Cockatiel Price in India (2026): Costs by Colour, Age and City

In 2026, a regular grey cockatiel in India is priced between ₹1,200 and ₹3,500 per bird. Colours that are in demand, such as lutino, pied, pearl and cinnamon, are priced around ₹2,500 to ₹5,000. Rare mutations such as albino, dominant silver or fallow range from ₹5,000 to ₹18,000 or more.

There is an additional cost for a hand-tamed baby, and metro cities are more expensive than smaller towns. All the figures below are approximate market ranges based on breeder, shop and online listings, and the actual price quoted will however vary from seller to seller.

But the bird is not the whole bill. Below you will find the cost of each colour and why two different sellers can quote such wide variations in price for the "same" bird, what you will spend on a cage and food, and at the same time to pick a healthy cockatiel without getting cheated.

When a breeder says "pair", it typically means one male and one female. Some sellers only quote pair prices, so make sure to ask whether the price is for one bird or two.

In short Colour is the single biggest factor behind price fluctuations. There are dozens of cockatiel mutations, but these are the ones you will actually find in Indian shops and on breeder pages.

Some simple facts about colour:

This is where most first-time buyers begin to get confused because two birds of the same colour may vary by ₹2,000 or more simply because of how they were raised.

These chicks are taken from the nest at about two to three weeks of age and fed by hand several times daily until they are weaned. It's slow and skilled work, hence the higher cost. In short this typically produces a bird that steps onto your finger on the first day and is relaxed around people.

This kind of chicks were raised by the parents but regularly handled by the breeder. These can make nice pets, though how tame they are depends heavily on the amount of time the breeder actually invested.

In general this little chicks refuse to interact with humans. They're the least expensive birds and yet they can be domesticated. It will take weeks to a few months of patient sessions with millet spray every day before they'll let you in.

The hand-tamed premium will be worthwhile if you work long hours and are looking for a friendly bird from the beginning. If you're not in a hurry and have patience, an untamed grey will save you money.

The one rule to remember, don't buy an unweaned chick if you haven't hand-fed chickens in the past. They are also cheaper, but will cause a mortality rate on very young chicks if they are fed improperly. Find out when the bird was weaned and observe it feeding itself before paying.

On the other hand, large metros are more expensive due to a high demand for the service and higher expenses incurred by breeders for feed, vets and housing. Smaller cities will be less costly but might offer fewer color options. These are approximate values for typical mutations.

There are also times in the year when prices may begin to increase around Diwali and at the year end gift season, and decrease slightly when there are a lot of chicks available for breeding.

Home or aviary breeders are generally the best option. You can see the parents, check the conditions and ask questions even after you have taken the bird home and also prices are fair, not cheap.

Pet shops: Convenient, but often 20–40% more expensive than breeder rates for the same colour, because many shops buy from wholesalers. Health checks differ hugely from one shop to another.

Online stores and classifieds (OLX, Facebook groups, pet sites). This is where you'll find the biggest variety in prices, from suspiciously cheap to steep. Some are true home breeders. Others are resellers who don't know much about the birds. Always ask for a live video call that shows the actual bird, and never send full payment by UPI to someone you have never met.

Weekend bird markets. The prices look tempting, but the birds are stressed, health is hard to judge in a crowd and colours are often misidentified. Native birds are also sold illegally at some markets, which is a reason to be careful about the whole setup.

Here is what moves the price most:

A very cheap bird, say ₹500–₹800 for a "lutino", is a warning sign rather than a good deal. It can be old, sick, mislabelled or wild-tempered, and whatever you save can be lost in a single vet visit.

A common-colour cockatiel will cost approximately ₹15,000 to ₹30,000 in the first year, once you add the bird, setup and 12 months of care. After that, it is mostly the monthly expense plus the occasional vet visit. Keep in mind that cockatiels can live 15–20 years, and some live longer.

Yes. Cockatiels come from Australia, so they are not native Indian wildlife and are not protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. They are also bred extensively in captivity here. You don't need a permit to keep a captive-bred cockatiel, but be sure to keep the purchase receipt as proof of where the bird came from.

That is very different from the green tota, the Alexandrine and other native parakeets. These are illegal to buy or keep, no matter what a shopkeeper tells you. To get the whole picture, refer to our guide on legal pet birds you can keep in India.

That does not, however, mean that legal is always ethical. Buy from breeders who provide clean and spacious facilities for their birds, refrain from selling unweaned chicks and will respond to your questions once the sale is complete. A closed leg ring is a good sign that the bird was captive-bred.

Talk about money only after spending ten minutes watching the bird. The following are signs of a healthy cockatiel:

Then ask the seller some questions:

A good seller will be pleased to answer. If someone dodges these questions, walk away. Whichever bird you select, book an appointment with an avian vet within the first few days. Bird vets are scarce in many cities, so save a vet's number before you need it.

If you're still deciding between a cockatiel and a smaller bird, our budgie care guide for beginners in India includes basic cage, food and health care information that applies to cockatiels as well.

The normal grey is the cheapest one available, at about ₹1,200 to ₹3,500 per bird. Older adults especially that are untamed or have been rehomed may be more affordable.

A grey pair is roughly ₹2,000 to ₹5,000, a lutino or pied pair about ₹4,500 to ₹9,000 and rare colours like albino can cost ₹9,000 or more per pair.

These colours come from careful pairings of parents carrying specific genes, so fewer chicks are produced. Fewer birds and plenty of buyers push the price up.

Yes, for the majority of families. Cockatiels are gentle, fairly quiet compared with big parrots, and good learners of whistles. They do require a few hours of companionship daily, so they are best suited to a home where someone is present.

A single bird grows closer to you, but requires daily attention. A pair is kinder if the house is empty for much of the day, but a bonded pair is usually less likely to take to handling.

Some pick up a few words, particularly males, but they're much better at whistling tunes and mimicking household sounds such as ringtones and doorbells.