How Much Does a Koi Fish Cost?

Quick answer: A small pet-store koi usually costs under $50. A hand-selected Japanese koi typically costs $800 to $5,000, depending on its variety, size, age and quality. At Toyoma Koi, most of our Japanese koi sell for $1,800 to $2,500, with a median price of about $2,000.

These are typical U.S. price ranges for different grades of koi:

At the very top of the market, prize-winning koi sell at auction in Japan for remarkable sums. The most expensive koi on record, a Kohaku named “S Legend,” sold in 2018 for about $1.8 million.

Most price guides stop at broad ranges. Here are real prices from the 66 Japanese koi currently listed or recently sold at Toyoma Koi (as of September 2026). You can also browse past sales in our sold koi gallery.

Koi price by size

Koi price by age

Koi price by variety

“Typical price” is the median: half of our koi in that group cost less, and half cost more.

A quality koi’s price reflects years of work before it ever reaches your pond:

• Selective breeding. A single spawning can produce hundreds of thousands of fry. Japanese breeders cull them again and again, and only a small fraction show the color, pattern and body they’re looking for.
• Time. Koi are raised for years in Japan’s mud ponds to build size and body. A 3-year-old, 24-inch koi represents three seasons of feeding, care and risk.
• Bloodlines. Koi from respected Japanese breeders carry generations of refinement, which is why they command more than mass-produced domestic koi.
• Importing. Bringing a koi from Japan to the U.S. involves health checks, air freight, quarantine and specialized handling.
• Individuality. No two koi are alike. When a koi has an exceptional pattern, there is no second one to sell.

• Variety. The classic “Gosanke” varieties (Kohaku, Sanke and Showa) are the most sought-after and are often priced higher. See our guide to koi varieties.
• Size. Bigger koi cost more. In our listings, a typical 24-inch koi costs about $500 more than a 20-inch one, and koi over 28 inches start around $4,000.
• Age. An older koi has already shown how its color and pattern develop, so there’s less of a gamble for the buyer.
• Pattern and skin quality. Crisp pattern edges, balanced markings, deep color and clean, lustrous skin are what separate a $1,500 koi from a $5,000 one.
• Body shape. A full, well-proportioned body signals good genetics and growth potential. Females often grow larger and fuller-bodied, which is why many collectors prefer them.
• Where it was bred. Imported Japanese koi generally cost more than domestic koi because of their bloodlines, grading and import costs.

Size is the question we hear most, so here are straight answers:

• 10-inch koi: often under $100 for a domestic pond koi, and typically a few hundred dollars for a young Japanese import.
• 20-inch koi: $1,200 to $3,000 for a Japanese koi at Toyoma Koi, typically about $2,000.
• 24-inch koi: $1,800 to $4,800, typically about $2,500.
• 28-inch and larger koi: $4,000 and up. Jumbo koi approaching 3 feet are rare and are usually priced individually.

At Toyoma Koi you can buy koi two ways. Buy Now koi have a fixed price, so you know exactly what you’ll pay. Live auction koi go to the highest bidder, so the final price is set by bidding.

Shipping a live koi isn’t like shipping a box. The cost depends on the koi’s size, the water and oxygen it needs, the box and the distance. That’s why we charge for the koi first, then send you an exact shipping quote once your fish is packed and ready, instead of a padded flat rate. Local pickup at our facility in Tustin, California is always free. See how shipping works.

If you’re new to koi, also budget for a properly sized pond and filtration. A healthy environment protects your investment.