Save money on a Halloween costume by shopping secondhand, renting instead of buying, and timing your purchase around sales rather than the last-minute rush. These three moves cost nothing to try and typically cut a costume's price by half or more.
Costumes are the single biggest piece of Halloween spending nationally. The National Retail Federation projects shoppers will spend $4.4 billion on costumes in 2026, and 71% of shoppers plan to buy one, according to NRF data reported by FashionUnited. With 79% of shoppers expecting higher prices this year — a trend NRF ties to tariffs — knowing where the real discounts are matters more than in past seasons, per NRF's 2026 survey.
Table of Contents
- Why Costumes Cost More This Year
- Thrift First — Where the Biggest Discounts Are
- Rent Instead of Buy for One-Time Wear
- Free Swaps Are the Cheapest Option Available
- Buy Next Year's Costume During Post-Halloween Clearance
- Frequently Asked Questions
Why Costumes Cost More This Year
Average per-person Halloween spending is projected at $115.14 in 2026, barely above 2025's $114.45, according to NRF's September survey of nearly 7,900 consumers. Total spending nationwide is expected to reach $13.5 billion. What's shifted is sentiment, not just price tags.
Nearly eight in ten shoppers surveyed by NRF expect to pay more this Halloween, a reaction largely tied to tariffs rather than Halloween-specific cost increases. That expectation alone is pushing more shoppers toward deal-hunting rather than full-price retail costume purchases. NRF's own data backs that shift: about a third of shoppers plan to comparison shop, 26% will look for coupons or sales, and 34% say they'll favor costume items they can reuse for future years or other occasions, according to NRF's spending survey. Those three habits are the foundation for the rest of this guide.
Thrift First — Where the Biggest Discounts Are
Thrift stores routinely beat specialty Halloween retailers on identical or similar items. One widely cited example: a raccoon costume priced at $44.99 at a Halloween store was found for $3.99 at a Goodwill location, according to reporting by WJLA.
That's roughly a 91% discount for comparable pieces. A Goodwill marketing manager quoted in local reporting says shoppers can piece together a full costume from secondhand items for under $20 total, mixing clothing, accessories, and props rather than buying a packaged costume, per reporting via Copper Courier. The same source recommends shopping early in the season, since costume-related donations build up gradually as October progresses — waiting until the last week means picking from a thinner selection.
- Shop for individual pieces (shirts, jackets, hats, props) rather than looking for a complete costume on the rack
- Visit more than once during October, since inventory turns over as new donations arrive
- Check accessories and costume-jewelry bins, which often hold the detail pieces that make a thrifted look convincing
Rent Instead of Buy for One-Time Wear
If a costume will only be worn once, renting is often cheaper than buying new. A 2026 cost guide found simple costume rentals running about $30 to $150 depending on complexity, while buying comparable simple pieces new costs roughly $10 to $30, according to Goodshop's guide. The guide's advice: buy only when you expect to reuse the costume or need an exact fit; otherwise renting avoids paying full price for something that sits in a closet afterward.
Rental options extend beyond big costume-rental companies. Some community theaters rent costumes to the public at low rates — one children's theater in Mason City, Iowa, offers rentals starting around $20, according to local news coverage. Checking a local community theater or performing-arts group before paying retail can turn up options that never show up in a typical online search.
Free Swaps Are the Cheapest Option Available
Costume swaps eliminate cost entirely for anyone willing to trade or simply take what's available. Several U.S.
and Canadian cities ran free swap events in September and October 2026, including events in Renton, Washington, and Tukwila, Washington, plus Edmonton's Reuse Centre swap on October 17, according to municipal and community event listings. At most of these events, taking a costume requires no purchase and often no donation either — organizers are typically trying to divert usable costumes from landfills rather than run a strict trade system. Checking a city's parks-and-recreation site, public library calendar, or local Facebook community groups in the first half of October is the most reliable way to find one before Halloween arrives.
Buy Next Year's Costume During Post-Halloween Clearance
Retailers typically slash costume prices once Halloween passes, with markdowns that have historically reached as much as 75% off, according to Fox Business reporting on Halloween savings tactics. Shopping clearance racks in late October and into November means paying a fraction of the original price for costumes, decorations, and accessories that will still work the following year.
This tactic pairs directly with NRF's finding that over a third of shoppers already favor costume pieces they can reuse across years or repurpose for other occasions. Buying basics — a solid-color outfit, a mask, or a wig — during clearance season stocks a costume box cheaply and removes the need to shop under time pressure next October.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is buying a costume still cheaper than renting one?
It depends on reuse. Goodshop's 2026 guide prices simple new costume pieces at roughly $10–$30 versus $30–$150 to rent, so buying wins for a costume you'll wear again or need to fit precisely; renting wins for a one-time, complex look.
When do costume donations peak at thrift stores?
A Goodwill marketing manager says donations build steadily through the Halloween season, so shopping early in October means a better selection than waiting until the final week.
Are costume swap events really free?
At listed events like Edmonton's Reuse Centre swap and Renton, Washington's event, taking a costume typically requires no purchase or donation in return.
