, and races are marked on calendars months in advance. For many of us, it’s the way we like to spend our spare time and our spare money, and we look forward to the travel experience as much as the race itself. But it can be very expensive to run a marathon when you include everything from your training to the race itself.
The most expensive things to consider when running a marathon are:
Race entry
Travel and hotels for race
Running shoes (especially race shoes)
Race kit and training kit
Running techology like a watch and headphones
Running nutrition like gels, plus the additional food you eat to sustain training
Gym membership, physio, massage, and other miscellaneous costs
We’re going to look at each of these and more and see low, average and expensive values for each of these categories. We’ll also see a real example of the cost of a race, and ways to run a marathon on a budget.
HOW MUCH DOES IT REALLY COST TO RUN A MARATHON?
We’ve used a universal $ sign below, but amounts should be considered as a midpoint between GBP, USD and EUR. While that’s not exact, it’s a good representative number for you to compare to your own currency. This accounts for a 16-week training programme as that’s how long it takes to train for a marathon.
Based on the figures below, and assuming travel plus two nights accommodation, the average cost to run a marathon may be around $2,000. But there are many variables, and there are ways to do it for less money.
🎟️ RACE ENTRY
Races are getting expensive. Big US marathons are often at least $250 to enter, and plenty of other races are over $200. Smaller local races can be cheaper options for runners, though they don’t come with the prestige or atmosphere of a big city marathon.
Low: Under $75
Average: $75-150
Expensive: $150+
✈️ TRAVEL, HOTEL & FOOD (AND MERCH)
Travel and hotels will likely be the biggest expense if you’re doing a marathon, unless the race is in your hometown. Costs vary greatly plus we each have an amount we’re comfortable spending on a hotel (that might be $100 a night, or it might be $1,000). During big city races, hotels can sell out quickly and can be more expensive than usual. Expect to spend at least $200-300 per night.
Flights (or other travel like trains or car fuel) will vary depending on how far you’re going, so it’s impossible to estimate an amount for that. You may also be paying for a partner or kids to travel with you.
You’ll need food when travelling. You could prepare your own food to keep costs lower, or you might want to go and celebrate with nice food and drink afterwards.
And then there’s buying stuff at the expo. Some people are happy to skip this, while others leave head-to-toe in race merch, especially at the Marathon Majors.
Hometown: $0-50
Low: Under $300
Average: $300-1,000
Expensive: $1,000+
🎽 TRAINING KIT & SHOES
You may already have everything you need, but you may be the kind of runner who signs up for a race and then goes straight out to buy new shoes to train in and new kit to wear.
You may also want some accessories like a belt or pack to carry race nutrition, water bottles or soft flasks, a head torch or waterproof jacket for winter runs.
Low: Under $200
Average: $200-400
Expensive: $400+
👟 RACING KIT & SHOES
Compared to training kit, race kit can be more expensive. Carbon plate running shoes often cost $200 a pair, and race-specific kit can have a premium price tag. You may or may not require anything new here.
Low: Under $200
Average: $200-300
Expensive: $300+
💧 NUTRITION
Nutrition might be something that ends up being one of the more expensive aspects of marathon running because to perform well, you need to eat and drink well.
It’s important to fuel your training runs as well as your race. For hard workouts and long runs, you want to take gels and other race nutrition – most gels cost around $2 each, and you may need more than 50 gels during your training block. You might want electrolytes, different supplements and vitamins (like these legal performance enhancers), plus you’re going to be more hungry, so you need more food in your weekly shop.
Low: Under $200
Average: $200-400
Expensive: $400+
⌚ RUNNING TECH & EQUIPMENT
This one could be zero or it could be $$$. You may have a watch and heart rate monitor and anything else you might need, so won’t spend anything. But you might want to invest in new tech for your training: a running watch can cost from $100 to over $1,000; heart rate monitors are $100; good headphones are $100-150; there’s compression boots, foot stride pods, running sunglasses, a treadmill, exercise bike, and more. You don’t need any of this, but some runners want these things.
💆 GYM, PHYSIO, MASSAGE, COACHING, ETC
This one covers a lot of possibilities, and while you may consider some things here to be essential, others will not be in your plans.
You might be a runner who likes a regular massage or sauna, or you may require a couple of visits to the physio. You may pay for a coach or coaching app. You might buy a gym membership or your own strength equipment, if you don’t already have them.
Low: Under $200
Average: $200-400
Expensive: $400+
🧴 MISCELLANEOUS
And then there’s all the other stuff. That could be blister plasters, KT tape, freeze spray, nipple plasters, anti-chafe, special pins for your race bib. Basically any additional running-related item which helps you during training or racing.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO RUN A TRAIL MARATHON OR ULTRAMARATHON?
The cost of running a trail marathon or ultramarathon will likely be similar to running a road marathon, but you may require more equipment (here’s what to carry on a trail run).
You might need a running pack, a jacket or other adverse/cold weather gear, poles, a watch with good mapping technology, more nutrition (in the race and during training), trail running shoes, a head torch, and more. Always check your race mandatory kit list before entering so that you know what equipment you’ll need.
A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE OF HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO RUN A MARATHON
Writing this made me wonder exactly how much my most recent marathon cost me. So instead of a hypothetical cost, here’s what I actually spent.
Some details: This was a big city European marathon (not a Marathon Major) where I travelled for two nights. I used a lot of gels in training, but also make my own energy drink to save money. I didn’t buy any new kit for the race. I required some physio sessions near the end of the training block which was an additional (unbudgeted) cost.
As a comparison, I ran the Boston Marathon in 2024 and the total cost was more than £3,000. That included a five-night trip (in the cheapest accommodation I could find), training and race shoes, and lots of money spent in Boston at the expo and on food and drink around the race.
But running a marathon doesn’t have to be expensive.
HOW TO SAVE MONEY WHEN RUNNING A MARATHON
To save money when running a marathon, consider these tips:
Run small and/or local races. Entry fees are often cheaper, plus you’ll save on travel and hotel costs, which are often the biggest expense of a marathon.
Make your own running nutrition instead of expensive gels and drink mix.
Buy running shoes in the sale, and get more miles out of them. Most shoes can last for 300 miles (500km) or more, and a pair of supershoes should be able to get through at least four marathons (as long as they still feel good for you).
Look for second-hand tech if you want a new watch or other equipment
Volunteer at races and you’ll often get a free or discounted place for a future race, saving race entry.
Thinking about running your own marathon? Here’s a complete guide to marathon training.
Here’s a video of Sarah running the London Marathon. Some people say you can’t put a price on experiences like this. But actually you can: it’s about two grand!
FAQ ON HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO RUN A MARATHON
Why are marathons so expensive?General entry in big city marathons often costs over £100/$150, and sometimes costs more than £250/$300. Each race sets their own fee. Much of those costs go towards the organisation of race including road closures, policing, staff, medical support, water stations, and much more.
What’s the most expensive marathon to run?The New York City Marathon is one of the most expensive races to run. Entry in 2024 was $358 for international runners ($295 for people who aren’t members of New York Road Runners). The NYC Marathon is logistically also one of the most complex marathons, taking place around the city’s five boroughs.
Is running expensive?Running can be a very expensive hobby, especially if you’re someone who likes to have the latest kit and likes to take part in lots of races. But running doesn’t need to be expensive. As long as you’ve got a pair of running shoes which fit you well and you’ve got the basic kit you need, then you’re good to go. But it’s true for many people that the more they run, the more they find they want to spend money on.
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