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How Much Does a Rat Exterminator Cost in Philadelphia? [2025 Data]
Normal Range: $146 - $327
Homeowners in Philadelphia, PA, can expect to pay $229 for a visit from a rat exterminator. Depending on the infestation size and location in the home, you may spend between $146 and $327.
How we get this data
Photo: FollowTheFlow / Adobe Stock
Photo: FollowTheFlow / Adobe Stock
Highlights
A rat exterminator in Philadelphia can tackle your rodent problem by removing rats and sealing their entry points.
The cost of hiring an exterminator depends on the size and location of the infestation, the removal method used, and whether your home requires repairs.
If your rat infestation is severe, expect to pay between $0.65 and $1.95 per square foot for fumigation services.
Rodents in your home can be extremely upsetting, and most people don’t want to deal with DIY rat removal. The average cost of removing a rat from a home in Philadelphia is $229, though you could pay between $146 and $327, depending on the severity of the infestation. Other factors that can affect rat extermination costs include the location of the infestation and the extermination method used. Learn more about these and other factors to create a budget for rat removal.
Rat Exterminator Cost Factors
The cost of hiring a rat exterminator in Philadelphia, PA, depends on who you hire and your chosen service. Local rat exterminators offer several levels of service. Your price will increase if you select options that prevent rats from coming back or address any damage to your home.
Infestation Location
The rats’ location affects extermination costs, and an inaccessible infestation means higher labor costs. Exclusion can quickly become expensive if rats are inside the walls or have caused internal damage to insulation or ductwork.
| Infestation Location | Cost Considerations |
|---|---|
| Attic or basement | Depending on severity, you may need to budget for repairs to flooring, drywall, plumbing pipes, or electrical wires. |
| Crawl space | Accessing a crawl space can be difficult, which adds to the labor cost of rat extermination. |
| Ductwork | Exterminating rats in ductwork requires specific tools, and parts of the ductwork may need to be removed, driving up the cost. |
| Shed or garage | It’s generally easy to remove rats from a shed or garage, resulting in lower extermination costs. |
| Walls | An exterminator might need to use thermal imaging equipment to locate a rat infestation inside a wall, prolonging the project. |
Infestation Size
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The larger the rat problem, the longer inspections, exclusions, and extermination steps will take, which adds to the cost. A large infestation requires more traps, bait stations, and more serious eradication methods, such as fumigation. Since rats can produce up to 6 litters each year, catching an infestation early is important.
Home Size
The average home size in Philadelphia is 1,635 square feet—slightly smaller than the national average home size of 2,200 square feet. Generally, the more space a professional has to inspect for signs of rats, the more it will cost.
If you choose exclusion services to seal and block rodent-friendly entrances, bigger homes may require more work. This is also why infestations limited to sheds, barns, or other separate buildings will be significantly less expensive. For fumigation, you'll pay $0.65 to $1.95 per square foot. The following table shows the average cost of rat extermination in Philadelphia.
| Square Footage | Average Cost for Whole-House Options in Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| 1,000 square feet | $650–$1,950 |
| 2,000 square feet | $1,300–$3,900 |
| 3,000 square feet | $1,950–$5,850 |
| 4,000 square feet | $2,600–$7,800 |
Cost of Rat Extermination Methods
Once you’ve confirmed signs of a rodent infestation, rat exterminators can approach your rodent infestation in several ways. Let’s look at common rat extermination methods and how much exterminators charge for those services.
Live Rat Removal Cost
| Pros of Live Removal | Cons of Live Removal |
|---|---|
| Minimal, quick labor | Charges per rat can be high |
| Suitable for small infestations | Requires hands-on removal |
Most exterminators charge around $35 to transport each live rat caught from your property. Exterminators charge for removal because they incur fuel and labor costs while traveling at least a mile from your home to send the rat to its new happily ever after.
Rat Exclusion
| Pros of Rat Exclusion | Cons of Rat Exclusion |
|---|---|
| Effective for in-home infestations | Significantly more expensive |
| Prevents rats from returning | Takes longer |
| Can apply to other pests |
Many exterminators will seal off all entry points where rats can enter your home. The most common exclusion strategy is sealing holes. However, exclusion can also include screening crawl spaces and roof vents, repairing holes, and pruning back trees that rats use as stairs into your home. The cost of exclusion ranges from $130 to $390.
Fumigation Costs
| Pros of Fumigation | Cons of Fumigation |
|---|---|
| Tackles large-scale infestations throughout a building | Very expensive |
| Eradicates rats that can’t be found otherwise | Use of toxic fumes in the home |
| Must vacate the house |
If your Philadelphia rat exterminator suggests fumigation, a last resort method for a severe and dangerous rat infestation, expect to pay $0.65 to $1.95 per square foot. Similar to termite fumigation, everyone will likely need to leave the house for one to two days while the chemical does its job.
Follow-Up Visits
Most rat exterminators will arrange follow-up visits to check for signs that more rats are on your property, such as new nests. If they laid bait or traps, pros examine the results and determine whether additional steps are needed. You can expect to pay around $30 to $100 for follow-up visits, which a pro may bundle in your estimate.
Extermination Pro Costs
Hiring a pest control specialist in Philadelphia helps eliminate the furry critters from your home for good. However, hiring an exterminator will cost you. Here are the main factors that impact the total cost of hiring a Philadelphia rat exterminator.
Labor
The cost of living in Philadelphia is around 4% higher than the national average. You likely won't pay much in labor costs for a quick live removal of one or two rats. However, paying a local pro for rat exclusion or fumigation will cost more due to the time required for these projects. Emergency services will also cost more. Ask your rat exterminator whether they charge per rat, hour, day, or project to get a better idea of your costs.
Inspection
An initial inspection helps locate the rats in your house and determines the extent of the infestation. An exterminator will use this information to determine the best treatment method and provide you with a tailored quote for rat removal. Expect to pay between $70 and $130 for an initial rat inspection, though they may waive the fee if you hire the same pro for extermination.
Cleanup and Repairs
Rats are messy and leave behind nest materials, gnawed drywall, and droppings. They can also cause extensive damage to your home. Once you’ve removed the rats from your property, you must budget for cleanup and repairs. A proper cleaning helps eliminate bacteria and viruses, though it can be expensive. The following table shows how much repairs can cost in Philadelphia following extermination.
| Type of Repair | Average Cost in Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| Plumbing repair | $120–$300 |
| Drywall repair | $230–$520 |
| HVAC repair | $50–$780 |
| Electrical repair | $100–$330 |
Does Rat Extermination Increase Home Value?
Rat extermination can impact your home’s value, but not in the same way a home improvement might. Redoing your kitchen and bathroom can boost your home’s sale value, but exterminating rats won’t.
However, if you list your home for sale and potential buyers notice rats during their viewing, they’ll be out of there faster than the speed of light. Even if a buyer doesn’t see a rat and makes an offer, their home inspection will find any active infestations. This could cause the buyer to withdraw their offer or require you to take care of the problem and any damage before they close on the house. If you plan to sell your house, it’s best to have a pest inspection and address any issues before your home hits the market.
How Angi Gets Its Cost Data
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We survey real Angi customers about their project 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.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to [email protected]. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
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