How Much Does Bed Bug Treatment Cost in 2025?
Bed bug treatment costs an average of $2,500
On average, bed bug treatments cost $2,500. Expect to pay between $1,000 and $4,000 depending on your situation.
Extermination for larger buildings or severe infestations can cost up to $6,200.
Pest control companies charge between $300 and $650 for one bedroom, and whole-home treatments range from $1,500 to $6,200.
Heat treatments cost the least per square foot but may require multiple treatments or combined methods.
Fumigation eradicates bed bugs and all other pests but may cost up to $8 per square foot.
This article was updated using automation technology and thoroughly reviewed for accuracy by HomeAdvisor Editor Ryan Noonan.
Bed bug treatments average $2,500, ranging from $350 to $6,200. The scale and severity of infestation largely influence costs, averaging between $4 and $7.50 per square foot. Different types of bed bug treatments have various costs and ranging guarantees, sometimes requiring repeated or ongoing treatments that add to the final extermination costs.
Bed Bug Treatment Cost Factors
While bed bugs are definitely a common problem, no two infestations are quite the same, so your cost will depend on a few factors.
Area Size
The size of the infested area is a primary factor in determining total costs, and the average treatment costs range between $4 and $7.50 per square foot. Bed bug infestations in multiple rooms or entire homes increase the treatment scope and complexity. In addition to requiring more labor and treatment materials, larger infestations increase the chances of bed bugs in less accessible areas, including inside furniture, within walls, or in other structural elements.
It’s necessary to cover every potentially infested area—leaving small populations of bed bugs allows them to grow and re-infest. Your bed bug exterminator may charge per room or provide a flat fee for the entire job. The number of rooms provides an approximate guideline for bed bug extermination costs, but the square footage in rooms varies between homes, so your total will depend on your home’s specifics.
| Number of Rooms | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| 1 | $300–$650 |
| 2 | $700–$1,000 |
| 3 | $1,050–$1,450 |
| Whole home | $1,500–$6,200 |
Infestation Severity
While treating an average bed bug infestation costs around $1,000 to $2,500, a more serious case can cost $4,000 to $6,000. Severe infestations take more time and resources to eradicate, which will drive up costs.
| Infestation Severity | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Mild | $100–$1,000 |
| Moderate | $1,000–$2,500 |
| Severe | $4,000–$6,000 |
Geographic Location
Busy cities are significantly more prone to bed bugs than rural areas, especially those with dense residential buildings or that function as major travel and tourism hubs. While cities may have more bed bug exterminators overall, they’re often in high demand. Their hourly rates are generally higher to reflect the demand for their services and the higher costs of living in cities.
Inspection Rates
Some bed bug exterminators offer free visual inspections, but a full initial inspection costs $75 to $20. A follow-up appointment four to six weeks after your first extermination service is also about $75 to $225.
Furniture Disposal and Replacement
Most exterminations eradicate pests from your furniture. Some furniture is often included in general estimates, but treatment for additional furniture may increase the bill.
In severe cases, furniture may not be salvageable. Some areas have specific disposal regulations for bed bug infestations. If you can’t dispose of furniture yourself, junk removal services haul your furniture away for a fee.
Treatment Frequency
Exterminators may need to make multiple visits at a rate of about $415 to $625 each visit. An initial treatment averages $750 to $950, and ongoing treatments can range up to $7,800 per year.
Multiple treatments at specific intervals help your exterminator thoroughly eradicate the infestation. Bed bugs go through three main life cycle stages—egg, nymph, and adult—and each presents its own extermination challenges. For example, adults and nymphs can survive without feeding for up to 400 days. Even if a treatment wipes out adults, eggs may survive and introduce another wave of adults that require repeated treatment to avoid more eggs and a continuous infestation cycle.
| Treatment Frequency | Cost per Visit | Cost per Year |
|---|---|---|
| One-time | $750–$950 | $750–$950 |
| Quarterly | $425–$575 | $1,700–$2,300 |
| Monthly | $390–$570 | $4,700–$6,800 |
| Semi-monthly | $215–$325 | $5,100–$7,800 |
Bed Bug Removal Cost by Treatment Type
Different bed bug treatment methods carry varying costs from between $1 to $8 per square foot or between $2,000 and $16,000 for an average-sized home. Your bed bug exterminator will assess your home to determine the right method for the infestation level, your budget, and other factors.
| Treatment Type | Cost per Square Foot |
|---|---|
| Heat treatment | $1–$3 |
| Fumigation | $4–$8 |
| Chemicals and pesticides | $2–$5 |
| Steam | $2–$7.50 |
| Freezing | $3–$6 |
Heat Treatment
Heat treatment is a highly effective method for eradicating bed bugs, ranging from $1 to $3 per square foot per treatment. This chemical-free method involves pumping hot air into infested spaces to raise the temperature to 120 degrees, which immediately kills exposed bed bugs at all life stages.
Without chemical treatment, however, this thermal method doesn’t account for straggler bed bugs, so it doesn’t guarantee against re-infestation. Exterminators often pair heat treatments with chemical treatments as a comprehensive preventative measure or arrange for multiple heat treatments to eventually catch each bug. In other words, the low cost per square foot doesn’t reflect the total costs of multiple or combined treatments.
Fumigation
Fumigation, costing between $4 and $8 per square foot, can kill 100% of bed bugs and every other living organism in its treatment area. Generally reserved as a last resort when other methods are ineffective or for buildings with severe infestations, fumigation involves sealing the structure with a tent and introducing a concentrated gas. This method addresses bed bugs everywhere, whether in the surrounding soil, under your foundation, or in your walls.
Exterminators flush the gas out with clean air after about 48 hours. All members of your household, including pets, must find other accommodations during this period, potentially adding to your total cost if you need to stay in a hotel.
Chemicals and Pesticides
Chemical and pesticide treatments cost between $2 and $5 per square foot. They are available in sprays and powders made from insecticidal substances. Pesticide treatments can target specific spots but don’t provide lasting or comprehensive protection, typically requiring repeat treatments or a combined method.
Steam
Like heat treatments, steam treatments for bed bugs use high heat and range from $2 to $7.50 per square foot. Steam efficiently permeates furniture, carpets, bedding, and other materials to eradicate bed bugs inside, effectively reaching bed bugs in hidden places without damaging your belongings. Similarly to heat, steam treatments may need to be repeated or paired with other treatments to fully exterminate bed bugs.
Freezing
Freezing is a chemical-free bed bug treatment that averages between $3 and $6 per square foot. Professional freezing treatments involve using carbon dioxide crystals to spray infested areas and lower the temperature to freezing level or lower for several hours to kill bed bugs and eggs.
DIY Bed Bug Treatment vs. Hiring a Pro
If you’re trying to kill bed bugs yourself, DIY bed bug extermination methods can cost less than $100 and include 'fogger bombs' and bed bug treatment kits. You can also consider purchasing a steamer for a few hundred dollars if you prefer to avoid fumigation chemicals. All of these should be used with caution and, ideally, after talking to a professional.
That said, calling in a local pest control pro to exterminate bed bugs is the much wiser route. Exterminating bed bugs on your own requires lots of planning, preparation, and research, and you can't always be sure that you've chosen the right method to kick them out for good based on your infestation and home type.
How HomeAdvisor Gets Its Cost Data
No place is more important than your home, which is why HomeAdvisor connects homeowners with local pros to transform their houses into homes they love. To help homeowners prepare for their next project, HomeAdvisor provides readers with accurate cost data and follows strict editorial guidelines. After a project is complete, we survey real customers about the costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most bed bug infestations require two to four treatments within a three- to six-week span to eliminate them. For smaller infestations in a less-than-average-sized home, you may only need one inspection visit plus one treatment visit. For severe cases or large homes, you may need quarterly, monthly, or semi-monthly visits from an exterminator.
Bed bugs do not go away completely after one treatment. Even if initial results appear promising, one treatment does not eliminate every bug. Follow-up treatment is required—two to four visits over a six-week period to address every life stage. Skipping subsequent treatments leads to a risk of re-infestation, so it’s important to adhere strictly to the complete treatment plan.
You’re not required to leave your entire home, but you must vacate the infested areas for at least four to five hours after each treatment. Confirm the reentry guidelines with your bed bug exterminator—following their recommendations ensures that the treatment works effectively so you can fully eradicate the bed bugs from your home.
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