50 Idioms for Expensive Things (Meanings & Examples)

Idioms are fun phrases that mean something different from the words inside them. People use them to make their speaking and writing more colorful and exciting. In this lesson, you will learn fifty special idioms related to costly items and expensive things.

In this lesson, we’ll look at idioms that mean spending a lot of money or buying things that cost a fortune. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.

Idioms for Expensive Things

1. Cost an arm and a leg

Definition: To be extremely expensive and cost a huge amount of money.

Used in a Sentence: Buying that brand new gaming computer will cost an arm and a leg. / The shiny red bicycle in the store window costs an arm and a leg.

Similar Expressions: Cost a fortune / Be very pricey

2. A king’s ransom

Definition: A vast and extremely large sum of money paid for something.

Used in a Sentence: The vintage sports car was sold at the auction for a king’s ransom. / Dad joked that fixing our broken family car would cost a king’s ransom.

Similar Expressions: A massive sum / A fortune

3. Break the bank

Definition: To spend so much money that you use up all your savings or leave yourself with nothing.

Used in a Sentence: Buying tickets for the whole family to the theme park will surely break the bank. / We wanted a vacation that would not break the bank, so we went camping instead.

Similar Expressions: Empty your wallet / Cost too much

4. Worth its weight in gold

Definition: To be extremely useful, valuable, or precious.

Used in a Sentence: My favorite dictionary during the spelling test was worth its weight in gold. / A good umbrella during a sudden rainstorm is worth its weight in gold.

Similar Expressions: Extremely valuable / Highly precious

5. Pretty penny

Definition: A large amount of money paid for something expensive.

Used in a Sentence: Mom paid a pretty penny for those rare antique plates in the dining room. / Upgrading our old television set cost a pretty penny last weekend.

Similar Expressions: Big bucks / A lot of cash

6. Pay through the nose

Definition: To pay much more money for something than it is truly worth.

Used in a Sentence: We had to pay through the nose for snacks at the movie theater. / Never buy souvenirs at the airport unless you want to pay through the nose.

Similar Expressions: Overpay greatly / Get ripped off

7. Worth a mint

Definition: To have an extremely high financial value or cost a huge amount.

Used in a Sentence: Grandfather’s old comic book collection is worth a mint nowadays. / That rare diamond necklace in the museum display is worth a mint.

Similar Expressions: Extremely costly / Worth a fortune

8. Top dollar

Definition: The highest possible price paid for a good or service.

Used in a Sentence: People are willing to pay top dollar for front-row seats at the concert. / The collectors paid top dollar for the signed baseball card.

Similar Expressions: Highest price / Premium cost

9. Steep price

Definition: A cost that is unusually high and hard to afford.

Used in a Sentence: The restaurant charged a steep price for a tiny plate of pasta. / We decided against buying the shoes because of the steep price tag.

Similar Expressions: High cost / Expensive rate

10. Priceless treasure

Definition: Something so valuable and rare that no amount of money can truly buy it.

Used in a Sentence: The ancient painting handed down in our family is a priceless treasure. / My little sister’s handmade birthday card is a priceless treasure to me.

Similar Expressions: Invaluable item / Beyond price

11. Dearly bought

Definition: Something acquired at a very high cost, either in money or hard effort.

Used in a Sentence: That lesson about saving allowance money was dearly bought after I spent it all. / The rare collectible toy was dearly bought at the auction.

Similar Expressions: Costly purchase / Hard-won item

12. Out of this world

Definition: Prices or items that are unimaginably high or expensive.

Used in a Sentence: The ticket prices for the front row of the show were out of this world. / The cost of renting a beach house for the summer is out of this world.

Similar Expressions: Insanely expensive / Astronomical cost

13. Heavy price tag

Definition: A label showing a very large amount of money required to buy something.

Used in a Sentence: The new winter jacket came with a heavy price tag attached to the sleeve. / We put the bicycle back on the shelf because of its heavy price tag.

Similar Expressions: Large cost / Expensive label

14. Cost the earth

Definition: To be extremely expensive and unaffordable for most people.

Used in a Sentence: Booking a trip to space would cost the earth for our family. / That luxury watch looks nice, but it must cost the earth.

Similar Expressions: Cost a fortune / Be unaffordable

15. Eye-watering price

Definition: A price so high that it shocks or startles you when you see it.

Used in a Sentence: The car dealership listed an eye-watering price for the luxury electric vehicle. / We gasped when we saw the eye-watering price of tickets for the championship game.

Similar Expressions: Shocking cost / Exorbitant fee

16. Worth a king’s ransom

Definition: Describing something that has an immense and unbelievable monetary value.

Used in a Sentence: The golden crown in the historical museum is worth a king’s ransom. / Collectors believe that painting is worth a king’s ransom.

Similar Expressions: Extremely valuable / Worth a fortune

17. Exorbitant sum

Definition: A price that is far higher than reasonable or fair.

Used in a Sentence: The plumber charged an exorbitant sum to fix a simple leaky pipe. / We refused to pay the exorbitant sum for parking near the stadium.

Similar Expressions: Outrageous price / Unfair cost

18. Out of reach

Definition: Too expensive for someone to afford with their current money.

Used in a Sentence: That shiny new sports car is completely out of reach for my budget. / The expensive designer sneakers were out of reach until they went on sale.

SimilarExpressions: Too costly / Unaffordable

19. Break the piggy bank

Definition: To spend all your saved-up coins and cash on something expensive.

Used in a Sentence: I had to break the piggy bank to buy my mom a nice birthday gift. / Buying that skateboard required me to break the piggy bank.

Similar Expressions: Spend savings / Use all cash

20. Cost a bundle

Definition: To require a large amount of money to purchase or repair.

Used in a Sentence: Repairing the roof after the storm cost our parents a bundle. / Sending packages overseas can cost a bundle during the holidays.

Similar Expressions: Cost a lot / Run up bills

21. Priced to kill

Definition: Set at an extremely high and expensive price point.

Used in a Sentence: The trendy boutique items in the mall window were priced to kill. / Those designer sunglasses are priced to kill for teenage shoppers.

Similar Expressions: Excessively priced / Very expensive

22. Heavy on the pocket

Definition: Describing something that drains your money and is hard to afford.

Used in a Sentence: Eating at fancy restaurants every night is too heavy on the pocket. / Maintaining a vintage sports car is very heavy on the pocket.

Similar Expressions: Hard on wallet / Costly upkeep

23. Pay through the teeth

Definition: To spend an excessive amount of money on a single purchase.

Used in a Sentence: We had to pay through the teeth for front-row tickets to the concert. / Dad complained that he had to pay through the teeth for car insurance.

Similar Expressions: Overpay greatly / Spend heavily

24. Worth its weight in silver

Definition: Highly valuable and useful, though slightly less than gold.

Used in a Sentence: My old bicycle pump is worth its weight in silver when tires go flat. / A reliable flashlight during a power outage is worth its weight in silver.

Similar Expressions: Very useful / Highly prized

25. Cost a packet

Definition: To require a large and significant sum of money.

Used in a Sentence: Moving all our furniture to a new house cost a packet. / The imported musical instrument cost a packet.

Similar Expressions: Cost a lot / Expensive purchase

26. Ride the gravy train

Definition: To have a job or situation that brings in a lot of easy money.

Used in a Sentence: Winning the lottery felt like boarding the gravy train. / The successful actor thought his new movie contract was a gravy train.

Similar Expressions: Make easy money / Profit greatly

27. Hit the jackpot

Definition: To suddenly acquire a large amount of money or valuable items.

Used in a Sentence: Finding a rare vintage comic book at the garage sale was like hitting the jackpot. / The recycling drive helped our club hit the jackpot with donations.

Similar Expressions: Strike it rich / Win big

28. Golden opportunity

Definition: A very expensive or valuable chance to make money or buy something great.

Used in a Sentence: Investing in the new tech company was a golden opportunity for rich buyers. / Buying land downtown proved to be a golden opportunity.

Similar Expressions: Valuable chance / Lucrative opening

29. Rich man’s toy

Definition: An expensive luxury item that only wealthy people can afford to buy.

Used in a Sentence: That private yacht parked in the harbor is just a rich man’s toy. / Dad called the high-tech sports car a rich man’s toy.

Similar Expressions: Luxury item / Expensive gadget

30. Gold-plated

Definition: Covered in gold or metaphorically made artificially expensive and luxurious.

Used in a Sentence: The fancy hotel suite came with gold-plated bathroom faucets. / Some people buy gold-plated smartphones just to show off.

Similar Expressions: Luxurious / Fancy upgrade

31. Cost a bomb

Definition: To be extraordinarily expensive and require a lot of money.

Used in a Sentence: Fixing the engine trouble in our van is going to cost a bomb. / Tickets to travel during the holiday season cost a bomb.

Similar Expressions: Cost a fortune / Very pricey

32. Money to burn

Definition: Having so much extra money that you can afford very expensive things.

Used in a Sentence: The character in the movie acted like he had money to burn at the store. / Only someone with money to burn would buy a diamond-encrusted dog collar.

Similar Expressions: Wealthy spender / Extra cash

33. Live in the lap of luxury

Definition: To live surrounded by expensive things and supreme comfort.

Used in a Sentence: The movie star lived in the lap of luxury in a Hollywood mansion. / On our vacation, we stayed at a resort that let us live in the lap of luxury.

Similar Expressions: Live lavishly / Enjoy wealth

34. Born with a silver spoon in your mouth

Definition: Born into a very wealthy and rich family that can buy anything.

Used in a Sentence: The prince was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and never worried about costs. / She acts like she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth because of her fancy clothes.

Similar Expressions: Born rich / Privileged background

35. Make a killing

Definition: To make a massive amount of money very quickly from a venture.

Used in a Sentence: The bakery made a killing selling cookies at the school festival. / Investors made a killing when the new video game became popular worldwide.

Similar Expressions: Earn a fortune / Profit heavily

36. Rolling in money

Definition: Having an abundance of wealth and expensive possessions.

Used in a Sentence: The billionaire looked like he was rolling in money as he stepped out of his limousine. / After winning the business award, the company owners were rolling in money.

Similar Expressions: Filthy rich / Very wealthy

37. Worth a fortune

Definition: Having an extremely high monetary value or selling price.

Used in a Sentence: That antique vase grandmother keeps on the shelf is worth a fortune. / Winning the grand prize means the trophy is worth a fortune.

Similar Expressions: Extremely valuable / Very costly

38. Price tag of a small nation

Definition: An exaggeration for something that costs an unbelievable amount of money.

Used in a Sentence: The new government building project came with the price tag of a small nation. / Building a private rocket has the price tag of a small nation.

Similar Expressions: Astronomical cost / Unbelievable price

39. Pay top dollar

Definition: To pay the absolute highest price to get the best quality item.

Used in a Sentence: Collectors are willing to pay top dollar for rare comic books. / We paid top dollar for tickets to see our favorite band live.

Similar Expressions: Pay maximum / Premium price

40. Cost a mint

Definition: To be extremely expensive to buy or maintain.

Used in a Sentence: Keeping a racehorse in the stable costs a mint every month. / Buying a brand new electric car costs a mint.

Similar Expressions: Cost a fortune / Very expensive

41. Steep price tag

Definition: A cost label that is exceptionally high and difficult to pay.

Used in a Sentence: The digital camera came with a steep price tag that shocked us. / We skipped buying the jacket because of its steep price tag.

Similar Expressions: High cost / Expensive tag

42. High-ticket item

Definition: A good or product that costs a large amount of money.

Used in a Sentence: Refrigerators and televisions are considered high-ticket items in a store. / The insurance policy covers high-ticket items like jewelry and electronics.

Similar Expressions: Expensive product / Costly good

43. Pricey purchase

Definition: Something bought that costs much more than average.

Used in a Sentence: Buying leather boots turned out to be a pricey purchase for winter. / Mom sighed after making such a pricey purchase at the furniture store.

Similar Expressions: Expensive buy / Costly item

44. Worth a pretty penny

Definition: Describing an object that has a high market value or cost.

Used in a Sentence: That vintage leather jacket is vintage and worth a pretty penny. / The antique clock in the hallway is worth a pretty penny.

Similar Expressions: Valuable item / Costly piece

45. Luxury bracket

Definition: A category of items or living standards that are very expensive.

Used in a Sentence: Luxury sports cars fall into a high price bracket for buyers. / Vacation resorts in that region belong to the luxury bracket.

Similar Expressions: High-end tier / Expensive category

46. Cost an eye

Definition: An informal phrase meaning something is extremely expensive.

Used in a Sentence: Fixing the broken smartphone screen will cost an eye. / Ordering takeout from that fancy restaurant costs an eye.

Similar Expressions: Cost a lot / Very pricey

47. Price beyond measure

Definition: Something so costly that its price cannot be easily calculated.

Used in a Sentence: The historical crown jewels carry a price beyond measure. / Protecting wildlife habitats has a value beyond measure.

Similar Expressions: Priceless / Incalculable cost

48. Gold standard

Definition: The highest standard of quality, often coming with a high price.

Used in a Sentence: That brand of laptop is considered the gold standard for video editors. / Buying the gold standard of bicycles means paying a higher price.

Similar Expressions: Top quality / Premium standard

49. Out of price range

Definition: Costing more money than what a person has planned to spend.

Used in a Sentence: The apartment downtown was lovely, but it was completely out of our price range. / We looked at the menu and found most dishes were out of our price range.

Similar Expressions: Too expensive / Beyond budget

50. Luxury item

Definition: A non-essential product that is expensive and high in quality.

Used in a Sentence: Designer handbags are treated as luxury items by fashion fans. / Owning a private boat is considered a luxury item.

Similar Expressions: High-end product / Expensive good

Exercise to Practice

1. Buying that brand new sports car will cost an arm and a leg for our family budget.
2. The vintage comic book found in the attic is worthless and costs pocket change.
3. Dad joked that fixing our broken family car would cost a king’s ransom.
4. We wanted a vacation that would break the bank, so we stayed at home in our backyard tent.
5. Mom paid a pretty penny for those rare antique plates in the dining room.
6. We had to pay through the nose for free tap water at the park drinking fountain.
7. Grandfather’s old stamp collection is worth a mint to serious collectors.
8. People are willing to pay top dollar for damaged items found in the trash.
9. The restaurant charged a steep price for a tiny plate of plain white rice.
10. The ancient painting handed down in our family is a priceless treasure we will never sell.
11. Buying tickets for the whole school to visit the theme park would surely break the bank.
12. Repairing the roof after the heavy storm cost our parents a bundle.
13. Finding a rare vintage baseball card at the garage sale was like hitting the jackpot.
14. The actor lived in a cardboard box because he was rolling in money.
15. Keeping a private helicopter in the hangar costs a mint every single month.

Answer Key

1. True
2. False
3. True
4. False
5. True
6. False
7. True
8. False
9. True
10. True
11. True
12. True
13. True
14. False
15. True

Conclusion

Learning these idioms helps make your writing and speaking much more colorful and fun. Instead of using plain words, you can use these special expressions to describe expensive things and funny financial situations. Try using one or two of these idioms when you talk to your friends or write a story today. Notice how much brighter and more interesting your conversations become.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some common idioms for expensive things?

Common idioms for expensive things include costing an arm and a leg, breaking the bank, and costing a mint. These phrases help describe high prices and costly items in a colorful way.

Why do we use idioms in English?

We use idioms to make our language more expressive, creative, and interesting. They allow us to paint a picture with words instead of just stating simple facts.

How can I remember these idioms easily?

You can remember idioms by practicing them in daily conversations and writing your own funny sentences with them. Drawing pictures of what the literal words mean can also help you recall them.

Are idioms used in everyday spoken English?

Yes, native English speakers use idioms all the time in casual conversations, movies, books, and music. Learning them helps you understand what people mean when they talk or write.

Can I use these idioms in school writing?

You can use idioms in creative writing stories, journal entries, and speeches to make your writing stand out. Just remember to use formal language for serious reports and science papers.