Have you ever looked at a price tag and wondered, “Why is this so expensive?” Yes! Talking about money is never simple, especially when prices feel higher every day. Whether it’s a new phone, a weekend trip, or even a cup of coffee at the airport, some things just feel too expensive. Instead of saying “It’s expensive,” or “It costs a lot” each time, English uses fun idioms for expensive things. To describe high prices in a natural, expressive way. These phrases help you sound more fluent and add personality to your conversations.
Use them to describe something that blew your budget or a product that feels unfairly priced. These idioms to describe expensive items help you express it in a colorful way.
Below, you’ll find a complete list of useful idioms, simple meanings, and real-life examples. Each sentence is written in a natural, human tone so you can understand how people actually use them in daily conversation.
Idioms for Expensive with Mening & Examples
Our idioms list for expensive things is sorted in A-Z format, so that it is easier for you to remember and learn.
A Big Price Tag
Meaning: Something that costs a lot
Example: The camera Mia wanted had a big price tag, so she decided to save for a few more months before buying it.
A King’s Ransom
Meaning: A very large amount of money
Example: The private tutor charged a king’s ransom, but Aarav’s parents still booked him because he improved grades quickly.
Bank-Buster
Meaning: Something that uses up a lot of money
Example: The school trip to Dubai was a bank-buster for many parents, but the kids loved every moment.
Big Bucks
Meaning: A lot of money
Example: Selena realised tech jobs make big bucks when her cousin started earning more than the entire family combined.
Bleed Money
Meaning: To keep spending or losing a lot of money
Example: That old jeep made Kishore bleed money with repairs every single month.
Blew My Budget
Meaning: Spent more than planned
Example: Rhea blew her budget buying gifts for her nephews because she couldn’t resist those superhero toys.
Break the Bank
Meaning: To cost too much or more than you can afford
Example: Visiting Switzerland would break the bank for Arjun right now, so he postponed the trip.
Budget Buster
Meaning: Something that ruins your spending plan
Example: The electricity bill became a budget buster after they installed three new ACs.
Burn a Hole in Your Pocket
Meaning: Makes you spend money quickly
Example: The festival sale burned a hole in Ravi’s pocket because every deal looked too tempting.
Charge an Arm and a Leg
Meaning: To ask for a huge amount of money
Example: That repair shop charged an arm and a leg just to fix Neha’s cracked laptop screen.
Cost a Fortune
Meaning: Very expensive
Example: The medical tests cost a fortune, but Shreya didn’t want to take any risks with her health.
Cost an Arm and a Leg
Meaning: Extremely expensive
Example: The new iPhone cost Arvind an arm and a leg, but he still bought it on launch day.
Costly
Meaning: Something that costs a lot
Example: Replacing the bathroom tiles turned out to be more costly than building the entire room.
Daylight Robbery
Meaning: A high price that feels unfair
Example: Two hundred rupees for a small popcorn felt like daylight robbery to Nisha at the cinema.
Deep Pockets Needed
Meaning: You need a lot of money to afford it
Example: Deep pockets are needed to buy anything from that luxury furniture store.
Empty Your Wallet
Meaning: Use all your money
Example: Kartik had to empty his wallet to buy all the things on his college hostel checklist.
Fork Over
Meaning: To give a lot of money, usually unwillingly
Example: I had to fork over ₹3,000 for Priya’s birthday cake because she wanted a designer one.
Gold Mine (Sarcastic)
Meaning: Something so costly it seems like it’s made of gold
Example: For the price they charged, that tiny smoothie better be a gold mine.
Gold-Plated
Meaning: Very expensive and fancy
Example: The resort felt gold-plated, from the marble floors to the private butler service.
Gold Standard
Meaning: Top quality and usually expensive
Example: That speaker brand is the gold standard for musicians, but it’s definitely not cheap.
High-End
Meaning: Expensive and premium quality
Example: Tanvi chose a high-end sofa for her new apartment even though it stretched her budget.
Highway Robbery
Meaning: Overpriced in an unfair way
Example: Paying ₹150 for a bottle of water at the station felt like highway robbery to everyone.
Hit the Wallet
Meaning: Costs and hurts financially
Example: The emergency vet visit really hit Rahul’s wallet, but he couldn’t ignore his dog’s pain.
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Luxury Price
Meaning: A high cost for something fancy
Example: That perfume comes at a luxury price because it’s made with rare ingredients.
Money Pit
Meaning: Something that keeps needing more money
Example: Their old farmhouse became a money pit with constant pipe leaks and roof repairs.
Not Cheap
Meaning: It costs a lot
Example: Organic groceries are not cheap, but Rohan buys them for his children’s health.
Out of My Price Range
Meaning: Too expensive for you
Example: That smartwatch is out of my price range until I get my next salary.
Out of Reach
Meaning: Too expensive to buy
Example: The designer sneakers were out of reach for Leo, so he settled for a budget-friendly pair.
Pay Through the Nose
Meaning: Pay much more than normal
Example: We paid through the nose for parking at the stadium during the cricket finals.
Premium Price
Meaning: Extra high price for better quality
Example: You pay a premium price for fresh fruits during offseason, but they taste amazing.
Price Tag Shock
Meaning: Shocked by how expensive something is
Example: Ananya had price tag shock when she saw the cost of her dog’s surgery.
Pricey
Meaning: Costing a lot
Example: The jacket Aarohi wanted was too pricey, so she waited for a sale.
Rich Taste
Meaning: Liking fancy or expensive things
Example: At just fifteen, Nina already had rich taste in sunglasses and perfumes.
Shell Out
Meaning: To spend a lot of money
Example: We had to shell out a big amount to renovate the kitchen last month.
Sky-High
Meaning: Extremely expensive
Example: Hotel prices near the beach were sky-high during New Year’s week.
Splash Out
Meaning: Spend a lot in one go
Example: They splashed out on a surprise anniversary trip to Jaipur.
Steep Price
Meaning: Higher than expected
Example: That simple wooden frame had a steep price for something so basic.
Through the Roof
Meaning: Extremely high, especially prices
Example: Rent in the metro cities has gone through the roof this year.
Top Dollar
Meaning: A very high price
Example: People pay top dollar for front-row seats at famous comedians’ shows.
Wallet-Crusher
Meaning: Something that costs too much
Example: The robotics workshop fee was a total wallet-crusher for most students.
Burn Money
Meaning: Spend money carelessly
Example: Raj seemed to burn money every weekend on parties and fancy food.
Cost the Earth
Meaning: Extremely expensive
Example: That antique watch cost the earth, but it was Leo’s dream collectible.
In the Lap of Luxury
Meaning: Living a very expensive lifestyle
Example: After his promotion, Sam lived in the lap of luxury with a sea-view apartment.
Live Beyond Your Means
Meaning: Spend more money than you earn
Example: Ariya realised she was living beyond her means when her card declined at a café.
Pay a Pretty Penny
Meaning: Paying a lot of money
Example: They paid a pretty penny for those handcrafted chairs from Italy.