Which console is cheaper, PS5 or Xbox?

The entry prices are close and the ownership costs differ more. Subscriptions, storage expansion and whether you buy games on disc change the total over a few years far more than the hardware price does.

Is a digital console cheaper?

Up front, yes. It also removes pre-owned discs and the ability to sell games on, which for a heavy buyer costs more than the saving within a couple of years.

Why is console storage so expensive?

One ecosystem uses proprietary expansion cards priced well above ordinary drives. If you keep many games installed that is a real cost worth adding to the comparison.

PS5 vs Xbox: which is cheaper to own?

The cheaper console to buy is not necessarily the cheaper one to own.

Updated 29 September 2026 · 1 min read

Hardware is the smallest number

Both manufacturers sell consoles on very thin margins because the money is made afterwards. Over three or four years the games, the online subscription and any storage expansion cost considerably more than the machine did.

So comparing entry prices answers the wrong question. The comparison that matters is the machine plus how you will actually play for the next few years.

The three costs that differ

Subscriptions. Both charge for online play and both offer game-library tiers. The tiers differ enough that your habits decide which is cheaper, not the headline.
Storage expansion. One ecosystem uses proprietary cards that cost considerably more than ordinary drives. If you keep many games installed, this is a real number.
Disc or digital. A disc drive lets you buy pre-owned and sell on. For a heavy buyer that outweighs the up-front saving on a digital machine within a couple of years.

Bundles are where retailers compete

Since standalone hardware prices are near-identical everywhere, shops differentiate by attaching a game, a controller or a subscription. Price the console alone, price the extras alone, and count only the extras you would genuinely have bought.

Before you buy

Decide disc or digital from how you buy games.
Total the subscription over the period you will own it.
Price storage expansion if you keep a lot installed.
Compare bundles against the parts bought separately.
Check the standalone price across shops to find the floor.