However much you are willing to spend is the honest answer here. In general, roughly $2,000 for a bike, elliptical, or treadmill and over $5,000 for full-weight machines like you use at a big named gym.
Before answering this question with accurate figures, factors to consider start with how much you can afford, what equipment you need or want, and its purpose once you buy it.
There is also the option to lease or buy outright and whether it is a business or personal expense. The breakdown below should help.
Will you Rent or Own?
Much like buying a home or a car, large gym equipment can be leased or purchased outright. Typically, your smaller pieces like dumbbells, kettlebells, mats, benches, and bars are cheap enough to buy them outright and will last your lifetime.
Larger pieces like treadmills and weight machines will be pricey enough to consider leasing or buying used ones. Leasing gym equipment of this size costs anywhere from $60 a month PER PIECE to over $100 a month for that same piece. It depends on the quantity and brand you want in your gym.
Before you decide whether to buy or lease, look at the average purchase costs of some popular gym equipment.
*As with any gym equipment purchase, consider safety and warm-up before using*
Price Ranges Based on Equipment
Treadmills
You can get a great deal on a treadmill if you buy second-hand (I took mine off my mom’s hands when she was done, and it works perfectly for my at-home gym needs!). Searching on social media platforms or online garage sale sites is a huge money saver, BUT if you want to buy new…
Grab a good deal on a lower budget with treadmills around $500-$1,000. These will have limited options and probably a lower horsepower motor, but they definitely get the job done.
Middle-class treadmills, usually for small gym owners or serious runners who prefer more speed and incline options, will run you over $1,000 but usually at most $2,000.
Top-notch options can cost you well over the $2,000 mark and even over $5,000. These are usually what you see if big commercial gyms. They are industrial-sized, big, bulky, and not meant to be folded up or moved for added floor space.
Ellipticals
This gym equipment costs a little less than your average treadmill because it is a simpler machine, but it still brings value to your workout session. A good machine that lasts you at least 3 years will run you approximately $1,000-$2,000.
If you are looking for a machine to use occasionally at home, maybe while you watch your late-night TV show, you can get a budget-friendly elliptical for $150-$500.
The best way to consider pricing for large gym equipment is to remember- you get what you pay for, so dropping $1,000 or more isn’t out of the ordinary to stay safe and get quality equipment.
Gyms will invest in big, high-quality machines that cost well over $3,000. These are meant for daily, multiple-time uses and tend to be bulkier than small gyms or at-home users have the room to store.
Stationary Bikes
Aside from the fact that there are 4 basic types of stationary bikes for various workout methods, the prices vary, not only based on what they do but also on who makes them AND their features. Bicycles are by far the most varying in price for this type of gym equipment.
Air- $700-$1,300
Recumbent- $400-$700
Spin or Indoor Cycle- $400-$2,000 PLUS
Upright- $250-$700
Each type of bike costs an average cost between $700-$1,300, depending on features and brand alone. You can certainly get a long list of bikes for under even $500, but I fear you will be compromising comfort for the price tag. Make sure you know what you want your bike to do for you before making this purchase.
Home Gym Machines
These machines are meant to roll numerous gym equipment options into one and provide a full-body workout, focusing more on strength training than cardio. But they can be dangerous for kids and can’t be “put away” or stored for safety.
Price ranges are typically well over $1,000 for a machine that does what multiple smaller pieces of gym equipment do solo, but to put an average on them is hard. The factors include size, function, technology, and features.
Growing up, Bowflex was the shiznit for the full-body at-home gym. It was thousands of dollars back then and still holds to almost $2,000 today. Now you can buy a complete home gym for $4,000, and it takes up no more room than a mirror on the wall and a bench.
Smaller Gym Equipment
The little things in the gym are still vital to your progress, but MUCH easier on your wallet.
‘Bells (Kettle, Dumb, Bar)- $25-$400
Flat Weights- $45-$300
Weighted Balls- $30-$150
Benches (flat, adjustable, wheeled, stationary)- $100-$1,000
Bands, Sliders, Jump Ropes- $10-$35
How Much and its Purpose
Now that you have a better idea of just how much each addition to your gym might cost, you have to decide what is worth the investment and what purpose it serves your goals.
Some people go out and buy the latest and greatest things but never use them when all they needed was free weights, a bench, and a treadmill.
If your workout schedule doesn’t call for regular cardio, save some money and get a budget-friendly option. If you are serious about strength training, invest in a full at-home gym machine and save yourself the time of collecting the smaller gym equipment and that elliptical that might only get used a few times a month.
Whatever you choose to buy, measure the cost of the gym equipment you WANT to buy against what you NEED to buy and save money where you can.