“How much does jiu-jitsu cost?”

Training jiu-jitsu costs me $207 per month.

To get started training in the gi, I paid $0 — my gi jacket, gi pants, and belt were free when I signed up for my membership. If you don’t get a free gi when you sign, up, expect to pay $90+ for gi gear.

To get started training no-gi, I paid $80 for shorts, a rash guard, and a mouth guard.

And there are endless optional costs you can invest in to improve your jiu-jitsu.

Let’s break down the costs of BJJ.

Quick Links: How Much Does Jiu-Jitsu Cost

• Membership Fee ($100-$250 per month)
• BJJ Gear ($100-$500+)
  • Gi Gear ($50-$350)
  • No-Gi Gear ($25-$145)
  • Protective Gear ($5-$170)
  • Misc Gear ($20-$150)
• Optional BJJ Costs ($0-$1000+)
  • Private Lessons ($70-$200+ per session)
  • Home Gym Equipment ($25-$100+)
  • Competitions ($35-$100+)
• How To Lower Your Jiu-Jitsu Costs
  • Offer To Clean The Gym
  • Offer To Refer New Students
  • Offer To Onboard New Students
  • Offer To Help With Marketing
• Conclusion

BJJ Membership Fee Cost ($100-$250 per month)

A membership fee is what you pay your gym monthly to attend classes.

BJJ membership fees range from $100-$250+ depending on how often you want to attend classes and the quality of instruction.

For example, at my gym, you pay $207 per month for unlimited BJJ classes.

But you can pay a bit less for 2 classes per week.

Think about how many classes you’d like to attend per week. And then sign up for the membership that fits with that amount.

Now, you might save money by signing up for a cheaper gym.

But you get what you pay for.

A cheaper gym might not provide quality instruction or a good community. This will affect your progress overall BJJ journey.

The better your gym and instruction, the better your progress will be.

The most important thing isn’t how much jiu-jitsu costs.

The most important thing is to find a gym and instructor that is most suited to you.

That way, you’ll stay consistent and enjoy the process.

Keep that in mind as you prepare for your first jiu-jitsu class.

BJJ Gear Costs ($125-$500)

Your BJJ gear is what you’ll wear to class and open mats.

Some jiu-jitsu gear is mandatory. Other gear is completely optional.

Let’s break down those costs.

Gi Gear Costs ($50-$350)

Gi’s range from $50 on the low end to $335 on the high end.

The midrange is $90-$170.

In most cases, when you purchase a Gi, you are purchasing the entire uniform. This includes…

Gi Jacket ($100-$200)

The gi jacket is a traditional jiu-jitsu jacket. It’s made of very tough material to endure the sport. You’ll need a BJJ-specific gi to train jiu-jitsu. Karate gis are cheaper, but they are too flimsy to endure BJJ.

Gi Pants ($45-$100)

Gi pants are drawstring pants that are also durable and light.

Belt ($10-$45)

Your belt is what you wear around your jacket to signify your rank.

Note that many gyms will give you a free gi jacket, pants, and belt with your membership.

No-Gi Gear Costs ($25-$145)

No-gi BJJ is jiu-jitsu done without the traditional gi.

Instead of wearing a gi jacket, gi pants (which you can wear for no-gi), and a belt, you wear an athletic t-shirt and shorts.

Training no-gi is less expensive than training in the gi.

Rash guard ($15-$100)

A rash guard is a compression top that fits snug on your body and protects you from getting rashes.

BJJ shorts ($10-$100)

BJJ shorts are shorts without drawstrings or pockets.

You can use your existing normal athletic wear for no-gi (the clothing you’d wear to the gym).

However, it is preferable to wear a rash guard and BJJ shorts. As you train and roll, you or your partner’s limbs are less likely to get stuck in the tighter no-gi gear.

Protective Gear Costs ($5-170)

Jiu-jitsu is a combat sport. It’s a martial art. You could get hurt. So, invest in some protective gear to keep yourself safe and lower the possibility of injury.

Mouthguard ($5-100)

A mouthguard protects your teeth while you drill or spar. Getting kneed or elbowed in the mouth is common in BJJ. A mouthguard is mandatory for rolling (sparring).

Kneepads ($5-70)

Kneepads are an optional piece of protective gear for your knees. Highly recommended if you want to protect your knees from the impact of doing jiu-jitsu.

Spats ($20-100)

Spats (compression pants/leggings) are an optional piece of protective gear for your legs. Like a rash guard, they protect you from rashes and keep your legs warm. You can wear your spats for no-gi and underneath your gi pants when training in the gi.

Headgear ($20-$50)

Headgear is an optional piece of protective gear for your ears. It’s recommended if you do a lot of wrestling and want to protect yourself from getting cauliflower ear.

Finger Tape ($5-$25)

Finger tape is an optional piece of protective gear for your fingers. Taping your fingers helps protect them from damage that comes with extensive gripping and grip-breaking — especially when you are training in the gi.

Misc Costs ($20-$150)

There are a few more additions to your overall jiu-jitsu costs.

Gym Bag ($20-$150)

A gym bag is essential for bringing all your gear to class. Either a duffel bag or a big backpack will do. Just make sure it’s large enough to carry all of your gear!

Laundry ($20 per month)

Wash your gi jacket, gi pants, and belt in cold water after every class. Don’t dry it in the dryer. Hang-dry it. Jiu-jitsu will increase your laundry bill! But washing your gear is better than being the stinky guy or gal in class. Every gym has one.

Optional Jiu-Jitsu Costs ($70-$500+)

There are many optional jiu-jitsu costs if you want to take your game to the next level.

1. Private Lessons ($70-$200+ per session)

Private lessons are 1 on 1 lessons with an instructor.

They last an hour or two.

Usually, in a private lesson, you tell your instructor what you’d like help with. Then, they use the duration of that private lesson to help you with that particular aspect of your game.

Private lessons are a fantastic way to get specific help from your instructor.

2. Home Gym Equipment ($70-$500+)

Do you want to do some training or solo drills at home to help up your game?

There are some great pieces of home gym equipment (like kettlebells) you can buy specifically to make you better at jiu-jitsu.

Note that these are completely optional — but they will certainly help develop your technique and strength if you use them.

Mats ($70-$400 per mat)

Mats are essential if you want to create a home gym. They’re excellent for solo drilling, drilling/sparring at home with partners, practicing on a grappling dummy, jiu-jitsu stretches, and yoga. I own 2 Soozier gymnastics mats which are great for jiu-jitsu. Make sure that your mats are thick enough (2″) so that they are comfortable to train on. Avoid puzzle mats, as they are often too thin and break apart easily.

Grappling Dummy ($50-$200)

A grappling dummy will help you practice your moves at home when you don’t have a training partner. Whilst no subsite against a real training partner, a dummy is great for beginners who want to cement their technique.

Pull-Up Bar ($25-$80)

A pull-up bar is great for training your strength and grip. Pull-ups are one of the best exercises you can do for jiu-jitsu. I use one that attaches to my door frame.

Foam Roller ($20-$50)

A foam roller helps with your flexibility and soreness. Think of it as a self-massage tool. I use the RumbleRoller. You can use the exercises from Joe Defranco’s Limber 11, and it will be extremely beneficial for your jiu-jitsu recovery and mobility.

Strength training is an invaluable addition to your jiu-jitsu that will make you stronger, last longer, and prevent injury. You can also invest in strength training equipment like some adjustable dumbbells, a barbell, a neck harness, and a dip belt. However, strength training equipment is outside the scope of this article.

3. Competitions ($35-$100+)

BJJ competitions are notoriously expensive. You can expect to pay between $35-$100 to compete. The cost depends on the tournament.

How To Lower Your Jiu-Jitsu Cost

Maybe you want to train BJJ but your budget is a little tight right now?

There are a few ways to lower the cost of BJJ.

At my gym, I’ve seen students get creative about how to lower their membership fees.

Here’s what some of them do.

1. Offer To Clean The Gym

Offer to clean the gym before or after class for your instructor. This saves them valuable time and makes them look better. If you offer to keep the gym nice and clean, then they’ll consider lowering your membership fee.

2. Offer To Refer New Students

Offer to refer new students to the gym. Ask your friends if they want to join! This brings more revenue into your instructor’s business. If you can bring in 2 people per month, you’re bringing a lot of value to the gym. It would make financial sense for the instructor to waive your membership fee if you bring in 2+ new students per month.

3. Offer To Onboard New Students

If you’re a seasoned blue belt or more, offer to help onboard new students, like setting up and running their first lesson. This saves your instructor time — and, if you do a good job, helps with retention (keeping students training and paying). This is how I waived my membership fee. Onboarding new students is one of the most rewarding and fun things about training jiu-jitsu.

4. Offer To Help With Marketing

BJJ gym owners are busy teaching jiu-jitsu. They’re not experts in web design or social media. If you have entrepreneurial skills (or want to develop them), offer to help your instructor with marketing: increasing awareness of the gym so that it attracts more students.

Remember, your instructor is also a business owner.

If you can help save them time, get more students, and retain more students, they might consider lowering (or waiving) your membership fee.

Conclusion: Jiu-Jitsu Cost Breakdown

Training BJJ costs around $100-$250 per month.

Your gear will cost you $125-$500.

And optional gear will cost you $70-$500+.

However, don’t think of jiu-jitsu as a cost.

BJJ is an investment.

It’s an investment in yourself: your confidence, skills, knowledge, happiness, health, social life, and more.

The benefits you’ll enjoy from training BJJ make it one of the best investments.

You’ll have more friends, be healthier, be happier — and learn how to kick butt.

Once you start training (and find the right gym and instructor for you), whatever you pay will feel like an absolute steal.

What does jiu-jitsu cost for you?

Did I miss anything?

Let me know in the comments below!

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Tsavo Neal

Tsavo is the founder of BJJ Equipment and BJJ blue belt who started training in 2019. He’s a passionate hobbyist and BJJ gear/equipment aficionado who wanted to share his favorite pickups with other jiujiteiros. He launched BJJ Equipment in 2022 to make it easy for jiu-jitsu practitioners to find the best BJJ gear so they look, feel, and perform at their best on the mats.