15 unique and cheap Halloween costumes

Halloween can be an expensive time of year. From the spooky decorations to the trick or treat sweets, it can add up quickly! 

We’re here to help you save your creepy coins by offering you 15 cheap Halloween costume ideas. 

These costumes are designed to be easily DIY’d using basic materials or clothing you already own. For many of them, you’ll just need your wardrobe and a printer. 

Explore our ideas below and don’t let this Halloween break the bank. 

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15 cheap Halloween costumes for adults 

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1. Audrey Hepburn Halloween costume

Transform yourself into the effortlessly elegant Audrey Hepburn this Halloween. Many of you will have a pair of black sunglasses, black heels and a little black dress in your wardrobe. 

Her signature hairdo can easily be recreated yourself. Then all you need to do is pick up a cheap pearl necklace from a charity shop and a cigarette holder from Amazon. 

For more iconic ideas head over to our 12 pop culture celebrity Halloween costumes.

• Cheap Halloween costume by Pinterest

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2. Strawberry Halloween costume

A red dress or red top and skirt can easily be turned into this sweet strawberry costume! Add white pips to your outfit using white paper and DIY your own strawberry top with green card.

This cheap Halloween costume can also be turned into a group Halloween costume. Dress your pals up as a melon (pink and green clothes with black paper pips), grapes (purple with a stem hat), pineapple (yellow top with black markings drawn on) and other fresh fruits.  

• Cheap Halloween costume by Kamri Noel

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3. Bandit Halloween costume

Steal the show this Halloween with this robber-inspired cheap Halloween costume. Black trousers, a striped shirt and a black mask will immediately give you that suspicious look.

DIY a money bag from plain fabric and draw the dollar or pound sign on the front with a black marker. For a tasty Halloween twist, fill your swag bag with sweets. 

If you and your partner will soon become a family of three, check out our collection of pregnant Halloween costume ideas. 

• Cheap Halloween costume by Say Yes

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4. Boba Halloween costume

Turn yourself into everyone’s favourite beverage – boba! This quirky Halloween costume is a brilliant DIY idea as you only need three main materials; a white dress, black fabric and a card. 

Learn how to turn black fabric into boba pearls with our how to make fabric pom pom tutorial. Then buy some card that matches the colour of your shoes and turn it into a statement straw. 

• Cheap Halloween costume by Aww Sam

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5. Edna Mode Halloween costume

Become the queen of costume design herself, Edna Mode. The Crafty Patch has an easy and cheap Halloween costume tutorial on their blog. This idea is even more affordable if you already have black hair! 

• Cheap Halloween costume by The Crafty Patch

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6. Sashimi sushi Halloween costume 

Delicious and affordable? This cheap Halloween costume for adults has it all. Follow Fairfield World’s free tutorial to learn how to make her sashimi costume. A pair of chopsticks will finish the outfit off nicely. 

• Cheap Halloween costume by FairField World

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7. Coco Halloween costume

A red hoodie, a guitar and some face paint are all you need to turn yourself into Coco. This fancy dress idea is the perfect mix of a spooky Halloween vibe and a child-friendly, Disney idea. 

Looking for more child-friendly Halloween costumes? Head over to our 21 kids' Halloween costumes to explore more.  

• Cheap Halloween costumes by Pinterest

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8. Rosie The Riveter Halloween costume

Show your patriotism by dressing as the famous Rosie The Riveter for Halloween. Denim jeans and a shirt, paired with a red scarf are all you need to recreate this fancy dress idea. Wear red lipstick and give your hair a retro 1940s style to finish the look. 

• Cheap Halloween costumes by Take it from Nicole

9. Scarecrow Halloween costume

Dress up as the world’s cutest scarecrow this Halloween with a few simple items. A checked shirt, denim jeans and a straw hat are the basis of your outfit. 

For extra details, pop some straw or cream raffia inside your top to give you that stuffed look! Recreate this sweet face with makeup and you’re ready to attend your Halloween celebrations. 

Make sure you scroll through our cute Halloween costumes for more adorable ideas. 

• Cheap Halloween costumes by Daily Dose of Details

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10. Scar from Lion King costume 

Take the classic cat costume one step further with this Lion King look. The evil Scar is a great Halloween villain and is easy to dress as. 

Crimp/curl your hair and make sure it’s backcombed to get the lion mane aesthetic. Wear all black or brown and paint on a lion's face for the final Scar transformation. 

You could even throw a Lion King-themed party (check out our Halloween party themes for more ideas). 

• Cheap Halloween costumes by @shanadanielle_

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11. Holes Halloween costume 

The 2003 film Holes is a nostalgic watch for many of us and is a cheap Halloween costume idea for 90s babies. 

A white t-shirt with orange trousers (or a prison jumpsuit which you can buy on Amazon), coupled with a bucket hat is all you need. 

A milk bottle hanging around your neck and a shovel are both perfect affordable props. 

• Cheap Halloween costume inspiration from @jasminesmitt

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12. Joyce from Stranger Things Halloween costume

The hit TV show Stranger Things has a host of characters to choose from, including Joyce, Will’s mum. She is probably one of the easiest characters from the show to recreate.

Her signature look is jeans, a stripy top and a green Parka coat. Grab a mini lamp from a charity shop and use it as your weapon against the ghosts and ghouls haunting your home. 

• Cheap Halloween costume by @daphnemoreau 

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DIY your Halloween treats and costumes! 

Once you’ve whipped up your cheap Halloween costume it’s time for snacks! Take a look through our DIY Halloween treats and bake something deviously delicious this October. 

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13. Salt & Pepper Halloween costume 

Grab a bestie or your partner and DIY this simple and cheap Halloween costume. Use four old black and white t-shirts, two for cutting and two for wearing. 

Cut the S and P from the other t-shirts and use some simple stitching or fabric glue to attach them to the tops. The Halloween costume is complete! 

If you like this idea make sure you also check out our collection of couples Halloween costumes. 

• Cheap Halloween costume by Evite

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14. Curious George Halloween costume 

Transform yourself into the cheekiest chap in town – Curious George. There’s two fancy dress options here. First is dressing as George himself which is as easy as brown clothing and some monkey ears.

Or you can be George’s owner, The Man in the Yellow Hat. Use a yellow shirt, hat and trousers to become his trainer. 

This is a great couples Halloween costume or could be an owner/pet Halloween costume. Your pet can be George!

 Make sure you also check out our 22 dog Halloween costumes for more pup-friendly ideas. 

• Cheap Halloween costume by @K8_carpenter

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15. Medusa Halloween costume 

How clever is this Medusa outfit? We love the creative and cheap Medusa hairstyle which involves kids' toy snakes! Then a simple white bed sheet can be turned into a Greecian robe. 

• Cheap Halloween costume by Creative Fashion Blog

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Keep this Halloween cheap and cheerful 

Fancy dress doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, sometimes the handmade, cheap Halloween costumes have more impact! 

They allow you to stand out from the crowd and become more imaginative - not to mention they’re often more eco-friendly too.

Raid the charity shops or your wardrobe and create your own cheap Halloween costume for adults.

Discover more cheap Halloween costumes with Gathered 

We have a host of affordable fancy dress ideas including over 200 DIY Halloween costumes. Browse through and make this Halloween the most handmade one yet.