How much do Karate lessons cost?

One of the main factors when it comes to starting any martial art is cost. Although some people may be too proud to admit it, sometimes you can be priced out of training if you simply can’t afford the costs. Perhaps the biggest culprit of this in martial arts is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu which is massively expensive. Thankfully, that isn’t the case with Karate which is considerably cheaper. Here, we shall go through the costs of training Karate and what the typical cost of training Karate actually is.

How much do Karate lessons cost?

Truth be told, this depends on place to place. For example, a Karate dojo in central New York would cost more than training at one in the projects. As the saying goes, location is key. Having said this, if we’re talking about averages then that is a sensible place to start. With regards to the average cost of Karate lessons, a monthly membership at most places costs around $60. Usually, this would mean training evenings, typically doing around 4-5 classes per week.

And, whilst this is the average, as mentioned some places are more expensive. At the same time, some places are far cheaper. It’s also understood that kid’s classes are typically cheaper and may cost less. Further, if it’s hosted in an underprivileged area then there’s a chance that the Karate lessons may be subsidized or even free for underprivileged kids. With this in mind, it’s fair to say that Karate lessons are relatively cheap and affordable where most are concerned.

There is another way of payment, that is for one-off classes. Many Karate dojos will offer this as part of their business model and charge $5-10 per class. If you think about it, $5 for a 60 minute class is a very good deal. Usually, if you sign up for a long-term deal though these things will work out as a better deal. Of course, be careful what you sign up for. Normally, long-term deals work out better on average, but you should only sign up if you’re committed and trust that the dojo will still be open within a few months’ time.

What are the other costs of Karate?

Usually, the only other cost is a Karate gi which isn’t particularly expensive either. This usually costs around $40 brand new. Again, compared to some other martial arts, this isn’t really expensive. Further, if you really want a bargain kimono then you can buy used ones from eBay for roughly half the cost. Just make sure they’re not too worn if pre-used! This Hawk Karate gi is brand new and costs $20 which is a steal.

After you’ve paid for lessons and purchased a gi – there really aren’t many other costs in Karate. Other than paying money to compete (if you so desire), then that’s it. Usually, there isn’t a huge money-grabbing culture in Karate that can be found in certain other martial arts. You could argue that the cost of training reflects this mentality.

Why is Karate cheap to train?

The reason why it’s cheap to train Karate is because of supply and demand economics. Similarly, this is why Brazilian Jiu JItsu costs more to train. If you take the average town for instance, it may have a few Karate dojos competing against each other for custom, whereas more obscure martial arts may only have one gym that dominates the town. As a result, the Karate gyms will have to lower their prices to compete with each other, which drives down the prices. To a similar extent, this is why Judo is also relatively cheap to train simply due to being a popular martial art.

The reason for this is that Karate boomed during the 80s and became the most popular martial art on earth. However, is this all good news if you want to train Karate? Although it sounds great, there are some negatives. One negative is that due to its explosion in popularity, certain gyms have stepped in to cash out. In other words, these gyms are run by underqualified instructors who pose as experienced sensei’s. This results in poor technique being taught and the watering down of Karate. It’s almost impossible to police too as Karate’s reach is now so vast.

Because of this, it’s important to check out your local Karate school before signing up. Just because it’s cheap it doesn’t mean it’s particularly good. Instead, it could be cheap for a reason – and that reason is that it may not be teaching proper Karate. In short, read reviews before joining a gym to avoid getting stung.

Conclusion

Overall, a typical Karate class costs around $60 per month to train. You can also do one-off training sessions that should cost under $10 per session. Further, you will need a Karate gi that will cost anywhere from $20-$80, dependent on your budget. With these fees out the way, you should now be able to start training Karate on a regular basis.

In conclusion, Karate is a low budget option when looking at starting a martial art. Of course, this is mostly a positive thing but sadly there are some schools out there that have cashed in on the Karate boom. With this in mind, be wary when you first start training somewhere and it doesn’t hurt to shop around and find the best dojo for you.