Idioms for expensive are useful English expressions that describe things that cost a lot of money. They help you talk about high prices, costly products, and expensive experiences in a natural and interesting way.
You can use these idioms while shopping, discussing bills, or talking about luxury items with friends. Expressions such as “cost an arm and a leg” make everyday conversations more expressive and easier to understand.
In this article, you will learn 25 idioms for expensive, along with their meanings and example sentences. These expressions will help you improve your English vocabulary and use natural English in daily conversations.
1. Cost an Arm and a Leg
Meaning: To be extremely expensive or cost a very large amount of money.
In a Sentence: The new smartphone cost an arm and a leg, so I decided to buy a more affordable model.
Other Ways to Say:
- Cost a fortune
- Be very expensive
- Cost a small fortune
2. Cost a Fortune
Meaning: To cost an unusually large amount of money.
In a Sentence: Buying a house in the city center can cost a fortune.
Other Ways to Say:
- Cost an arm and a leg
- Be incredibly pricey
- Cost a lot of money
3. Break the Bank
Meaning: To spend more money than you can comfortably afford.
In a Sentence: We wanted to enjoy a family vacation without breaking the bank, so we booked a budget-friendly hotel.
Other Ways to Say:
- Spend too much
- Go over budget
- Empty your wallet
4. Pay Through the Nose
Meaning: To pay an excessively high price for something.
In a Sentence: We had to pay through the nose for a hotel room during the holiday season.
Other Ways to Say:
- Pay an excessive amount
- Get charged a fortune
- Pay an inflated price
5. A Pretty Penny
Meaning: A considerable amount of money, often more than expected.
In a Sentence: That designer handbag must have cost a pretty penny.
Other Ways to Say:
- A lot of money
- A small fortune
- A substantial sum
6. Cost the Earth
Meaning: To be extremely expensive.
In a Sentence: You do not need a luxury watch that costs the earth to look stylish.
Other Ways to Say:
- Cost a fortune
- Be outrageously expensive
- Be extremely pricey
7. Worth Its Weight in Gold
Meaning: To be extremely valuable or useful, sometimes regardless of its price.
In a Sentence: During our road trip, the reliable mechanic was worth his weight in gold when our car broke down.
Other Ways to Say:
- Be invaluable
- Be priceless
- Be extremely valuable
8. Top-Dollar
Meaning: The highest or a very high price for a product or service.
In a Sentence: The company was willing to pay top dollar for an experienced software developer.
Other Ways to Say:
- Pay the highest price
- Pay premium rates
- Pay a premium
9. High-End
Meaning: Expensive and usually associated with superior quality, luxury, or exclusive design.
In a Sentence: The shopping mall is famous for its high-end fashion boutiques.
Other Ways to Say:
- Luxury
- Premium
- Upscale
10. Big-Ticket Item
Meaning: An expensive purchase that usually requires careful financial planning.
In a Sentence: A new car is a big-ticket item, so we saved money for several months before buying one.
Other Ways to Say:
- Major purchase
- Costly item
- Expensive investment
11. Money to Burn
Meaning: To have so much money that spending a large amount does not seem like a problem.
In a Sentence: He bought the latest gaming system because he had money to burn.
Other Ways to Say:
- Have money to spare
- Be wealthy
- Have plenty of cash
12. Put a Dent in Your Wallet
Meaning: To reduce the money you have by making an expensive purchase.
In a Sentence: The unexpected car repair put a dent in my wallet this month.
Other Ways to Say:
- Cost a lot
- Eat into your savings
- Strain your budget
13. Empty Your Pockets
Meaning: To spend most or all of your available money.
In a Sentence: Shopping for designer clothes can empty your pockets if you do not set a spending limit.
Other Ways to Say:
- Spend all your money
- Drain your wallet
- Use up your savings
14. Burn a Hole in Your Pocket
Meaning: Traditionally, this expression means that money seems to urge someone to spend it quickly. It can also describe money that is spent as soon as it becomes available.
In a Sentence: The bonus was burning a hole in his pocket, so he immediately started looking for a new laptop.
Other Ways to Say:
- Be eager to spend money
- Spend money quickly
- Have an urge to shop
15. Cost a Bomb
Meaning: To be extremely expensive. This expression is especially common in British English and some other varieties of English.
In a Sentence: The repairs on that vintage sports car cost a bomb.
Other Ways to Say:
- Cost a fortune
- Cost an arm and a leg
- Be very pricey
16. Pay a Premium
Meaning: To pay more than the standard price, often for better quality, convenience, or exclusivity.
In a Sentence: We decided to pay a premium for seats with extra legroom on our long flight.
Other Ways to Say:
- Pay extra
- Pay a higher price
- Pay for superior service
17. Price Through the Roof
Meaning: To have a price that has risen to an extremely high level.
In a Sentence: Since the festival began, hotel prices have gone through the roof.
Other Ways to Say:
- Become extremely expensive
- Skyrocket in price
- Rise dramatically
18. The Sky’s the Limit
Meaning: There is no apparent upper limit to how much someone can spend, achieve, or pursue.
In a Sentence: When it comes to designing their dream home, the sky’s the limit if they can afford it.
Other Ways to Say:
- No upper limit
- Unlimited possibilities
- As much as you want
19. A King’s Ransom
Meaning: An enormous amount of money paid or demanded for something.
In a Sentence: He paid a king’s ransom for the rare antique painting.
Other Ways to Say:
- A huge sum of money
- A small fortune
- An enormous price
20. Worth a Fortune
Meaning: To have a very high monetary value.
In a Sentence: That signed first edition could be worth a fortune to a book collector.
Other Ways to Say:
- Be extremely valuable
- Be worth a lot
- Have a high market value
21. Sell Your Soul
Meaning: To sacrifice your principles, values, or happiness for money or another major benefit. This is a figurative expression rather than a direct synonym for expensive.
In a Sentence: She refused to sell her soul just to earn more money at a company whose values she opposed.
Other Ways to Say:
- Compromise your principles
- Sacrifice your values
- Give up your integrity
22. Live Like a King
Meaning: To enjoy a luxurious lifestyle with plenty of comfort, food, and money.
In a Sentence: During his stay at the five-star resort, he lived like a king.
Other Ways to Say:
- Live in luxury
- Enjoy the high life
- Live lavishly
23. Champagne Taste on a Beer Budget
Meaning: To want expensive or luxurious things while having limited money to spend.
In a Sentence: She has champagne taste on a beer budget, so she looks for designer clothes during sales.
Other Ways to Say:
- Expensive tastes with limited funds
- Want luxury on a budget
- Aspire to an unaffordable lifestyle
24. Burn Through Money
Meaning: To spend money very quickly, often without careful planning.
In a Sentence: If you keep ordering expensive takeout every night, you will burn through your money before the end of the month.
Other Ways to Say:
- Spend money rapidly
- Go through cash quickly
- Run through your savings
25. Not Worth the Money
Meaning: To cost more than the value, quality, or experience justifies.
In a Sentence: The restaurant looked impressive, but the food was not worth the money.
Other Ways to Say:
- Poor value for money
- Not worth the price
- Overpriced
How to Use Idioms for Expensive Naturally
Using idioms correctly can make your English more expressive, but it is important to match the expression to the situation.
- For extremely high prices: Use cost an arm and a leg, cost a fortune, or cost the earth.
- For spending beyond your budget: Use break the bank, put a dent in your wallet, or burn through money.
- For luxury and high value: Use high-end, pay a premium, or worth its weight in gold.
- For expensive tastes: Use champagne taste on a beer budget.
- For poor value: Use not worth the money.
Example conversation:
Ali: How was your new apartment?
Sara: It is beautiful, but the rent costs an arm and a leg.
Ali: I can imagine! Does it at least offer good value for money?
Sara: The location is excellent, so I think it is worth the price.
Remember that some expressions, such as high-end and big-ticket item, are common expressions rather than traditional idioms. Learning both types helps you communicate naturally in everyday English.
Exercise: Practice Idioms for Expensive
Test your understanding with these 15 multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Choose the best answer for each sentence before checking the answer key.
Multiple-Choice Questions
1. The luxury hotel cost an arm and a ______.
A. hand
B. leg
C. foot
D. head
2. We saved money for months so the vacation would not ______ the bank.
A. break
B. open
C. close
D. fill
3. The rare painting cost a ______.
A. small coin
B. little bill
C. fortune
D. discount
4. If you pay through the nose, you pay ______.
A. a very low price
B. an excessively high price
C. nothing at all
D. in installments only
5. A new car is an example of a ______ item.
A. small-ticket
B. free-ticket
C. big-ticket
D. low-ticket
6. The company paid top dollar for the best candidate. This means it paid ______.
A. the highest price
B. no salary
C. a tiny amount
D. a standard fee only
7. The expensive repair put a dent in my ______.
A. calendar
B. wallet
C. notebook
D. suitcase
8. Someone with champagne taste on a beer budget wants ______.
A. inexpensive products only
B. luxury items despite limited funds
C. to stop shopping completely
D. to spend no money ever
9. If hotel prices go through the roof, they ______.
A. fall sharply
B. remain unchanged
C. rise dramatically
D. become free
10. The mechanic was worth his weight in gold. This means he was ______.
A. extremely valuable and helpful
B. made of gold
C. too expensive to hire
D. unwilling to help
11. If you have money to burn, you have ______.
A. no money
B. plenty of money to spend
C. a large debt
D. no spending options
12. A high-end boutique usually sells ______ products.
A. luxury or premium
B. secondhand only
C. free
D. damaged
13. If something is not worth the money, it offers ______.
A. excellent value
B. poor value for its price
C. a guaranteed profit
D. unlimited savings
14. If someone burns through money, they spend it ______.
A. very slowly
B. very quickly
C. only on necessities
D. without using it
15. The collector paid a king’s ransom for the antique. The collector paid ______.
A. a very small amount
B. an enormous amount
C. nothing
D. a refundable deposit only
Answers to the MCQs
- B — Leg
- A — Break
- C — Fortune
- B — An excessively high price
- C — Big-ticket
- A — The highest price
- B — Wallet
- B — Luxury items despite limited funds
- C — Rise dramatically
- A — Extremely valuable and helpful
- B — Plenty of money to spend
- A — Luxury or premium
- B — Poor value for its price
- B — Very quickly
- B — An enormous amount
FAQs:
1. What are the most common idioms for expensive?
Some of the most common expressions are cost an arm and a leg, cost a fortune, break the bank, pay through the nose, and cost the earth. They describe something that is very expensive or difficult to afford.
2. What is another way to say something is very expensive?
You can say it costs a fortune, it costs an arm and a leg, or it costs the earth. In everyday conversation, you can also use pricey, costly, or overpriced, depending on the context.
3. What does “cost an arm and a leg” mean?
Cost an arm and a leg means that something is extremely expensive. For example, “The designer shoes cost an arm and a leg” means the shoes were very expensive.
4. What is an idiom for spending too much money?
Break the bank describes spending more than you can comfortably afford. Burn through money means spending money quickly, while pay through the nose means paying an excessively high price.
5. How can I learn and remember idioms for expensive?
Learn each expression with its meaning and an example sentence. Practice using the idioms in conversations, keep a vocabulary notebook, and complete exercises such as the 15 MCQs in this article. Regular practice will help you remember the expressions and use them naturally.
Conclusion:
Learning idioms for expensive gives you more ways to discuss prices, shopping habits, luxury, and financial decisions. Expressions such as cost an arm and a leg, break the bank, and pay through the nose help you describe high costs in a memorable way. Meanwhile, phrases such as worth its weight in gold and not worth the money let you explain whether something offers real value.
The key is to practice these expressions in context rather than memorizing them individually. Start with a few familiar idioms, use them in your writing and conversations, and gradually add more to your vocabulary.
