The One Expense The Bachelor And The Bachelorette Contestants Have To Pay For Themselves

"The Bachelor" has long been known for its drama both on and off set. Most recently, the reality franchise made headlines in March 2026 when its network, ABC, announced that the already-wrapped season 22 of "The Bachelorette" would not be aired because its star, Taylor Frankie Paul, appeared in a video allegedly depicting domestic violence. While it has been reported that Paul, as the lead, will still receive her full salary for the show, little attention has been paid to the money the show's contestants routinely lose out on. The shows cover things like travel (though not for auditions), activity, and food costs for its participants, but there's one area where the production's dime stops short: attire.

There is no publicly available contestant rulebook or full contract for the franchise, but multiple past contestants have spoken out on the subject. According to their accounts, contestants are responsible for their physical appearance, including hair, makeup, and clothing. And, while clothes from luxury brands aren't mandatory, the attire is expected to look TV-ready and must follow a specific dress code. Contestants are given a general packing list ahead of time, but the tricky thing is that there's no way of knowing how much they'll actually need. In one case, a female contestant made a TikTok video saying she spent $2,238 on dresses alone, only to be sent home in the first episode. Considering participants stock up on items to last as many as nine weeks of filming, the full cost can easily approach $10,000.

Deciding to re-mortgage one's home can be a viable option for retirees and others who find themselves facing unforeseen expenses. In Bachelor Nation, however, it can also be a way for contestants to afford the steep costs of being on the show. In her blog, former contestant Jillian Harris explained that she re-mortgaged her house to help with the expenses, which included $8,000 spent on clothing alone. Since Harris appeared on "The Bachelor" in 2009, that would be the equivalent of over $12,000 today (according to the CPI Inflation Calculator). On the lower end of the spectrum, "The Bachelorette" season 11 contestant Joshua Albers told "Mic" in a 2016 interview he spent $1,000 on suits, while a fellow contestant spent $4,000.

According to a 2019 Vox report, some contestants mitigate these costs by working with brands for free clothing in exchange for exposure. Of course, there's no guarantee that exposure will actually happen, since contestants can get sent home at any time. In a 2018 interview with Glamour, former contestant Bekah Martinez explained that after getting cut midway through the season, she returned the clothes she purchased to stores for a refund because she needed money. And, while it may come as no surprise that female contestants are reportedly given lengthier packing lists and incur greater expenditures, participants on both "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" have said clothes-swapping between contestants is common practice to save on costs.

Although the lead stars of "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" do get paid for completing the season, the contestants do not. In addition to their wardrobe costs, the lack of a salary for appearing on the show is even more significant, considering the fact that they have to take time off work to appear on the show. In an interview with finance expert Rachel Cruze (via YouTube), former contestant Kaitlyn Bristowe said she was forced to rack up debt in order to be on the show and said, "I don't know how you don't [go into debt as a contestant]."

The expenses are nevertheless seen as a worthwhile investment for some contestants because they buy visibility, especially for creators on social media platforms who have sufficiently large audiences. As multiple past contestants have shared, being on either "The Bachelor" or "The Bachelorette" is an opportunity for online exposure, and many have gone on to launch successful influencer careers thanks to the show. Considering the upfront wardrobe costs and the fact that fewer than 10 couples remain together from all of "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" seasons that ever aired, this potential for earning could explain why thousands of people continue to audition every year. Nevertheless, the contestants on Taylor Frankie Paul's now unaired season of "The Bachelorette" may just have to eat the wardrobe costs and find another path to fame.