If you’re thinking about getting started in MMA training, but you’re worried about how deep your pockets will need to be… then worry no more.
In this article, I’ve researched a wide range of class and membership prices from MMA gyms across the USA and even Asia.
If you’re in a hurry and want to know simply, how much do MMA classes cost?
MMA classes and day passes to MMA gyms usually cost between $15-20. The average cost of a monthly membership to an MMA gym is around $162 with unlimited access to all classes.
Most people assume that MMA classes would be pretty expensive because of the expertise required to deliver coaching, but you’d be surprised to know that they are more often reasonable to afford and approachable for many people.
Table of Contents
A Note From My Research
I decided the best way to identify the average costs of MMA classes across the United States would be to, well, grab a bunch of prices together as data and compare them.
So I did some research into MMA gyms across several states including Chicago, Illinois, and Houston. I checked 26 gyms for their membership prices to give me a dataset to work with.
Then I also decided to look back into my own experiences of training in MMA gyms in Asia to give you an idea of what the costs are like over there, too, and then to be able to compare it with pricing in the USA.
MMA Classes Cost In The USA
Below you’ll find a neat table that shows data I’ve collected from 26 MMA gyms in the United States, specifically in Chicago, Illinois, and Houston, Texas. Let’s look at what pricing you can expect to pay for a class.
The data coming up combines some single class prices and day passes, but only for a small minority of the data. It’s worth mentioning that most MMA gyms offer a free trial class so that you can try them out first.
Note: This data in this article was accurate as of February 2022 when it was sourced. Specific pricing could change between gyms mentioned in this article, and you should contact those gyms directly to get the most updated pricing.
Firstly, it’s difficult to collect the single class or day pass prices from many MMA gyms. Many of them either don’t have single class or day pass prices or don’t share that information publicly.
But here’s pricing I did find from a few examples:
- Sam Colonna Boxing Gym charges $10 for a day pass.
- Northside Boxing Chicago charges $15 for a day pass.
- And another MMA gym I asked wanted to remain anonymous about their pricing, but charges $20 for a day pass.
That puts the average price for a day pass in a fighting gym at around $15. This is pretty affordable for most people who want to try out an MMA gym but probably isn’t sustainable to keep paying it and so considering a monthly membership is usually the better option if you are committed to training.
Let’s take a look at the more common pricing behind MMA gyms in the USA, which is their monthly memberships.
MMA Gym Membership Cost In The USA
Following on from above, I’ve also collected the pricing for unlimited monthly memberships (or as close to it) at a selection of MMA gyms.
Some MMA gyms include a certain amount of classes in the membership, and some are entirely unlimited. But I’ve tried my best here to give you an idea of what you can expect to pay for the most access to the gym, such as including as many classes as you want, open gym, etc.
Another thing to note is that these are focusing on Adult memberships, so the pricing for a kids membership could differ (and is usually much cheaper).
| Gym | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| Chicago MMA | $199 |
| Sam Colonna Boxing | $120 |
| Titan Gym | $199.99 |
| Northside Boxing | $120 |
| POW! Gym Chicago | $175 |
| Chicago Kickboxing Club | $199 |
| Aiki Training Hall | $120 |
| Valko BJJ | $140 |
| Anonymous Chicago Gym | $185 |
| Average Monthly Cost: $162 |
As you can see there is a range of pricing between $120 up to $200. Some gyms which are primarily focused on certain styles of fighting (e.g. Boxing, or BJJ) often enter on the cheaper side for monthly memberships.
Actual mixed martial arts gyms which include various disciplines and trainers for them sway onto the more expensive side, reaching closer to the $200 mark.
From the data I collected, the average cost of a monthly membership at an MMA gym is $162.
For working people or those dedicated to their training, this seems like a reasonable price to pay. But of course, pricing could change across different states in the USA and likely when you are closer to city-centers like in Chicago, or New York.
My personal experience in MMA classes and training has mostly been in Asia, and I wanted to include that here to give you a greater spectrum of mixed martial arts training prices around the world.
MMA Classes & Membership Cost In Asia
I began my own martial arts journey in Asia, specifically Indonesia, and have trained at some of the best MMA gyms in Bali.
In my time there, I found that the MMA classes have a broad price range as some gyms are incredibly cheap, and others are more well-established and focused on tourists so they can demand a higher price.
In Bali, Indonesia, the experience level of coaches, no matter where you go, is often quite good. This is likely because of its proximity to Thailand, where many great Muay Thai fighters are born and travel over to Bali for new work or fighting opportunities.
Take a look at a Fight Night event that was established by my favorite gym in Asia, Soma Fight Club:
I’ve picked out a selection of gyms in Bali, converted their pricing to the US dollar, and put them together in this table so you can get a good idea of the pricing for MMA classes in Asia:
| Gym | Daily Cost | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Soma Fight Club | $14 | $125 |
| BaliMMA | $17.50 | $122 |
| Daily Gym | $5.50 | $56 |
| RitualsJJ | $17.50 | $153 |
| Synergy BJJ | $14 | $105 |
| Zealot MuayThai | $10.50 | $105 |
| Power Padz | $10.50 | $105 |
| Average: $12.80 | Average: $110 |
Looking at this data, you can see that an average daily pass for an MMA class in Asia costs around $12.80. The average cost of a monthly membership to an MMA gym in Asia is roughly $110.
Comparing the monthly membership costs between USA and Asia makes it clear that Asia is a fair bit cheaper. But it’s not a huge difference. And I think that’s largely down to the fact that mixed martial arts are really popular in Asia, just like they are in the USA.
Whether it’s Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, or China, there are vast fanbases of people for the sport and many people practicing MMA. And as with anything, the higher demand there is, the more a gym can raise its prices.
But, for me, the cost of an MMA gym isn’t so important. Most importantly is getting the training that helps you to progress and brings constant enjoyment.
Common Questions About MMA Classes
Let me just take care of a few very common questions from those who are considering MMA classes or memberships.
Are MMA Classes Worth It?
Taking MMA classes is definitely worth the typical $15-20 price tag. Mixed Martial Arts training has many benefits including learning useful skills for self-defense, extraordinary cardio benefits, fat and weight loss, and a greater sense of confidence.
In my personal experiences, taking a variety of mixed martial arts classes has taught me so much about self-defense and about myself that every cent spent on them has been well worth it.
Sometimes it can feel like you will never stop learning in MMA, but that’s a part of its beauty and what makes it so worthwhile; a constant progression for perfection.
Is MMA Expensive?
Participating in MMA classes can be expensive for some people with a monthly cost often between $150-200. To some people, this is too much of a stretch above their regular expenses. But for the committed person, MMA classes are extremely valuable.
Deciding whether mixed martial arts is too expensive for you really is a personal decision. If you are able to commit to several sessions a week, then even a monthly price is reasonable to pay because it drives down the single-class price you could have been paying otherwise.
What Is The Cheapest Martial Art To Learn?
Muay Thai is one of the cheapest martial arts to learn because it requires the least amount of equipment in training. While Boxing or Muay Thai gloves are usually necessary, you can use the art of eight limbs to become a good fighter with as much as a heavy bag.
Boxing is a close second behind Muay Thai because it is just so common all over the world that you can pretty much pick up a Boxing class anywhere and rent a pair of gloves if you can’t afford your own pair.
Martial arts like Muay Thai or Kickboxing could be a bit rarer in the USA, for example, but is extremely common across Asia. Having more accessible classes usually means it can drive the price down in an area. That’s where Boxing will usually come out on top versus most other martial arts.
But you just can’t beat the fact that Muay Thai uses fists, elbows, knees, and feet to land strikes and you only need to protect your hands with Boxing/Muay Thai gloves. The other body parts don’t need protective equipment to perform on a heavy bag or on pads with a partner, making Muay Thai the best bang for your buck as you’ll learn so much and with very little equipment.
That’s been my answering of how much MMA classes cost, with clear pricing data and a comparison of the USA and over in Asia. Wherever you are in the world, training MMA is one of the greatest things you could do. I began a few years ago and have never looked back, I will be doing this forever.
