Cheap cosplay ideas!
With the way the economy is, we’re all trying to find ways to save money while enjoying the things we love. For us cosplayers, that means saving some cash on our next cosplay.
While cosplaying can definitely be an expensive hobby, you don’t always have to fork out a bunch of money on your next character. In fact, there are many characters who you can cosplay on a tight budget!
In this post, I’ll give you 15 cheap cosplay ideas for you to try. You’ll definitely save a lot of money with these characters. For this list, I’ll give you a breakdown of how much it costs for each character. All of them are under $50 USD!
Note that I won’t include the cost of a wig because you may have different options. Either you can use your real hair (click here to see how you can cosplay without a wig), reuse a wig from a different cosplay, or you can buy a brand new wig.
Without further ado, let’s get started!
1. Wednesday Addams
We have to start this list with a character that has seen resurgence in popularity! That character of course is Wednesday Addams! If you didn’t know, she has a new series on Netflix, starring Jenna Ortega as Wednesday. You should check it out. As for her cosplay, it’s wonderful and not expensive at all to make!
Item | Cost |
Black dress | $20 |
White dress shirt | $10 |
Black heels | $10 |
Total = $40
2. Any sports Anime
Of course I’m a little biased, but you should know that sports Anime cosplays are very budget-friendly. You can easily order a sports jersey one online for less than $50 CAD, especially if you use the cheaper websites like AliExpress (click here for the best cosplay websites).
Some popular sports Anime include:
- Kuroko No Baske
- Haikyuu
- Free!
3. Chloe Price from Life is Strange
Life is Strange is now an established video game franchise with various sequels and spin-offs. But the first game in the series is by far the most well-known, and partly because of the rebellious Chloe Price. She is a kickass character who does what she wants.
Not only does Chloe Price looks awesome, she is easy on the wallet when it comes to dressing up as her!
Item | Cost |
Blue jeans | $10 |
Necklace | $10 |
White shirt with skull | $5 |
Brown jacket | $20 |
Toque | $5 |
Total = $50
4. Misty from Pokémon
There are many iconic characters from Pokémon, but Misty is definitely one of them. In the game, she is the water-type gym leader of Cerulean City. But she is most well-known for being Ash’s companion in the Pokémon Anime.
It doesn’t take much to cosplay as Misty, which is why she is great as a cheap cosplay idea. Bring a Togepi plushie with you to complete the look!
Item | Cost |
Blue shorts | $10 |
Yellow tank top shirt | $10 |
Backpack and straps | $20 |
Togepi plushie | Probably too much |
Total = $40
5. Nasa Starfire
Starfire is one of the most popular superheroes in all of comic books! While her original bodysuit edition would cost more, fortunately she has other variations of her outfit. And one of the easier editions of her costume is the NASA edition!
Item | Cost |
White t shirt with NASA logo | $10 |
Purple-colored forearm sleeves | $10 |
Dark brown shorts | $10 |
Total = $30
6. Marin from My Dress Up Darling
The irony is that Marin herself is a cosplayer. So that only gives you a better reason to cosplay as a cosplayer. 🙂
Although Marin is starting to be overshadowed by other popular cosplay ideas such as Yor Forger from Spy X Family, Marin is still a great option because she’s easy and cheap to dress up as.
Item | Cost |
Blue plaid skirt | $20 |
White dress shirt | $10 |
Blue tie | $5 |
Total = $35
7. Yuno Gasai from Future Diary
Everyone’s favorite yandere girl! Yuno Gasai is an iconic character from Future Diary. She is definitely insane, but that’s a good thing. If you’re looking to cosplay someone a little crazy (and cheap), then why no go for the poster girl of Yandere that is Yuno Gasai?
Item | Cost |
Purple shirt and skirt | $20 |
Fake knife | $5 |
Fake blood | $5 |
Total = $30
8. Ouran Host Club
I can vouch for how awesome it is to cosplay from Ouran Host Club. It’s an older series but still definitely one of my favorites to this day.
I can tell you that cosplaying from Ouran Host Club is super comfortable and super cheap! You can use your own dress shirt and pants. The only thing you need to make or buy is the blue blazer with the school crescent. And while the black tie has a purple stripe going down the center, you can just wear a regular black tie instead.
Which character from Ouran should you do? I recommend either Haruhi or Tameki! Or the twins if you have another person with you.
Item | Cost |
Black dress pants | $20 |
White dress pants | $10 |
Black tie | $5 |
Ouran blue blazer | $15 |
Total = $50
9. L from Death Note
Out of all the cheap cosplay ideas on this list, L from Death Note is definitely the cheapest one! If you don’t know, L is one of the main characters of this iconic series. Whether it’s his love for lollipops, or his interesting gimmick, L is a character that’s remembered by everyone. And all you need to cosplay him is a white shirt and blue jeans. That’s it!
Item | Cost |
White long-sleeve T-shirt | $5 |
Blue jeans | $20 |
Eyeliner makeup | $10 |
Total = $35
10. Power from Chainsaw Man
Here’s an idea from a relatively new and popular series. Chainsaw Man has taken over the Weeb scene and fortunately for us cosplayers, it won’t cost you a ton of money to dress up from this series.
That’s because most of the characters wear regular clothing. And in the case of Power, you only have to add devil horns for her!
Item | Cost |
Black dress pants | $20 |
White dress shirt | $10 |
Blue sweater | $10 |
Devil horns | $10 |
Total = $50
11. Kim Possible
Oh yes! One of the best Disney TV shows in the modern era, Kim Possible is a kick-ass heroine who sort of reminds me of James Bond. While she is a strong crime fighter, she also struggles balancing her high school life at the same time. This makes Kim Possible very relatable and definitely fun to do as a closet cosplay.
Item | Cost |
Black long-sleeve tanktop shirt | $10 |
Navy green pants | $20 |
Black gloves | $10 |
Total = $40
12. Kiki from Kiki’s Delivery Service
Of all the cheapest cosplay ideas, Kiki from Kiki’s Delivery Service is one of the best! It’s such an insanely cheap way to cosplay. All you need basically is a dress, a broom and a nice bowtie.
If you don’t know, Kiki is the main character of this wonderful Studio Ghibli movie. It’s an older film but still a classic up to this day. So most people will know who you are, should you decide to cosplay as Kiki.
Item | Cost |
Dark navy blue dress | $20 |
Orange heels | $10 |
Red bowtie | $5 |
Broom | $10 |
Total = $45
13. Android 18 from Dragon Ball Z
Who doesn’t love Android 18? She is one of the more recognizable characters from Dragon Ball Z as she is probably one of the strongest characters in the series.
Android 18 is another cheap and easy cosplay. Her whole outfit is based on regular clothes and a couple of unique accessories.
Item | Cost |
Brown boots | $10 |
Black shirt | $5 |
Striped shirt | $5 |
Blue jean jacket and skirt | $20 |
Black stockings and leggings | $10 |
Total = $50
14. Luffy from One Piece
If you love pirates, then you’ll definitely love cosplaying Monkey D. Luffy from One Piece! The iconic main character of this long-running Shonen, he is super easy to cosplay. You probably have everything you need to cosplay him…all in your closet!
Item | Cost |
Red button shirt with yellow buttons | $25 |
Sombrero hat | $10 |
Light blue shorts | $10 |
Yellow sash | $5 |
Total = $50
15. Lust from Fullmetal Alchemist
Last but not least, we have Lust from Fullmetal Alchemist (FMA)! She is a sexy evil character that everyone recognizes, since FMA is one of the most popular series of all time. And fortunately, Lust is a very budget-friendly cosplay to do!
Item | Cost |
Long black dress | $20 |
Sharp claws | $20 |
Total = $40
Summary
To summarize, here are the 15 cheap cosplay ideas that are great for your wallet:
- Wednesday Addams
- Any sports Anime
- Chloe Price from Life is Strange
- Misty from Pokémon
- Nasa Starfire
- Marin from My Dress Up Darling
- Yuno Gasai from Future Diary
- Ouran Host Club
- L from Death Note
- Power from Chainsaw Man
- Kim Possible
- Kiki from Kiki’s Delivery Service
- Android 18 from Dragon Ball Z
- Luffy from One Piece
- Lust from Fullmetal Alchemist
And there you have it; 15 cheap cosplay ideas to add to your costume arsenal!
Which ones are you most excited to try? Let me know in the comments!
My name is Roger Senpai. I’m a cosplayer that’s been in the community for well over a decade now. I’ve traveled all over the world to Anime and Comic conventions and hosted my own cosplay events. Now I’m writing articles for new and experienced cosplayers like you to help inspire, save you money and improve your cosplays!