How Much Does a Roach Exterminator Cost? (2025 Guide)
All products and services featured are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Getting rid of a cockroach infestation costs about $800 annually. We’ll go over more details and recommend top exterminators in our guide. Roaches are notoriously difficult to eliminate, and professional pest control is often the best solution. We’ve reviewed the nation’s best pest control companies and researched the average costs of various types of pest control and extermination.
Cost of a Roach Exterminator
We requested general pest control quotes from Terminix and Orkin for a three-bedroom home. The quotes below are for annual plans that include roach extermination, follow-up treatments, and ongoing prevention. Terminix breaks its payments into monthly or quarterly installments; Orkin accepts monthly payments.
Terminix: $770
Orkin: $761
Terminix also offers one-time treatments for $299.
Pest Control Cost
A general pest control plan costs from $400 to $950 per year, on average.
Pest Inspection
Some companies, including Terminix, offer free inspections.
Extermination
Professional pest control services, on average, cost between $150 and $450.
Factors Affecting Roach Exterminator Cost
Below, we summarize key cost factors for roach extermination.
- Home size: The size of your home is a major cost factor for most pest control services. A larger home has more surface area for pests to spread and often requires a more extensive treatment plan.
- Location: The cost of extermination services varies in different areas of the country. If a specific type of pest infestation is especially common in your area, it may drive up rates for in-demand services.
- Treatment type: The type of treatment required for effective roach control will also impact the total cost. Treatments may include insecticides, gel baits, fumigation, growth inhibitors, or another option.
- Level of infestation: The severity of the infestation will be a major cost factor. Severe infestations require more robust treatment plans and greater time requirements from pest control technicians.
- Follow-up visits: Annual plans typically include several follow-up visits, which are reflected in the cost. One-time treatment plans are cheaper, but depending on the severity of the infestation, they may not be enough to completely eliminate your roach problem.
Types of Roaches
There are several types of cockroaches known to infest homes, including the following:
- American cockroaches: American cockroaches can grow up to two inches long and thrive in damp environments. They have wings and can fly a short distance when encountered. These cockroaches are also known as palmetto bugs.
- German cockroaches: German cockroaches are often responsible for residential roach infestations and can reproduce at an incredibly rapid rate. They cannot fly but can move on the ground quickly.
- Australian cockroaches: Australian cockroaches prefer warm environments and are common in Florida and other warm coastal areas. They are not as prolific as German cockroaches but still reproduce quickly. Like American cockroaches, Australian cockroaches can fly.
- Brown-banded cockroaches: These cockroaches tend to be smaller—around a half-inch long. They are nocturnal and are most often found during warm weather. Brown-banded cockroaches do not reproduce as quickly as many other common roaches.
Professional Exterminators vs. DIY Products
Trained and experienced pest control technicians can tailor a cockroach treatment to your home and the severity of your infestation. This may include pesticide bait applications, entry point sealing, and residual treatments that seep into crevices where cockroaches may hide. Especially severe infestations may require tenting and fumigation.
There are also cheaper DIY treatments designed for cockroach control. These include glue traps, insecticidal sprays, and bait stations with insecticides that roaches distribute among their populations. You can also try boric acid, a readily available cleaning product that kills adult cockroaches when ingested.
Our Recommendation
A cockroach infestation is a source of anxiety for many people and can cause health issues by spreading harmful bacteria, such as salmonella, among household surfaces and stored foods. For the best results, we recommend hiring a professional exterminator to address your cockroach problem.
Terminix and Orkin are industry-leading providers with solid reputations and widespread availability throughout the United States. Each offers annual plans that provide ongoing roach control and treatment for several other common household pests.
Terminix
- Pricing: $770
- State availability: 45 states (all but Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Vermont)
Terminix provides targeted treatment for cockroaches and many other pests in its general pest control plans. You can select an annual plan or a one-time treatment depending on your needs and budget. Terminix does not provide fumigation services, but its pest control technicians use a broad range of treatments to help manage pest problems. The company also backs its services with a re-service guarantee for all annual plans, providing free re-treatment as necessary between scheduled visits.
Orkin
- Pricing: $761
- State availability: 49 states (all but Alaska)
Orkin also specializes in annual plans, taking a multistep approach to pest control that includes inspecting the home, exterminating pests, fortifying the home as necessary, and providing ongoing monitoring and protection. Orkin also provides free off-schedule treatments for its annual plans and increases its warranty protection with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Its website has several informational resources, including detailed guides about common household pests.
Roach Exterminator Cost FAQ
How do I know if I have a cockroach infestation?
Cockroaches are active, and if you have an infestation, you can often see them scurrying when you turn on lights. Roaches also leave small droppings, exude a musty scent, and may deposit egg capsules in infested areas of your home.
What do roaches eat?
Cockroaches are omnivorous and eat most food sources, including crumbs and scraps from any meats or starches left in a kitchen or dining room.
What are some tips for getting rid of roaches?
The best way to get rid of a roach infestation is to call a professional pest control company. You can also try DIY methods for less severe infestations. Many retailers sell bait stations, insecticidal sprays, and boric acid treatments.
How We Chose the Top Pest Control Companies
Our pest control research process starts with analyzing customer reviews on third-party websites such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Trustpilot, and Google Reviews. We then do a deep dive into each company’s website, service plans, and available cost information. We also secret shop the companies we review, reach out to representatives, and request quotes.
From there, we compile the information we’ve gathered and compare each company using our in-depth pest control methodology and review criteria. This process uses a series of factors that are important to our readers, and we score each company depending on how well they perform in each factor. For instance, companies that offer more guarantees for their service earned more points than others, and pest control plans with a larger range of covered pests earned more points than ones with fewer.
After analyzing dozens of residential and commercial pest control businesses through this process, we were able to determine the best pest control companies on the market.