Idioms are special figurative expressions where the words together create a meaning completely different from what they say individually. People use them in everyday speech to make their descriptions more colorful, vivid, and memorable. In this article, you will learn fifty unique idioms related to expensive things and high costs.
In this lesson, we’ll look at idioms that mean high prices, luxury spending, and valuable items. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.
Idioms for Expensive
1. An arm and a leg
Definition: A price that is extremely high and unaffordable for everyday purchases.
Used in a Sentence: Those brand new leather basketball shoes cost an arm and a leg. / We wanted to go to the giant waterpark, but admission tickets cost an arm and a leg.
Similar Expressions: Extremely pricey / Cost a fortune
2. Astronomical figure
Definition: A cost or numerical amount that is so high it feels like outer space.
Used in a Sentence: The repair bill for the broken sports car reached an astronomical figure. / Buying a house in the downtown area requires an astronomical figure of money.
Similar Expressions: Skyrocketing cost / Massive price
3. Break the bank
Definition: To spend so much money that you use up all your savings.
Used in a Sentence: Buying those rare comic books will definitely break the bank. / We wanted a simple vacation that wouldn’t break the bank.
Similar Expressions: Exhaust savings / Cost too much
4. Charge through the nose
Definition: To demand an unreasonable amount of money for a product or service.
Used in a Sentence: The downtown parking garage charges through the nose on game days. / That small cafe charges through the nose for a simple bottle of water.
Similar Expressions: Overcharge / Price gouge
5. Cost a bomb
Definition: To be remarkably expensive to buy or repair.
Used in a Sentence: My brother’s new electric guitar cost a bomb, so he keeps it in a hard case. / Fixing the family car engine is going to cost a bomb.
Similar Expressions: Cost a fortune / Very expensive
6. Cost the earth
Definition: To be worth an incredible amount of money and hard to afford.
Used in a Sentence: Importing fresh tropical fruit during winter tends to cost the earth. / He wanted a luxury wristwatch that would cost the earth.
Similar Expressions: Extremely costly / Priceless
7. Dear as poisoned fish
Definition: Something that is priced far too high for its actual value.
Used in a Sentence: Paying fifty dollars for a plain plastic ruler is as dear as poisoned fish. / Why buy designer socks when they are as dear as poisoned fish?
Similar Expressions: Overpriced / Rip-off
8. Diamond-studded
Definition: Decorated with expensive gems, representing supreme luxury and cost.
Used in a Sentence: The royal museum exhibit featured a crown that was entirely diamond-studded. / Only a millionaire could afford a diamond-studded smartphone case.
Similar Expressions: Jeweled / Ultra-luxurious
9. Exorbitant price tag
Definition: A cost that goes far beyond what is fair or reasonable.
Used in a Sentence: The hotel room came with an exorbitant price tag during holiday season. / We walked away from the store because of the exorbitant price tag on the jacket.
Similar Expressions: Unreasonable cost / Inflated price
10. Eye-watering expense
Definition: A cost so massive that it brings tears to your eyes when you look at it.
Used in a Sentence: Building a custom treehouse turned into an eye-watering expense for our family. / The tuition fees for the private camp were an eye-watering expense.
Similar Expressions: Shocking price / Massive cost
11. Fat wallet
Definition: Having plenty of money available to spend on luxury items.
Used in a Sentence: You need a fat wallet if you want to shop at that designer boutique. / He walked into the car dealership carrying a fat wallet and high hopes.
Similar Expressions: Wealthy spender / Deep pockets
12. Gilt-edged
Definition: Of the highest quality, most reliable, and most expensive standard.
Used in a Sentence: The investor bought gilt-edged bonds that guaranteed high financial returns. / Our school received a gilt-edged grant for the new science laboratory.
Similar Expressions: Top-tier luxury / Premium quality
13. Golden handshake
Definition: A very large sum of money given to a departing executive or worker.
Used in a Sentence: The retiring company president received a golden handshake worth millions. / Leaving the corporation early came with a generous golden handshake.
Similar Expressions: Huge severance / Wealthy departure
14. Grand sum
Definition: A very large and impressive amount of money spent on something.
Used in a Sentence: We raised a grand sum of money for the community library project. / He paid a grand sum for that vintage baseball card collection.
Similar Expressions: Large total / Impressive amount
15. Heavy price
Definition: A severe financial cost or sacrifice required for a choice.
Used in a Sentence: Ignoring car maintenance now will make you pay a heavy price later. / Buying uncertified parts came with a heavy price in repairs.
Similar Expressions: Costly mistake / High sacrifice
16. High-end luxury
Definition: The most expensive, finest quality goods available on the market.
Used in a Sentence: The shopping mall features several high-end luxury stores selling designer clothes. / We toured a high-end luxury home with indoor swimming pools.
Similar Expressions: Premium luxury / Top-shelf goods
17. Kingdom’s ransom
Definition: An immense, almost impossible amount of wealth or money.
Used in a Sentence: He joked that buying the rare painting would cost a kingdom’s ransom. / Saving up for that sports car feels like paying a kingdom’s ransom.
Similar Expressions: Fortunate sum / Immense wealth
18. Mint condition
Definition: A rare collectible item in flawless shape that commands a high price.
Used in a Sentence: The 1950s comic book was in mint condition and worth thousands of dollars. / Collectors pay top dollar for vintage toys kept in mint condition.
Similar Expressions: Flawless state / Pristine value
19. Money to burn
Definition: Having so much extra cash that you can afford expensive luxuries easily.
Used in a Sentence: Only someone with money to burn would buy a gold-plated pencil sharpener. / He spent his allowance like he had money to burn.
Similar Expressions: Wealthy / Excess cash
20. Priceless treasure
Definition: An item so valuable and rare that no amount of money can truly buy it.
Used in a Sentence: The ancient museum artifact was considered a priceless treasure. / Family photo albums are a priceless treasure that money cannot replace.
Similar Expressions: Irreplaceable item / Beyond value
21. Top dollar
Definition: The highest possible price paid for a premium product or service.
Used in a Sentence: Collectors are willing to pay top dollar for original concert posters. / If you want the best seats at the stadium, you must pay top dollar.
Similar Expressions: Premium price / Maximum cost
22. Worth its weight in gold
Definition: Extremely valuable, helpful, and worth every penny spent.
Used in a Sentence: This emergency repair toolkit is worth its weight in gold during road trips. / A reliable study guide before exams is worth its weight in gold.
Similar Expressions: Invaluable / Extremely precious
23. Pay through the nose
Definition: To pay an unfairly excessive amount of money for something.
Used in a Sentence: We had to pay through the nose to get our plumbing fixed on a holiday weekend. / Buying snacks at the movie theater means you pay through the nose.
Similar Expressions: Overpay / Be ripped off
24. Out of reach
Definition: A price that is too high for your current budget to afford.
Used in a Sentence: That shiny new electric bicycle was completely out of reach for my savings. / Luxury apartments downtown are out of reach for most college students.
Similar Expressions: Unaffordable / Too costly
25. High roller
Definition: Someone who spends huge amounts of money on expensive luxuries.
Used in a Sentence: He acted like a high roller when he bought front-row tickets for everyone. / The restaurant owner treated his guests like high rollers.
Similar expressions: Big spender / Wealthy gambler
26. Pricey affair
Definition: An event, project, or purchase that ends up costing a lot of money.
Used in a Sentence: Hosting a wedding reception for two hundred guests is a very pricey affair. / Traveling abroad during peak summer season is a pricey affair.
Similar Expressions: Expensive event / Costly endeavor
27. Rich man’s toy
Definition: An expensive luxury item that only wealthy people can afford to buy.
Used in a Sentence: That multi-million dollar speedboat is just a rich man’s toy parked at the dock. / Owning a private helicopter is the ultimate rich man’s toy.
Similar Expressions: Luxury gadget / Expensive hobby
28. Spend a pretty penny
Definition: To spend a large, noticeable amount of money on a purchase.
Used in a Sentence: Remodeling the kitchen appliances is going to spend a pretty penny. / Her custom graduation dress cost a pretty penny.
Similar Expressions: Cost a lot / Expensive purchase
29. Steep price
Definition: A high cost that makes you hesitate before buying.
Used in a Sentence: Fifty dollars for a single concert ticket is a steep price to pay. / The mechanic quoted a steep price for changing the tires.
Similar Expressions: High cost / Expensive rate
30. Throw money at
Definition: To try solving an expensive problem by spending large sums of cash.
Used in a Sentence: Fixing the old clubhouse requires hard work, not just throwing money at it. / You cannot just throw money at the science project and expect an A.
Similar Expressions: Spend lavishly / Fund heavily
31. Living in the lap of luxury
Definition: Experiencing an expensive lifestyle filled with rich comforts.
Used in a Sentence: Staying at the five-star resort meant living in the lap of luxury all week. / The wealthy characters in the movie lived in the lap of luxury.
Similar Expressions: High living / Luxurious lifestyle
32. Gilt trip
Definition: A playful way to describe spending excessive money on fancy gold decorations.
Used in a Sentence: Decorating the ballroom with gold leaf trim was quite a gilt trip. / The palace lobby was a massive gilt trip of expensive design.
Similar Expressions: Golden extravagance / Luxury display
33. King-sized bill
Definition: An enormous invoice or receipt showing a very high total cost.
Used in a Sentence: Opening the hotel room service statement revealed a king-sized bill. / We received a king-sized bill after hosting the community banquet.
Similar Expressions: Huge invoice / Massive total
34. Billionaire’s budget
Definition: A spending plan that only an extremely wealthy person could maintain.
Used in a Sentence: Purchasing private island property requires a billionaire’s budget. / Maintaining that collection of classic cars takes a billionaire’s budget.
Similar Expressions: Limitless funds / Wealthy budget
35. Price tag shock
Definition: The sudden surprise you feel when seeing how expensive something is.
Used in a Sentence: I experienced serious price tag shock when I looked at the designer jacket. / Looking at the electronics store inventory gave everyone price tag shock.
Similar Expressions: Sticker shock / Cost surprise
36. Top-shelf expense
Definition: The highest tier of pricing for premium goods.
Used in a Sentence: Ordering organic catering for the party meant dealing with a top-shelf expense. / Professional camera equipment is always a top-shelf expense.
Similar Expressions: Premium cost / Luxury price
37. Extravagant outlay
Definition: A massive amount of money spent on something non-essential.
Used in a Sentence: Buying fireworks for the backyard party was an extravagant outlay of cash. / The company made an extravagant outlay on office decorations.
Similar Expressions: Lavish spending / High expense
38. Heavy on the wallet
Definition: A purchase that significantly drains your available cash.
Used in a Sentence: Eating dinner at the fancy seafood restaurant was a bit heavy on the wallet. / Buying new textbooks every semester is heavy on the wallet.
Similar Expressions: Costly / Hard on savings
39. Golden goose
Definition: A reliable source of high income or expensive value.
Used in a Sentence: That patent for the software invention was his family’s golden goose. / The successful bakery became the town’s golden goose for business.
Similar Expressions: Wealth generator / Profit source
40. Grand lifestyle
Definition: An expensive way of living characterized by luxury and high spending.
Used in a Sentence: Traveling by private jet is part of their regular grand lifestyle. / Maintaining such a grand lifestyle requires continuous high earnings.
Similar Expressions: Luxurious life / High-end living
41. Cost a limb
Definition: A dramatic exaggeration for something that is exceedingly expensive.
Used in a Sentence: Replacing my smartphone screen felt like it was going to cost a limb. / Getting tickets to the sold-out playoff game seemed to cost a limb.
Similar Expressions: Very costly / Expensive price
42. Priced out of the market
Definition: When prices rise so high that regular buyers can no longer afford them.
Used in a Sentence: Local families were priced out of the housing market downtown. / Small shops got priced out of the shopping mall by high rent.
Similar Expressions: Too expensive to buy / Unaffordable rates
43. Outrageous rate
Definition: A fee or price that is shockingly high and unfair.
Used in a Sentence: The electric company charged an outrageous rate during peak summer hours. / We refused the towing service because of their outrageous rate.
Similar Expressions: Shocking fee / Unfair price
44. Luxury tax
Definition: An extra cost or high price added to high-end items.
Used in a Sentence: Buying a private yacht comes with a heavy luxury tax and upkeep cost. / Imported sports cars carry a steep luxury tax.
Similar Expressions: Premium fee / High-end surcharge
45. Premium price tag
Definition: A higher cost charged for superior or brand-name quality.
Used in a Sentence: Organic vegetables often come with a premium price tag at the grocery store. / That laptop carries a premium price tag because of its famous brand.
Similar Expressions: High price / Brand markup
46. Breaking the piggy bank
Definition: Using up all your small saved coins to pay for a costly item.
Used in a Sentence: Buying that bicycle required breaking the piggy bank and using allowance savings. / We spent months saving coins before breaking the piggy bank for camp.
Similar Expressions: Using savings / Cashing in coins
47. Gold-plated cost
Definition: An inflated expense that includes unnecessary luxury add-ons.
Used in a Sentence: The software update came with a gold-plated cost for extra features we didn’t need. / Building the clubhouse had a gold-plated cost due to imported wood.
Similar Expressions: Inflated price / Luxury markup
48. Cost a mint
Definition: To require a large sum of money to purchase or maintain.
Used in a Sentence: Restoring that antique wooden sailboat is going to cost a mint. / Owning a horse in the city can cost a mint in feed and stables.
Similar Expressions: Cost a fortune / Very pricey
49. Price beyond measure
Definition: An item whose cost is so immense it cannot be easily calculated.
Used in a Sentence: The royal family’s heirloom necklace had a price beyond measure. / Securing rare historical documents carries a price beyond measure.
Similar Expressions: Incalculable cost / Infinite value
50. High-priced spread
Definition: A lavish, expensive meal or spread of food for a celebration.
Used in a Sentence: The banquet featured a high-priced spread of imported cheeses and fruits. / We enjoyed a high-priced spread at the graduation dinner.
Similar Expressions: Luxurious feast / Expensive banquet
Exercise to Practice
- Those brand new leather basketball shoes cost an arm and a leg.
- Buying those rare comic books will definitely break the savings account.
- The repair bill for the broken sports car reached an astronomical figure.
- That small cafe charges pennies for a simple bottle of water.
- The 1950s comic book was in mint condition and worth thousands of dollars.
- Only someone with money to burn would buy a gold-plated pencil sharpener.
- Fifty dollars for a single concert ticket is a very cheap price to pay.
- Remodeling the kitchen appliances is going to spend a pretty penny.
- Staying at the five-star resort meant living in the lap of luxury all week.
- Restoring that antique wooden sailboat is going to cost a very small amount.
- Buying fireworks for the backyard party was an extravagant outlay of cash.
- Organic vegetables often come with a premium price tag at the grocery store.
- That multi-million dollar speedboat is just a rich man’s toy parked at the dock.
- Local families were able to afford every single luxury home downtown easily.
- This emergency repair toolkit is worth its weight in gold during road trips.
Answer Key
- True
- True
- True
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
- True
- True
- False
- True
Conclusion
Learning these idioms helps you describe high prices and expensive items using fun, colorful language. Try using a few of these expressions when talking about shopping or budgeting to make your stories extra vivid.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some common idioms for expensive things?
Common idioms for expensive things include phrases like cost an arm and a leg, break the bank, and cost a fortune. These expressions help describe high prices and luxury spending.
Why do we use idioms to talk about money and costs?
Idioms give us vivid and memorable ways to express extreme expenses that plain numbers sometimes cannot capture. They make everyday conversations about shopping much more engaging.
How can I practice using expensive idioms?
You can practice by using these phrases when writing stories about shopping trips or budgeting for big projects. Matching them to everyday financial scenarios is also a great learning method.
Are expensive idioms always negative?
Not necessarily, while phrases like pay through the nose describe unfair high prices, terms like living in the lap of luxury or mint condition celebrate premium quality and success.
Can learning these idioms improve my English writing?
Yes, knowing these figurative expressions helps you add descriptive flair, humor, and engaging detail to your creative writing and everyday speech.
