Membership Fees: Comparing Karate to Other Activities

This is just about impossible to nail down exactly as different clubs have differing parameters within which they operate. Some charge more or less depending on the size of the club, the purpose or intention of the instructor(s), whether or not they own their own building, and resources available to club members. Factors influencing membership fees will be discussed in more detail in a future article.

The prices I’ve found are not definitive. These prices will vary depending on city, target audience, organization, facilities, etc. I can’t give an authoritive summary of what it will cost to get into certain activities in your city, but what I can do is give an idea of what to expect when you join a club here in Halifax.

To put things in perspective, we’ll look at examples of other clubs of varying types and see what they charge or require.

So, here are the parameters for each club cost estimate:

• based on a year of membership
• beginner level expenses, not seasoned members
• minimal (and economical) equipment purchased just to make it through the year
• no extra classes, clinics, tournaments, demonstrations, or shows attended, and no optional trainers or assistants
• all tests or exams as prompted by the club leader (such as: “you can try out for a more senior league now” or ”you grade for your yellow belt in 3 weeks”)

In some cases, fees vary greatly and so a range is given.

Let’s begin.

Badminton

1. 1-year membership (1 “class” a week): $250
2. Decent racket: $50
3. Generic gym shoes: 80$
4. Shuttles: $20/3 months * 4 = $80

Golf Club

Since it’s usually cheaper to buy in bulk, you wouldn’t be paying each time you go, but would get a 1-year membership instead. Some of the clubs in HRM that are known to be a little more “hoity-toity” don’t list their annual membership fees on their website. I think it’s a fair guess that those clubs have fees greater than those listed below.

1. 1 year “Intermediate” membership: $895 – $2080
2. Entry level golf-club equipment (driver, 2 woods, 2 hybrids, 6 irons, putter, and cart bag): $178

Halifax Dance Ballet

For a beginner joining ballet, you can expect:

1. Beginner class fees: $256/term * 3 terms/year = $768
2. Low-end pair of ballet shoes (not point shoes): $50

Halifax ISKF (Karate)

1. 1-year adult membership: $280
2. Beginner’s gi: $55 + tax.
3. Maximum of 3 successful kyu gradings: 3 * $35 = $105

Halifax Judo

1. 1-year membership: $400
2. Beginner’s gi: $80
3. First grading: $40

Nubody’s

For a general-purpose fitness membership,

1. 12 * 1-month memberships: 12* $50 = $600

Recreational Hockey League

1. 1 season (~Sep. – Mar.) membership: $380
2. Minimal equipment: ~$200

Running Room

1. 1-month membership: Free
2. Decent Shoes: ~$150

Yoga Studio

There are many in town, so a range is given from cheapest I could find, to most expensive (taxes in).

1. 1-year unlimited membership: $1011.35 – $2067
2. Yoga pants and top: $45
3. Yoga Mat: $10

Summary

So we have quite a spread.  Here’s a summary:

Badminton	$460
Golf	$1073
Ballet	$818
Karate	$447
Judo	$520
Nubody’s	$600
Hockey	$580
Running	$150
Yoga	$1066

Golf was the most interesting one to research as the golf clubs seldom listed prices on their website so I had to either visit them to inquire, phone to inquire, or ask around my office building for people who golf. There are more expensive clubs in town than what’s listed above, but if you’re not already a member, you don’t want to know how much they are.

The only item on the list which requires substantially less money to “join” was running. Others like Hockey, Badminton, and Judo are close and if you do a little more searching around town, Halifax or otherwise, you can probably find clubs that are less expensive or offer more resources for the same price.

Advertisement