---
title: The High Cost of Panda Cuteness
description: Pandas cost $1 million a year to rent from China.
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published: '2016-01-29T22:37:49.000Z'
modified: '2016-01-29T22:37:49.000Z'
section: Lifestyle
tags:
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  - Money
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![Screen Shot 2016-01-28 at 4.37.16 PM](https://img.money.com/2016/01/screen-shot-2016-01-28-at-4-37-16-pm.png)

Giant pandas are very cute, but incredibly expensive. American zoos do not actually own the pandas that we enjoy going to visit. China rents pandas out to the tune of $1 million a year. Zoos typically sign a 10-year contract, which means that at the end of that contract, a zoo will have spent $10 million renting one panda.

And any cubs that are born while at the zoo? Well, China charges a cub tax of $400,000. And those little cuties have to be shipped back to China when they turn three.

But they're still really cute.

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