So many cultural moments have happened in 2026, and the year isn’t even over yet. The heartbreak of the World Cup. The Wuthering Heights film dividing absolutely everyone. A seemingly endless parade of objectively rubbish but deeply bingeable TV shows – yes, we’re talking about Off Campus and Heated Rivalry. This year has given us a lot to dress up as. Which is handy, because Halloween is coming.
Every year, parents, partygoers and people with friends who take 31st October very, very seriously spend hours trawling the internet for the perfect costume while trying to keep the budget from getting too scary.
If you’re coming off a 12-hour shift, the last thing you need is to spend £60 on a costume you’ll wear once and send to a charity shop. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to the best cheap Halloween costumes for 2026. Whether classic vampires or current pop stars are your thing, there’s something for every budget and level of enthusiasm.
Before you spend a single penny, have a proper rummage through your house. The chances are, you might already have a perfectly solid Halloween costume hiding at the back of your wardrobe. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Some might say these are basic. We call them timeless. There’s a reason these budget-friendly classics keep coming back around.
If you are willing to buy something, the good news is you don’t have to spend a lot. Here’s where to look:
Already great value on their own, but if you’re a Blue Light Card member you can save even more across all of them, which means your £20 budget stretches even further than you’d think.
A few costume ideas that tend to work brilliantly at this price point and won’t turn up on every list:
If you’ve got a bit of time, some craft supplies and a willingness to get slightly messy, DIY is the most satisfying route and the cheapest by some distance!
For craft supplies, Hobbycraft is brilliant. Fabric paint, glue guns, fake blood, face paint: all in one place. And Blue Light Card members can save money there too.
An underrated option, and we will die on that hill. Vinted, Depop, eBay and your local charity shop are full of last year’s Halloween costumes, vintage pieces with character and random items that become something brilliant with a bit of imagination.
The key tip: start looking early. You’ll have the pick of the lot. And don’t think too literally when you’re in a charity shop. A white jacket could become a mad scientist’s lab coat. A sparkly dress could become a pop star homage, a 1970s disco queen or Barbie. A tweed jacket and some round glasses could become a professor, a detective or a wizard.
It’s better for the planet, better for your wallet, and there’s a good chance you might find a truly unique costume nobody else has.
If you’ve got a talent for it (or simply want to give it a go), makeup alone can be the entire costume. No scrambling for last-minute pieces required, just a steady hand and a decent YouTube tutorial as your sidekick.
Poundland and B&M are worth checking for face paint kits and basic supplies. Boots carry a good range of special effects products too, from full face products to funky eyeshadows and lipsticks.
Couples’ costumes are one of those things that can look very put-together with little effort, as long as you pick the right pairing.
The classics are go-tos for a reason: vampire and victim, Frankenstein and bride, witch and black cat. They’re recognisable and easy to pull off on a budget.
For something a bit more unexpected, the weird and wonderful pairings are the ones that get people laughing at a party: plug and socket, salt and pepper, fork and knife, bread and butter.
Iconic on-screen duos are another reliable route: Ross and Rachel, Sandy and Danny, Wednesday and Thing (one of you wears a glove and spends the evening walking around alone).
This year has given us plenty to work with, so let’s get into it. Pick your favourite and start practising your look in the mirror.
Kids absolutely love Halloween. And honestly, you can see why... the opportunity to dress up, grab as many sweets as can fit in your bucket and reap the rewards for the next few weeks. But they also do not care how much you spend on a costume. Which is great news for your wallet.
One important thing to remember: kids grow. Don’t spend a fortune on a child’s costume that won’t fit by next October and might not even survive the night in one piece. Charity shops, cheaper supermarkets and hand-me-downs from friends are the sensible play here.
Start with what you’ve already got. A black dress, a striped top, a white shirt and a bit of dark eyeliner can all become a costume with the right accessories. The most convincing costumes are often the simplest ones.
DIY is your best option at this budget. A ghost from an old white sheet costs nothing. A skeleton made from black clothes and white fabric paint or tape comes in well under £10. For craft supplies, The Works and Poundland are both worth a visit.
The tourist (bucket hat, camera, bum bag, socks with sandals) required almost no preparation. A zombie works with whatever you’re already wearing and some dark makeup. If you’re willing to pop to a shop, Primark and ASDA usually have costume pieces available.
